MIDDLE AGES

From the Fall of Rome through Charlemagne• After the Fall of Rome, Europe entered into the Dark

Ages– Europe was made up of numerous Germanic

kingdoms– However, the only one to last a long time was the

Kingdom of the Franks• Roman law saw crime as an act against the state while

Germanic law saw crime as a personal act– If you were accused of a crime, you had to undergo

an ordeal to determine your guilt– Wergild = money paid to the injured person’s family

.

• At the Battle of Tours, the Muslim invasion into Europe was stopped– Charles Martel led and won the Battle of Tours for

the Franks• Charlemagne (768-814) was considered the greatest

European ruler in the 700s and 800s– He created a large European empire and brought

about a renaissance• Renaissance = a rebirth of learning and culture,

specifically Greek and Roman

• There were a lot of invaders during this time period– Magyars = invaders from central Asia– Muslims = conquered Spain and were pirates in the

Mediterranean– Vikings = from Scandinavia, they were the most feared

because their attacks were so quick and devastating• They were fierce warriors and sailors who had far-

reaching attacks• Vikings under the command of Leif Eriksson even

reached Canada• The favorite targets of the Vikings were monasteries • To keep them from attacking, the French king gave the

Vikings an area of land called Normandy

Feudalism• People turned to feudalism for several reasons:– They wanted land and they wanted protection– Also there was no more Rome

• In this time period wealth and power was based on owning land

• In feudalism, a lord gives land and protection to a vassal who then owes military service– Vassal = someone who owes military service to a lord

in return for land– Fief = another name for the land given to a vassal

Feudalism

GIVES LANDLORDS VASSALS

OWES MILITARY SERVICE

– Feudalism was the medieval political system of the time• It was based on vassalage, in which warriors

swear an oath of loyalty to a lord• The feudal contract outlined the

responsibilities of lords and vassals• Chivalry = expected behavior of knights,

were to defend women and the Church• People built castles for protection –Knights = heavily armored soldiers who fought

on horses

• The medieval economic system was called the manorial system– Serf = a peasant that is legally bound to the

land–Peasants were expected to farm the land in

return for land and protection– Lords give land to peasants who in turn farm

the land

Give land, protectionLord Peasant

Farm the land

Rise of European Kingdoms• England– William the Conqueror successfully invaded and

conquered England in 1066• William defeated the English king Harold at the Battle

of Hastings• Knights who fought for William were rewarded with

land• Because William was from France, French became the

language of the nobility and royal court• William had a census taken that he called the

Domesday Book so that he knew how much people could pay in taxes

– Henry II enlarged the power of the monarchy and instituted common law• Henry married Eleanor of Acquitaine, which led to

Henry gaining control of 1/3 of France• This made the English king a vassal to the French

king– King John started to oppress his barons, so they

forced him to sign the Magna Carta• The Magna Carta placed limits on the king’s power

– King Edward I created the English Parliament• The role of Parliament was to create new taxes

and advise the king on law-making

• France– Philip IV the Fair began the first French Parliament ,

called the Estates-General• Estate = social class

• Holy Roman Empire was the name for the German area during the Middle Ages– It was divided into numerous small states

ruled by princes–After the 1100s, Holy Roman Emperors were

elected by seven Electors

• Spain– Muslims conquered large parts of Spain in the 700s,

so in the 1400s many Spanish Christians launched the Reconquista = take back Spanish lands from the Muslims

– The biggest thing to help unify Spain was the marriage in 1469 between Isabella of Castille to Ferdinand of Aragon

– These two rulers were extremely Catholic and they kicked out or killed any non-Catholic groups that were in Spain – they followed a strict policy of conformity to Catholicism• To be Spanish was to be Catholic

Conflicts of the Middle Ages• The most violent conflict of the Middle Ages was the

Hundred Years’ War– England and France were fighting because the king

of England felt that he should also be the king of France

– In the beginning England dominated due to English foot soldiers using the long bow, until Joan of Arc comes about and helps turn the tide in France’s favor by inspiring the French with her faith• Joan will be captured by the English and burned

as a witch– In the end France wins the Hundred Years’ War

• The Black death was the most devastating natural disaster in European history– 1/3 to ½ of the European population died– The most common form of the Black Death was the

Bubonic Plague• It was mostly carried by rats who followed trade

routes• Italy was hit hard since most of the early trading

cities were found in Italy– Many people thought God sent the plague as a

punishment– Some of the consequences of the Black death was

that it led to a decrease in population, economic problems, and a rise in anti-Semitism

Medieval Trade

• Anti-Semitism = hatred towards Jewish people–It was worst in Germany (the German

area)•Most moneylenders of the Middle Ages

were Jews

Role of the Church• The Pope was the head of the Catholic Church–After the Pope came the Archbishop, then the

Bishop, and then priests • A monk is a man who removes himself from

society to dedicate his life to God–Women who do the same are called nuns–Monks spent a lot of time in prayer, copying

books, and helping people• A missionary is someone who goes around

spreading a religious message

• Ways a Pope can punish people– If an area is placed under an interdict, that meant all

the churches were closed and the priests could not give the sacraments

– You could also be excommunicated = cast out of the Church

• Heresy is the denial of basic Catholic Church doctrines– People who commit heresy are called heretics– Heretics are punished by being burned at the stake

• The Inquisition was a court created by the Catholic Church to find and try heretics– It was the worst in Spain, with the Jews and Muslims

being targeted

• People felt the Church was the most important thing in their lives and they dedicated their entire life to get to Heaven– Some people even tried to obtain relics = bones or

items associated with saints• The Great Schism – this was a time period when there

were two, and even at one point three, popes and the Church couldn’t figure out who the true pope was

• The Crusades– Crusades are a holy war to regain the Holy Land– The goal of the Crusades is to capture the Holy Land,

specifically Jerusalem, from the Muslims– There will be nine Crusades, however the only

successful Crusade is the First Crusade

• First Crusade started because Muslim Turks attacked the Byzantine Empire and the Pope called for Holy War. It is successful because the Christians capture Jerusalem• Second Crusade started when Muslims

attack one of the Crusader Kingdoms in the Holy Land• Third Crusade starts when Saladin, a Muslim

leader, recaptures Jerusalem. Many Europeans go to get back Jerusalem, such as King Richard the Lionheart, but they fail

– Effects of the Crusades:• Led to mistrust between Christians and

Muslims• Trade increased (the Crusades led to the

growth of trade)• Loss of many men• It brought Muslim culture to Europe• People began to attack and kill Jews (anti-

Semitism)

• Guilds are business associations that organized and regulated certain craftsmen– Guilds regulated price, set quality standards, and

determined who can enter a guild– Also restricted competition– Process of joining a guild:• Apprentice = work for a master for room and

board, but no pay• Journeyman = worked for a master for pay• Master = you become a master if the guild accepts

your masterpiece

• The Mongols were a nomadic people who were fierce warriors and skilled horsemen– They were divided into separate clans, each ruled

by a khan, or chief– Genghis Khan conquered his rivals and united the

Mongol clans• Genghis Khan organized the Mongols into a

powerful military machine and with his armies he created the largest land empire in history, controlling much of the Eurasian landmass

– His grandson, Kublai Khan, completed the conquest of China

Africa and the Americas• The largest desert in the world is the Sahara, which

is found in Africa• East coast of Africa is also known as the Ivory Coast–Main trading products include ivory, slaves,

ebony, some gold• Islam was spread into Africa mainly through the

efforts of two men = Ibn Battuta and Mansa Musa• West coast of Africa is also known as the Gold Coast–Main trading products include gold, salt, iron, and

slaves

• Music and story-telling were used to pass along community’s history in the absence of a written language– The task of remembering and passing on oral

traditions was entrusted to storytellers called griots, who were highly respected

• African societies used captives for forced labor and sold slaves– slaves were people captured in war, debtors, and

criminals

• Mali Empire - their famous ruler Mansa Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca– Brought Mali to the attention of the Europeans– Much of the wealth of the empire came from the taxation of

the gold-salt trade– Kept order along the trade routes by using a large army

• Empire of Ghana – located in the upper Niger river valley– By 800 AD Ghana controlled nearly all trade of salt and gold in

sub-Saharan Africa– Ghana’s kings kept the supply of gold scarce to keep gold

prices high– Only the kings could own gold nuggets and the location of

gold mines were strictly guarded – Exports: Gold, iron, animal products, salt, and slaves

• Songhai Empire of Songhai – 1460s – 1591– Grew wealthy trading goods along the Niger river– Converted to Islam– Exports: gold and salt

• The Iroquois– Three “sister” crops were corn, beans, and squash– The Iroquois had the first attempt at democracy in

North America called the Iroquois League• Mesoamerica is the name used for the areas of Mexico

and Central America• Mayan Empire– Known for building splendid temples, pyramids, and

palaces– The kings of the Mayan city-states claimed to be

descended from the gods– The Mayan practiced human sacrifice to appease the

gods

• Aztec Empire–The king claimed to be descended from the

gods–The Aztec practiced the most human sacrifice,

killing 20,000 people a year• Inca Empire– Found in Peru, the emperor was believed to be

descended from the sun goddess–Built 24,800 miles worth of roads and

numerous bridges