The Early Middle Ages: Europe: 476-1250 AD – Flashcards

476-700 AD

700-1000 AD

1000-1250 AD

1250-1550 AD

The Disorder of the Fall Withdrawal of Roman Authority/Legions Breakdown of Centralized Government following the execution of Romulus Augustus, the Last Emperor of the Western Empire Tribal Groups Begin to Crave Out Germanic Kingdoms from the Old Imperial Provinces

376 AD—Battle of Adrianople—Eastern Empire Army wipes out by the Visigoths who now cross into the Empire 406 AD—Vandals, Alars, Suevi, and Burgundians overrun the Province of Gaul. 407 AD—Evacuation of the Roman Legions from the Province of Britain, they never return. 409 AD—Province of Iberia overrun by the Vandals, Suevi, and Alans 412 AD—Province of Iberia overrun by the Visigoths 419 AD—The Visigoth Kingdom of Toulouse is recognized by both Emperors in the Province of Gaul 430 AD—Vandals overrun the Province of Africa and depose the Roman Governor. 435 AD—The Vandal Kingdom of Africa is recognized by both Emperors. 455 AD—Vandals sack the City of Rome 476 AD—Romulus Augustus executed by order of King Odovacar of Ravenna

Collapsed of the Centralized State (Imperial Government) Decay of the Ancient City-State as a physical/social unit to be replaced by the Rural Estate of the Local Lord- a return to a more primitive state. Decline of Long-Distance Trade Shift in loyalty from the State/Lord to Religion Conversion of all peoples to Roman Catholicism Population Decline

Three Cultural Aspects in Synthesis Combination The Three Factors -Late Roman Culture (Greco-Roman) -Evolving Roman Catholic Culture (Religious/Governmental) -Germanic (Social/Governmental) This Synthesis saw the Decline in: Education/Learning Town Life Trade/Commerce Centralized Government

The educated were much more involved in salvaging classical learning than was originally thought. Intellectual Life continued in the Monasteries of the Roman Catholic Church but in different ways than in Greco-Roman times. The Roman Catholic Church tried at times to make sure that control over learning was tightly controlled

The Roman Catholic Church was the only Institution providing: -Order (Social/Political) Meaning to Life -Security Salvation -Education Uncertainties of Life encouraged people to turn to faith for security and salvation The Roman Catholic Church was the dominant institution of the Early Middle Ages

The Benedictine Monasteries Scholarship Preservation Education Commerce Agricultural Production Men and Women

Faith became everything Faith overcame Uncertainty Faith created Security and Salvation The Roman Catholic Church became and remained the dominant institution of the Early Middle Ages

Northern Italy Western Germany Eastern France

England Spain Kiev France Italy

Southern France Italy Sicily

Gregory I used the Roman Imperial Administrative methods to organize and the Papal property effectively. Papal control strengthened in: Gaul Sicily Corsica Italy Sardinia Missions sent to: England Gaul Scandinavia

Feudalism was a synthesis of three basic elements that evolved from late Roman and early Germanic times: -The Personal Element—Lord & Vassal -The Property Element—The Fief (usually land) -The Ruling Element—The transfer from the Lord to the Vassal of the private exercise of governmental and judicial functions within his Fief.

Sub-infeudation -Liege Homage -Liege and Vassal Investiture Feudal Obligations Heraldry Chivalry The Peace of God and the Truce of God limited warfare to certain days of the week and certain times of the year.

The Economic Foundation of Europe during the Dark and Middle Ages Offered Protection of the Workers and the Produce created. The Lord's Demense Lands The Free Peasants and the Serfs The Restrictions Self-sufficiency The Mill, Oven, and the Winepress

United the Frankish Tribes Conquered most of the Old Imperial Province of Gaul Converted to Roman Catholicism in 496 AD Founded the Merovingian Dynasty in Gaul The descendants of Clovis were unable to maintain their control over their Kingdom and power passed to the Mayors of the Palace.

Held post of Mayor of the Palace under the last Merovingian King. Defeated the Moslems at Battle of Tours in 732 AD. His son, Pepin the Short will depose the last Merovingian King in 751 AD becoming King of the Franks and defeat the Lombards in Italy turning the conquered territory over to the Pope. His grandson, Charlemagne will re-found the Western Empire as the Holy Roman Empire.

German Warrior-King of the Franks Began the Carolingian Renaissance in Gaul/Germany Crowned by the Pope on 25 December 800 AD as the First Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. This merged Roman universalism with Christian univeralism.

Military Exploits -Extended Frankish control into the Spanish March (Barcelona) -Protected the Pope by defeating the Lombards of Italy again and proclaiming himself as King of the Lombards. -Extended Frankish territory by annexing Bavaria to the Frankish Kingdom. -The Saxon duchy was reduced to tributary status in Germany. Literary Exploits Established a New Europe whose center was in the north rather than in the Mediterranean Basin.

Alcuin of Northumbria ruled the Palace School and created many of the Imperial Libraries Peter of Pisa Paul of Aquileia Theodulf of Orleans Einhard of Fulda The Setting up of the Palace School at the capital of Aachen -Study of the Liberal Arts -Copying of manuscripts

The Emperor The Comital Landlords (County Rulers) (two hundred and fifty (250) in all. The Missi Domici (usually a bishop and a count) -Rode Circuit -Held their own Courts -Power to remove a Count for cause -Supervision of clerical, judicial, and financial administration

Emperor Kings of the Empire (Imperial Princes)—a Kingdom Counts—A county and responsible to the King. Viscounts—Within a County and ruled either under the count or under the King. Margraves—Ruled over the Marches and were directly responsible to the Emperor

Louis I the Pious was ineffectual as a Ruler and as a Soldier Much more interested in the Roman Catholic Church than his Empire Territorial Divisions between his sons led to the breakup of the Empire The Empire was also too large, with too many diverse people to be effectively administered.

The Treaty of Verdun was completed in 843 AD and fragmented the Carolingian Empire into three sections. -Charles II (the Bald) was King of Neustria (the West) -Louis II (the German) was King of Germany (the East) -Lothair I (the Simple) got the Burgundian Kingdom (the middle) and the title of Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 840-855 AD (this territory would be an area of conflict into the 20th century) Each of the sons signed the Oath of Strasbourg which were written in early forms of French and German

The breakup of the Carolingian Empire was accompanied by the raids of: -The Magyars—See Above -The Vikings—See Above -The Moslems—See Above These Invasions accelerated the process of de-centralization that led in part to Feudalism.

410-442 AD—Invasions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes The emergence of the Seven Kingdoms that dominated England throughout the Dark Ages and into the High Middle Ages.

Essex Saxons London Wessex Saxons Winchester Sussex Saxons Kent Jutes Canterbury East Anglia Angles Norwich Mercia Angles Northumbria Angles York

Slowly defeated and then pushed back the Vikings until the House of Wessex ruled England. This was a multi-generational movement and took approximately seventy (70) years to accomplish. Patron of Learning -Established Schools -Personally Translated Works -The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was started

King Edgar (959-975 AD) consolidated the Kingdom into a single political and religious unit. The first of the Medieval Nation States to emerge and constantly maintain itself. Ethelred the Unready (978-1016 AD) was destroyed by continued Viking Invasions which eventually resulted in a Danish King. Edward III (the Confessor) restored the House of Wessex to the Throne but died without children in 1066 AD. Dynastic War occurred in 1066 as different factions fought for the throne of England.