Transcript Medieval Europe 500-1300 - St. Dominic High School

Medieval Europe 500-1300
• Topic: The Dark Ages in Europe
• Aim: How had life in Europe changed
during the Dark Ages?
• Do Now: Analyze Quote:
“ Where is the Senate? Where are the people? The bones
are all dissolved, the flesh is consumed, all the pomp and
dignities of this world is gone. The whole mass is boiled
away.”
Pope Gregory the Great
186
600 A.C.E
The Dark Ages
• Why did Europe fall into darkness?
• As Roman civilization declined, Europe
became an isolated land of disunity, conflict,
and poverty
• During the early Middle Ages 500-1000,
Europe was an isolated, backward region
largely cut off from the advanced civilizations
that flourished in the Middle East, South Asia,
China, and elsewhere
Early Medieval Era
• Europe restored political order after invasion and depletion of
population
» Decentralized rule
• Economic Recovery
» Agricultural Production
• Religious leadership
» Cultural Unity
-Identify
three barbarian tribes that dominated Western Europe
Germanic Kingdoms
• These tribes were constantly colliding with each other, they
carved up Western Europe while The Byzantine Empire held on
to the East
• The Germanic peoples were different than the Romans they
conquered, they had no cities, no laws, they lived in small
communities and elected their kings whose chief role was to
lead them in war
• The Franks eventually emerged as the most powerful Germanic
Kingdom led by Clovis.
Franks
• Constructed a society that drew on the agricultural
resources of continental Europe
• European shift from Italy to central Europe
• Decentralized political institutions
• Alliance with Christianity that helped the Roman
Church maintain its cultural and religious primacy in
Western Europe
Clovis
-Brilliant but ruthless leader of the Franks
who conquered much of Western Europe
(former Roman provinces)
-He gained acceptance of Roman Catholic
Church when he converted to Christianity, thus
gaining a major ally.
Carolingian Dynasty Formed
• Charles the Hammer
In 732, Charles the Hammer
(Charles Martel) defeated
Muslims at Battle of Tours.
The defeat moved Europe
toward Christianity and away
from Islam. With out this
victory, Europe may have
become a Muslim nation,
and our. The Battle of Tours
united the Franks, and the
Franks became the leading
power in western Europe.
This increased the power of
the church and the Pope.
Charlemagne (Charles the Great) was
born on April 2, 742 in Northern Europe.
"By the sword and the cross," he
became master of Western Europe.
Through his enlightened leadership the
roots of learning and order were restored
to Medieval Europe.
In 768, when Charlemagne was 26, he
and his brother Carloman inherited the
kingdom of the Franks. In 771 Carloman
died, and Charlemagne became sole
ruler of the kingdom. At that time the
Franks were falling back into barbarian
ways, neglecting their education and
religion. The Saxons of northern Europe
were still pagans. In the south, the
Roman Catholic church was asserting its
power to recover land confiscated by the
Lombard kingdom of Italy. Europe was in
turmoil. Charlemagne was determined to
strengthen his realm and to bring order
to Europe.
In 772 he launched a 30-year military
campaign to accomplish this
objective. By 800 Charlemagne was
the undisputed ruler of Western
Europe. His vast realm
encompassed what are now France,
Switzerland, Belgium, and The
Netherlands. It included half of
present-day Italy and Germany, and
parts of Austria and Spain. By
establishing a central government
over Western Europe, Charlemagne
restored much of the unity of the old
Roman Empire and paved the way
for the development of modern
Europe. On Christmas Day in 800,
while Charlemagne knelt in prayer in
Saint Peter's in Rome, Pope Leo III
placed a golden crown on the bowed
head of the king. Charlemagne is
said to have been surprised by the
coronation, declaring that he would
not have come into the church had
he known the pope's plan.
When Charlemagne died in 814 his
empire stretched from what is today
northern Spain throughout the Low
Countries, into Bavaria and
throughout northern Italy. This was
inherited by Louis the Pious.
Why is Charlemagne important?
• Pope Leo called upon the Frankish king to put down a rebellion by
the Romans
• The pope in turn proclaimed him emperor on Christmas 800
RESULTS
-Charlemagne was the first Germanic King to be proclaimed successor
to the Roman Emperors
-This gave the idea of a united Christian community
-This divided the Eastern and Western Roman Empires even more

Charlemagne’s Government-
 Appointed nobles and regional rulers to maintain order, check
supplies, check the roads, listen to grievances, and see that
justice was served.
 Charlemagne’s chief goal was to spread Christianity
 Education and Learning Set up a Palace school at Aachen
 Taught Latin which became educational model for medieval
Europe. Also taught math, grammar, geometry, music, and
astronomy
 Copied manuscripts and bible’s which would serve as
textbooks for 700 hundred years
 Alcium was his chief scholar
 Upon Charlemagne’s death the Empire fell apart because of a
power struggle
VIKINGS
Destroyed what was left of
Charlemagne’s Empire
Expert sailors and ferocious
warriors came from Scandinavia.
NEW INVASIONS
MUSLIM INVASIONS
Defeated in B. of Tours in 732,
but continued to put pressure
on Europe.
In 896 they plundered
Germany, Italy, and parts
of France
The Church: Political and Spiritual Power
1. Only solid, stable organization in Western Europe
a. Copied structure of Roman Empire
1. Pope – Rome – top authority
2. Regional bishops
3. Supervised local priests
2. Role of pope
a. regulate doctrine
b. beat back heresies
c. sponsored missionary activity
New Economic and Urban Vigor
1. New sources of strength
a. new agricultural techniques
1. three-field
2. moldboard plow
3. horse collar – almost as cool as the world
famous
\Chinese ox collar
b. dominance of lord/knights – horse collar and
stirrups
c. Viking raids slowed down
1. Christianized
2. Regional government stronger
2. All led to population growth
a. Led to new markets
b. Look to eastern lands not previously
converted to agriculture
c. Loosen bonds of serfdom
d. trade with others led to new crops