Europe’s Transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance

Europe Today

What were the Middle, or Dark Ages?

-A period of European history betweenthe fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D.and the Renaissance which began in the 1400s.

PeriodizationEarly Middle Ages: 500 – 1000

High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1250

Late Middle Ages: 1250 - 1500

Life in the Early Middle Ages(500 – 1000)

The Roman Empire• Rome was the most powerful empire

the world had ever seen.• The Roman Empire no longer ruled,

instead Germanic kingdoms controlled the land.

• The Germanic people did not develop large governments, did not focus on education, and forgot about trade.

• This forced many people to move to the country and make their living by farming.

Roman Empire at its height 117 C.E.

Invaders!

• The Vikings from Europe and Genghis Khan from Asia attacked Rome and led to its downfall.

The Fall of Rome – The Beginning of the Middle Ages• The strong empires of Rome and

Greece that protected trade routes and encouraged science and personal liberties were fading away.

• The Roman empire not only had to fight for control of its borders but also invaders from Europe and Asia.

• Although the fall of the Roman Empire did not happen overnight, many consider it the beginning of the Middle Ages or Dark Ages.

Manoralism (econ. system)• For safety and for defense, people

in the Middle Ages formed small communities around a central lord or master.

• Most people lived on a manor, which consisted of the castle, the church, the village, and the surrounding farm land.

• These manors were isolated, with occasional visits from peddlers, pilgrims on their way to the Crusades, or soldiers from other manors.

         

Feudalism (political system)• The Kings had lots of land; he gave

land to lords in exchange for protection and money.

• Lords gave their land to knights in exchange for protection and money.

• Knights let serfs work the land and he would protect them.

• Serfs got food and shelter.• Each person had rights and

responsibilities

Life in the Middle Ages

King

Lords(Vassals)

Knights(Vassals)

Peasants (Serfs)

Loya

lty &

Mili

tary

Ai

d

Fief &

Peasants

Mili

tary

Se

rvic

e

Food & Shelter

Farm

La

bor &

Re

nt

Food,

Shelter &

Protection

Manoralism =Economic System

Feudalism =Political System

A Medieval Castle in Carcassonne, France

The Medieval Manor

Life on the Medieval Manor

Serfs at work

Chivalry: A Code of Honor and Behavior

The Road to Knighthood

KNIGHT

SQUIRE

PAGE

Knighthood and Chivalry• Knights were professional fighters.• They were expected to live by a code

of honor known as chivalry:−Strong religious faith−Defend the Catholic Church−Protect women and the weak−Fight against injustice−Show courage in every battle

Orders of Chivalry• Some knights were very devoted to

the Church.• They formed religious organizations

or orders. The best-known order was the Knights of Templar.

• Their main job was to fight the enemies of the Church, including the Muslims.

Life in the High Middle Ages(1000 - 1250)

Growth of Towns• Town life began to return to Europe

because the strong lords gave the people safety.

• Towns were dirty, busy and full of people.

• Nobles still had a lot of control, but the Church and the kings were also getting more power.

Medieval Guilds

Guild Hall

Guilds (groups of people who do the same job) were formed. They controlled what was made and how much was made.

Controlled membership apprentice journeyman master craftsman

The Role of the Church in the Middle Ages

September from Tres Riches

Heures, early 1400s

• Only one Christian church… The Catholic Church

+• Church has own laws, land (1/3rd

of all land in Western Europe) , and taxes (gave the power left from the collapse of the classical world)

+• People who disagreed with

church law, or complained about the church were called heretics and were often burned at the stake

=• The Catholic Church is a very powerful institution!

The Church and Society• There were struggles between the

Church and the King because both wanted to control Europe.

• The Church led education and even developed universities.

• The graduates from these schools were leaders in the Church and government.

• Some people were very dedicated to the church and wanted to separate from society to serve God. They were called Monks (men) and Nuns (women).

A Medieval Monastery: The Scriptorium

A Medieval Monk’s Day

Medieval Universities

Oxford University

Crusades• The Crusades

were a series of battles between Christians and Muslims in the Middle East.

• Christian knights wanted to take the Holy Land and give it back to Christians

Why was Constantinople so important geographically?

Crusades• Thousands of

knights and “barbarian” soldiers united under Christianity attacked Muslims and Jews in Turkey and Jerusalem to get the land for Christians.

When the Crusades arrived in Northern Turkey, the killing began. The town of Lycea was captured and looted. Reports told of babies cut to pieces. Old people faced every kind of torture. Sadly, most of the people of Lycea were actually Christians…

• The 1st and 2nd Crusades were fought for land. • During the 3rd Crusade, the Muslim leader

Saladin and the Crusade leader Richard the Lion-Hearted agreed to a truce. Jerusalem would be controlled by Muslims, but Christians on pilgrimages (journey to a holy place) would be allowed to visit holy places in the city.

• The 4th Crusade broke the truce when Crusaders agreed to attack the Byzantine empire to pay for their transportation to the Middle East.

Impact of the Crusades• Led to the

persecution of Jews and Muslims

• Led to economic development through trade

• Kings and popes, gained power

The Problems of the Late Middle Ages(1250 – Approx. 1500)

The Black Death

Historians think that the plague arrived in England during the summer of 1348.

The plague spread quickly during the winter of 1348-1349 to the north of England. It killed nearly 1/3 of England’s people.

At the end of 1350 nearly two and a half million people were dead!

What were the symptoms of the plague?

What caused the plague?The question that you are probably thinking is this;

Q: Who or what caused the Black Death?

A: This is your answer!

The Oriental Rat Flea!

The Disease Cycle

Flea drinks rat blood that carries the

bacteria.

Flea’s gut cloggedwith bacteria.

Bacteriamultiply inflea’s gut.

Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound.

Human is infected!

The SymptomsIt made ugly

__________ spots on people’s skin

BLACK

How many people died?

2.5 MILLION dead !!!

The Black DeathWhy couldn’t people stop the spread of the Black Death?

• People didn’t know what caused the plague; they blamed the stars, God’s anger, and the Jews

The Black Death

How did life in Europe change?• Killed one third of the people• Forced farmers to plant a variety of crops• Peasants revolted and demanded more

freedom• Working class moved to cities to earn

better pay• Reduced the power of the feudal lords

because so many people moved to the cities

The Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453)

The Hundred Years WarHow did the war contribute to the end of feudalism in France?• Series of wars fought between England and

France between 1337 and 1453.• William of Normandy (France) claimed to

be true king of England and captured England in 1066 during the Norman invasion.

• Became known as William the Conqueror and joined England and France.

• People argued over who was the true leader of the area.

William of Normandy

• Young French peasant woman who was inspired by God to save France

• Convinced Charles VII to let her lead an army against the English in 1429

• Helped push the English armies out of central France in 1453 to end the war

• Was captured by the Burgundians, accused of heresy, and burned at the stake in 1431

The Hundred Years WarWho was Joan of Arc?

The Hundred Years WarHow did fighting change?

• Longbows (Could pierce an inch of wood or the armor of a knight from 200 yards away!)

• Cannons could be used to make holes in castles

• Monarchs used armies made from common people

Decline of Feudalism1. Black Death

killed one third of Europe's people2. Peasants revolted and demanded more freedom3. Hundred Years War

allowed monarchs to build huge armies and reduce power of lords4. People moved to cities to

earn better wages5. Status began to be determined by wealth and ability, not birthright

Magna Carta, 1215 King John I forced to

sign the Magna Carta in 1215 to get funding for wars.

“Great Charter” stated: • monarchs were not

above the law• People were protected

by the law and trial by jury

• kings could not tax without approval

Evolution of England’s Political System

The Beginnings of the British Parliament

In 1264, English nobles removed King Henry III and replaced him with a group of representatives – later called Parliament.

By 1400, two groups or houses developed:o House of Lords nobles & clergy

o House of Commons knights and burgesses

The Renaissance• Under Feudalism many small kingdoms were

found in Europe.• England and France developed as nations

and grew stronger.• As they faced challenges like the plague and

war cities began to develop again. • These cities began to grow and trade which

brought them new things and new ideas.• Soon these ideas led people to develop new

ways of thinking and they began questioning their old beliefs.

• This was the beginning of the Renaissance!