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Dark Ages

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Dark Ages: 500 yr period of decline in W. Europe after the fall of the Roman empire (period of ignorance and superstition)

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Middle Ages

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Middle Ages: period b/t the fall of the Roman empire and the Renaissance (500-1500) (Early and High Middle Ages):

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Medieval ages

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Medieval: culture describing the middle ages (latin words for middle age)

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Effects of German invasions of Western Europe on: economy and society, education, and language

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economy: trade disappears = economic centers destroyed = scarce money society: trade dried up / gov collapsed = cities fell into decline = many fled to the countryside = population became mostly rural education: tribes were illiterate, ppl who were literate left for the countryside = very few ppl left who were literate = Greek/ Roman works almost lost language: traveling/ communication became difficult and German speaking ppl mixed w/ Romans = latin changed / evolved diff dialects = French / Spanish / etc

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Appeal of Christianity in the early Middle Ages

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-most ppl's lives were filled w/ uncertainty/ unhappiness -christianity offered comfort, the promise of a happy afterlife, and a sense of community -Missionaries/ Monasteries/ Pope Gregory the Great helped spread / enforce it

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Christendom

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the Christian society including most of W/ Europe that Missionaries/ Monastaries/ Pope Gregory the Great created. -ppl there considered themselves a community of believers bc they were linked by a common religion / customs

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Missionaries

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-ppl sent out to carry a religious message -risked their lives to spread Christianity -eg: St. Patrick: went from England to Ireland spreading Christianity, despite him facing opposition/ hostility from Irish leaders. By the time he died almost all of Ireland had converted.

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Monks and monasticism

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monks: men who separate themselves from ordinary society to dedicate themselves to God -social workers of their comm (provided hospitals, hospitality for travelers, schools for the young, taught peasants how to do things) -developed better farming methods = improved economy -enthusiastic missionaries monasticism: practice of living the life of a monk

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Benedictine Rule

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model for monasticism, set of strict practice rules written by St. Benedict -monks took obedience to the abbot (leader) of the monastery, poverty, and chastity (purity) -divided each day into diff activities -monks did everything together

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Nuns and convents

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nuns: women who dedicated themselves to god, lived in convents headed by abbesses

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Contributions of monasteries

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-wrote/ taught latin (language of the church) -preserved/ transmitted classical knowledge

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Venerable Bede

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monk of England, wrote a history of England that's considered the best historical work of the early middle ages

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Pope Gregory I and the papacy

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Pope Gregory I: Gregory the Great, worked to make the way ppl see the papacy change -made the papacy a secular / worldly power who was involved in politics -began to act as the leader of Rome / popes palace = center of administration -used church $ to raise armies, repair roads, and help the poor -negotiated peace treaties w/ invaders -strenthens idea of Christendom the papacy: position of the pope

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How the concept of government changed after the Germanic invasions

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-family ties/ personal loyalty rather than citizenship in a public state bound Germanic society -germans lived in small communities gov. by unwritten rules / traditions -extended fams worked together -each germanic chief led a band of warriors, gave warriors food/ weapons/ treasure in exchange for fighting to the death -warriors only obeyed those who they knew / liked (emphasis on personal ties = difficult to maintain orderly govs over a large area)

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Franks

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-germanic ppl who controlled the largest / strongest of Europe's kingdoms (Gaul) -led by Clovis (strongest war lords of the region)

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Clovis

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-leader of Franks -led his warriors into battle w/ another germanic tribe -before battle he appealed to the christian god, when the Franks won Clovis had his warriors baptized -started an important relationship b/t the church and Frankish kingdom

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Major domo

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mayor of the palace -was the most powerful person by 700: -officially controlled the royal household / estates -unofficially commanded armies/ made policy -ruled kingdom

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Charles Martel and the Battle of Tours

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Charles Martel: Charles the Hammer, extended the Frank's rein to the N, S, E (never actually king) the Battle of Tours: Muslim raiding party entered France, Martel defeated them -warriors saw the victory as a sign that God was on their side -if the Muslims had won, W. Europe may have been controlled by them

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Pepin the Short and the Carolingian Dynasty

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Pepin the Short: son of Charles, cooperated w / the pope to become king (agreed to fight the Lombards (germanic ppl invading central Italy/ threatening Rome, in exchange for being crowned king) the Carolingian Dynasty: dynasty of Frankish rulers (started by Charles) -lasted from 751-987

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Charlemagne and his accomplishments

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-reunited W. Europe for the 1st time since the Roman Empire -spread christianity -was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the pope = new union b/t the legacy of rome, the catholic church, and the Germanic tribes that influenced Europe thruout the middle ages -empire declined after he died (3 grandsons fought for his territory)

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Treaty of Verdun

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treaty b/t Charlemagne's 3 grandsons that divided the empire into 3 separate kingdoms into the W. Frankish Kingdom, the E Frankish Kingdom, and the Central Frankish Kingdom -kings lost power, power invasions occurred

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Vikings, Norsemen (Northmen), Scandinavia, and longboats

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Vikings: were excellent shipbuilders / sailers, invaded and caused widespread disorder (no leader to defend against them), some were explorers Norsemen (Northmen): name for the Vikings Scandinavia: N region where the Vikings came from. Had food shortages due to little ferile soil, so they decided to invade other places Longboats: could hold up to 300 men and 20 tons while sailing in just 3ft of water

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Viking raids

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-first targeted England/ N France bc they were easy to reach by sea -attacked Christian monasteries bc monks were not warriors and they were located in isolated areas -terrified all communities -were quick to attack = ppl can't defend w/o warning -sold ppl into slavery

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Leif Eriksson

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Viking who reached N America (Canada)

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Why the Viking raids may have ended

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-gradual conversion of the Vikings to Christianity -a warming trend in the climate that made farming in Scandinavia easier = fewer ppl needed to raid

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Magyar and Muslim raids on Europe

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Magyar: Turkish nomads who were skilled riders, were able to raid deeply into Europe w/ they quick war tactics, stole pressious treasures and sold ppl into war. Crushed by king of Germany Muslim: launched small / fast raids against cities/ towns along Med. Also interfered w/ trade by pirating ships. -caused a loss of communication b/t the Byzantine Empire and Italy = pope forced to turn to the Franks for support / protection

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Effects of the Viking, Magyar, and Muslim invasions of Western Europe

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-ppl turned to local landowning lords to protect them -led to feudalism

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Feudalism: lord and vassal

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-vassalage: warriors swore a battle oath (fight for leaders to the death) in ex for treasure / needs -vassal: a man who served a lord in a military capacity, had to swear an oath of fealty (loyalty) to his lord, protected land given to them -lords: granted land when they wanted vassals to fight for them

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What are knights and what role did each of the following play in the growing importance of knights in the Middle Ages: saddle and stirrup, oath of fealty, fiefs

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knights: armored Frankish warriors on horses, became very important in battle / gained prestige saddle and stirrup: kept knights firmly on their horses while they charged (made them successful) oath of fealty: allowed a man to become a vassal, vassals were given land to fight (fighting was encouraged / rewarded) fiefs: grant of land made to a vassal, came w/ peasants to work the land and any towns / building on it. (provided motivation to fight, everyone wanted land) Wealth from fiefs allowed knights to afford expensive weapons

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Feudal contract

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unwritten set of rules that determined the relationship b/t a lord and his vassal -vassal serves 40 days a yr in battle, had to make payments to the lord -lord granted land and protected the vassal eg: Rollo (vassal) and the French King (lord) who granted Rollo land

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Normandy

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-(Northman's Land) -Rollo's land granted by the French King

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Why the feudal system became so complex

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-a person could be both a vassal and a lord at the same time -a vassal could serve several lords (had to choose who to defend if the lords were fighting each other) -rules could change overtime

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How feudal society was structured

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-king -powerful vassals (wealthy land owners like bishops/ nobles) -knights -peasants a person's status determined their prestige and power, social class was usually inherited

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Serfs

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peasants who couldn't lawfully leave the place where they were born, not slaves bc their lords couldn't buy/ sell them

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Manor

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residence of the noble, located on his fief, provided the economic support that made the knight's way of life possible, were usually castles -inlcuded all land / ppl that surrounded it

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Mutual obligations in the manor system

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-serfs had to provide labor services, pay rents, and be subject to the lord's control, couldn't leave manor w/o lord's permission, couldn't marry anyone outside the manor w/o the lord's approval -lords had political authority on their lands (could try serfs in their own courts), had to protect their serfs so they could farm their land

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Tithe

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tax that amounted to 1/10 of their produce that the serfs had to pay

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Why and how the manor was self-sufficient

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-peasants living there produced almost everything they needed (food, clothing, furniture) -bc it saved $ = lords made more $

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Harshness of peasant life and why they accepted it

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-worked long hours -lived in filthy/ mud homes -lived short lives -accepted it as part of the churches teaching (believed that God determined a person's place in society and hoped that thru handwork/ the sacraments they could achieve salvation)

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Tournaments and the joust

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Tournaments: contests where knights could demonstrate their skill, were used to prepare for war, were fierce/ bloody, winers could demand ransom from loser, combined recreation w/ combat training joust: individual combat b/t 2 knights

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Castles and sieges

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castles: was the home of the lord/ his lady, was used for refuge during war for peasants -at first were made of wood, later used stone. sieges: military blockade designed to over come the castles defensed or depriving the castle of supplies to make them surrender -castles defended w/ pouring molten lead/ boiling water onto enemies or using cross bows

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Chivalry

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ideal of civilized behavior expected of a knight (courage and loyalty) -influenced music, literature, and perceptions of women in later European cultures -put aristocratic women of high respect

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Who knights fought for under chivalry

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-earthly feudal lord -heavenly lord -chosen lady -protected the week and poor

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Troubadours

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poet musicans who served in castles/ court of Europe -helped spread ideals of chivalry bc their poetry typically were about nobles / knights, sometime about the love of a knight for a lady (love songs created artificial image of women)

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Epic poems and The Song of Roland

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Epic poems: recounted a hero's deeds/ adventures The Song of Roland: praises a band of french knights led my Roland who perished in battle against the Muslims from Spain. -Roland and Turpin the Archbishop are great examples of the medical ideals of courage, faith, and chivalry

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Reality of chivalry

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-hardly controlled how knights behaved or how courts were administered -few knights actually followed the ideas -was mostly spread by story tellers

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Role of women

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-inferior to men -expected to bear children and respect their fathers/ husbands / take care of the house -sometimes had to fight when their castles were placed under siege

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Eleanor of Aquitaine

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-heiress to the duchy of Aquitaine in sw France -married to Duke Henry of Normandy (Henry II of England) -created a court dedicated to cultural activities -raised her sons to become kings -traveled to arrange noble weddings and to manage her estates

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Age of Faith

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Middle Ages in Europe: bc religion was at the center of ppls lives, served as a unifying force in a period of disorder / instability

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Organization of the Church

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distribution of power was based on status -pope headed the church -bishops/ priests fell under popes authority -bishops supervised priests / settled religious disputes over church teachings/ religious practices -priests preached the teachings of the church/ explained the bible (common ppl weren't allowed access), some ran schools, guided ppl on moral issues and offered help to the sick

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Sacraments, salvation, and baptism

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sacraments: sacred rites of the church salvation: everlasting life of God / heaven baptism: ppl became part of the Christian community

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Saints, relics, and pilgrimages

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Saints: men / women who had achieved a special place in heaven / could ask for favors from God relics, and pilgrimages -Virgin Mary was the most highly regarded in the middle ages (many churches were dedicated to her) Relics: bones or other objects connected to saints or their lives that provided link b/t earthly world and heaven -prized possessions of churches -pilgrimage brought wealth to cities w/ relics (tourism) pilgrimages: trips to holy shrine or locations that provided a spiritual benefit

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Canon law

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laws created by church that covered all aspects of daily life (mortality, marriage, wills, etc). -disobeying laws were punished

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Excommunication and interdict

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Excommunication: act of banishing a person from the church and denying him the sacraments (not excepted into heaven then) interdict: act of denying the sacraments to an entire town, region, or kingdom

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Pope Leo IX

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-beleived that Europe's clergy had become corrupt, so he traveled around stripping Bishops of they powers if they failed to preform their duties -brought conflict b/t political / religious leaders (kings thought that it was interference) -excommunicated the patriarch = division of the church into the Catholic and E/ Orthodox sects

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Lay investiture

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appointment of Church officials by nobles and kings -led to corruption in the church bc the clergy often left greater obligation to the lords who appointed them than to the church -clergy pointed by noble lords neglected their spiritual duties and focused more on increasing their own / their lord's personal wealth

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Pope Gregory VII and Henry IV

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Pope Gregory VII: wanted to fight the practice of lay investiture/ claimed that the pope was God's true agent on Earth and that pope's authority extended over all the Christian world -banned lay investiture (those who didn't except were excommunicated) Henry IV: king of Germany/ Holy Roman Emperor, rejected Gregory's claims, was excommunicated bc he sent a vicious letter to the pope -traveld to Canossa to beg for forgiveness, pope was forced to except his apology (no longer excommunicated) german bishops/ princes sided w/ the pope

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Concordat of Worms

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-compromise b/t Gregory's and Henry's successors that allowed the church to grant a bishop his ring and staff (symbols of church office) and the emperor could veto power to prevent the appointment of a bishop -basically the pope couldn't exercise absolute power over Europe's rulers

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Otto I

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king of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor -otto the great -copied Charlemagne's polices by forming a close alliance w/ the church -limited nobles' strength by gaining the support of the bishops / heads of German monasteries -was crowned emperor of the Romans (title not used since Charlamange) (later the "Holy Roman Emperor")

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Holy Roman Empire

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German-Italian empire created by Otto -holy bc rulers were crowned by the pope -Roman bc ruler saw themselves as weird to the emperors of ancient Rome -was the strongest state un Europe until 1100

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Why Otto's attempts to revive Charlemagne's empire caused problems

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-Italian nobles resented German rule -Popes came to fear the political power that the German emperors held over Italy -the real rulers of central / E Europe/ parts of France and Italy were the emperor's vassals (nobles / church officials who had very strong armies) -appointment of church officials was argued often (relations w/ the Church)

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Frederick I

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King of Germany / Holy Roman Emperor -"Barbarossa" bc his red beard -1st ruler to officially call his lands the Holy Roman Empire -his empire was a patchwork of feudal territories w/ no real central authority -able to dominate the German princes w/ his forceful personality and military skills -whenever he left disorder returned

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Lombard League and the Battle of Legnano

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Frederick I invaded rich cities of N Italy instead of focusing on building royal power in Germany = angered the pope and Italian merchants = formed the Lombard League Battle of Legnano: foot soldiers of Lombard League defeated Frederick's army of mounted knights by using crossbows

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Why Germany did not create a strong national monarchy in the Middle Ages

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-German emperors left Germany in the hands of the powerful nobles who ignored the emperors and created their own independent kingdoms -Holy Roman Empire remained in a patchwork of feudal states = weak german monarchy = German Holy Roman Emperor had no real power over either Germany or Italy -system of German princes electing the king = weakened royal authority, system gained strength in 1100's / resulted in election of weak leaders who wouldn't threaten the power/ privileges of the German nobility = Germany didn't become a nation-state for another 600 yrs

Ch. 13: European Middle Ages – Flashcards

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