Christian Societies Emerge in Europe: 600-1200

From Rome to Germanic Kingdoms

• Western Roman Empire collapsed

• Political fragmentation

• Feudalism emerged

• Christian Church provided stability

Spread of Christianity

Byzantine Empire

• “inheritors of Rome”

• wealth from trade

• Greek influence

• Power, influence, territory greatly reduced over time

• Pressure from Sasanids, Muslim Arabs

• relations with West Europe declined

• schism between Latin & Orthodox churches

Byzantine Empire

• Decline of urbanism less severe than in the west

• middle class reduced– big gap between rich and poor

• Importance of aristocrats & rural landowners increased

• Family became more rigid• Elite women confined &

veiled• A few women ruled w/

husbands – Theodora

• Women did not retreat to nunneries (like in west)

Byzantine Empire

• Emperors controlled:– prices– grain supply– silk

• Constantinople well supplied

• rural areas lagged in wealth & technology

Byzantine Empire: Cultural Achievements

• Justinian’s Code– Basis of Western

European civil law• Hagia Sophia –

– domed buildings• Cyrillic script

Western Medieval Europe

• Collapse of Western Roman Empire

• De-urbanization• Population declined• Literacy declined• Local trade • Regional elites became

more self-sufficient • Local traditions

flourished• Christian Church the

only stable, consistent institution

Early Medieval Europe 600-1000: A Time of Insecurity

• Charlemagne united Frankish kingdoms but disintegrated again• Vikings, Magyars attack!!! • Muslims in Spain halted at Tours but constant source of anxiety

Manorial System

• Self-sufficient farming estates

• Grew out of need for self-sufficiency & self defense

• Lord had almost unlimited power over his workers-serfs

Feudalism

• Need for military security led to:– Stirrup– Bigger horses– Armor and

weapons

• Expensive –required land

• Fiefs became hereditary

Medieval Society

• Kings weak– needed vassals

• Kings/nobles had unlimited tax authority

• Couldn’t tax church• Noble women were

pawns in marriage politics– could own land

• Non-noble women worked alongside men

Medieval Society

The Western Church

• Popes powerful but still needed support from secular leaders

• Problems:– Standardizing Church

regulations– Clergy shortages/literacy– Difficult communications– Political disorder– Polytheism

• Lax enforcement of:– marriage of clergy– nepotism– Simony (selling church

appointments)

Holy Roman Empire

• Popes needed Kings– sought to combine religious

& political power• Pope crowned early HRE

but did not = political power

• Canon Law gave pope rights over clergy & church property

• Bishops who held land as vassals owed allegiance to their lord

• Secular rulers argued that they should have the right to appoint bishops

• Holy Roman Empire was loose coalition of German princes

Investiture Controversy

• One example:– Conflict between Henry II

and his BFF Thomas Becket

• “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?”

Concordant of Worms

• Agreement in which:– Pope elects, “invests” bishops

with spiritual authority– Secular rulers give them fiefs

of land

• Separation of Church and State?

• Part of a series of reforms of the Church

Monasticism

• built on foundation of previous religious practices

– celibacy– devotion to prayer – isolation from society

• St Benedict wrote strict rules

– governed behavior in monastery

• Thousands left society, devoted themselves to monastic life

Role of Monasteries

• Centers of literacy & learning

• Refuge for widows & other vulnerable women

• Inns for travelers• orphanages• Ministered to sick• Managed agricultural land• Lax supervision by

Catholic hierarchy

Kievan Russia: 900-1200

• Diverse language & ethnic groups– Slavs, Finns, Turks

• Varangians dominant traders

• Linked Black & Caspian Seas to Silk Road

• Kiev and Novgorod important trade cities

• Vladimir I-Prince of Kiev- formed ties to Byzantines– Married Byzantine

princesses• Orthodox Christianity• Cyrillic alphabet

Kievan Russia

• Poor agricultural land• Short growing season• primitive farming technology• Food production low• Relied on trade• Small urban centers• Christianity spread slowly-

pagan customs, polygamy persisted until 12th century

• Christianity grew more powerful-functioned as tax collectors for the state

Western Europe Revives: 1000-1200

• Climate warmed• Population/agricultural

production increased• Trade resurged• Kings grew stronger• New technologies

– Heavy moldboard plow

– Horse collar– Breast-strap

harness

Cities & Rebirth of Trade

• Independent, self-governing cities emerged

• Relied on manufacturing & trade

• Venice dominant sea power-traded in Muslim ports for spices & other goods

• Flanders imported wool from England - wove it into cloth for export

The Crusades

• Series of Christian military campaigns against Muslims in eastern Mediterranean

• Factors– Religious zeal– Church- sanctioned

warfare– Desire for land on part

of younger sons of European nobility

– Commercial opportunities

– adventure

The Crusades

Motivation:• Byzantine Emperor

requested help• Muslims controlled

Holy Land• Pope Urban II initiated

1st Crusade • called on Europeans to

stop fighting each other & fight Muslims instead

• Reduced conflict in West. Europe

• Only 1st Crusade successful

The Impact of Crusades

• Increased hostilities between Christians & Muslims

• Ended European isolation • Pope’s power strengthened

but then weakened• Kings power strengthened• Trade increased• Feudalism weakened• Cities grew, gained

independence• New technologies• Europeans became curious

about the world