Medieval European History

We are all Europeans, and I am one of your

kings...

Who are the Europeans?

What’s History?

Post-Classical European History

The “Story” of the “Ages”

Middle Ages Renaissance Enlightenment

1400 1750

Classical

400

SomethingBorn

SomethingSuppressed

Something Born Again

Something BecomesThe Light of the World

That Something is… Human Reason

Help,

help,

I’m be

ing

suppre

ssed!

Dark

A

ges

“The Dark Ages”

Early years of the Middle Ages were

in many aspects of time of retreat

• Cities

• Infrastructure

• Trade

• Law and Order

• Education

With a few exceptions the years

following the collapse of the

western Roman Empire was one of

decentralization

Charlemagne (768-814)

Charlemagne creates an empire

for the franks

Promotes scholarship among

western Europeans

Awakens dreams of a “Christian

Roman Empire”

Defends Pope Leo III against

rival nobles in rome. Pope

names Charlemagne “Emperor”

Grandsons end up splitting the

empire, which then disintegrates

under new attacks from vikings

and Magyars.

Charlemagne creates an empire

for the franks

Promotes scholarship among

western Europeans

Awakens dreams of a “Christian

Roman Empire”

Defends Pope Leo III against

rival nobles in rome. Pope

names Charlemagne “Emperor”

Grandsons end up splitting the

empire, which then disintegrates

under new attacks from vikings

and Magyars.

Charles, I thought we talked

about letting the Pope

get the better of us!

Feudalism and Manorialism

In the absence of stable centralized

government, new political, social, and economic

r e l a t i o n s h i p s w e r e f o r m e d . T h e s e

relat ionships were characterized by

hierarchies, duties, and privileges.

F e u d a l i s m M a n o r i a l i s m

Polit ical relat ionship

between Kings and Nobles

Nobles given land (fief) in

exchange for loyalty

L a n d p r o v i d e d t h e s e

“Vassals” the income needed

to purchase and maintain

horses and equipment for

battle

Economic relationship between

Nobles and Peasants

Peasants received protection in

return for service to the noble

Service to nobles took such

forms as the harvesting of

grain and the milling of flour,

to road-building and beer-

brewing.

Royal Power Expands

By the 12th Century a number of conditions were

changing in Europe

• increase in food production

• Increase in population

• Growth of Cities

• Formation of “Parliaments”

• Reduction of threats from the outside

These conditions allowed for varying degrees of

centralization of power.

“Battles” for power constantly were being

played out between Kings and nobles, and

between Kings and popes.

New Monarachies

FranceEngland Holy Roman Empire

Alfred the Great (871-899) promotes learning

William the Conqueror, 1066

Subjected and consulted nobles

Later kings battled the church and Nobles

King John forced to sign “Magna Carta” (1215)

Emergence of parliament (14th C.) recognized the

growing influence of towns and merchants

England

New Monarachies

FranceEngland Holy Roman EmpireFrance

W-T-C’s success motivates French to unify

Successive French kings made alliances to

counter W-T-C

Louis VI raised status of towns, reduced

influence of feudalism

Philip II Augustus defeats English in 1214

Louis IX’s just and fair reign fed French

Nationalism. Centralizes king’s authority.

Philip IV calls Estates-General (1314)

New Monarachies

FranceEngland Holy Roman Empire

Ottonian Monarchs earn title of “Holy Roman

Emperor.” Yet, the play role of “pope-maker”

Popes begin to assert more strength and

independence of secular rules

Investiture Struggle finds Pope Gregory VII

excommunicating Henry IV...Twice!

Concordat of Worms, 1122

Holy Roman Empire

New Monarachies

FranceEngland Holy Roman Empire

Frederick II gets excommunicated...4 times!

Papacy emerges from the battle stronger than ever

Holy Roman Empire

Frederick I Barbarossa restarts battle with pope

The Medieval Papacy

With the collapse of the Roman Empire, the

Catholic Church took on many of the features

of the empire.

Secular Clergy

Regular Clergy

Rules of St. Benedict

Pope Gregory I sent Benedictine monks to

England in 597. By the middle of the 11th

century, most western Europeans had been

converted.

The Medieval Papacy soon became caught up

in secular politics

Many church officials were nobles and

vassals of kings

Nobles donated land and money to the

church

Popes increasing ruled as monarchs

Pope Innocent III

Clericis LaicosThe Pope had to approve of all taxation of the clergy

Pope Boniface VIII

Boniface gets “Bull”ish

•Ausculta fili (Listen, my son) “God has set popes over kings and kingdoms.”

•Unam Sanctum (One holy place)"outside of her there is neither salvation nor the remission of sins"

Boniface VIII vs. Philip the Fair

philip arrests Bernard Saisset, Bishop of Pamiers

Boniface issues “Ausculta fili”

Guillaume de Nogaret beats up pope

pope dies....

Avignon Papacy (1309-1377)

Pope Clement V falls under French Influence

Starts selling indulgences to raise some coin

National Gov’t begin to assert themselves against

the financial encroachment of the Papacy

The Great Schism (1378-1417)

Pope Gregory XI moves papacy back to Rome in 1377

Gregory dies...New pope is Urban VI

Urban upsets Cardinals with call for Reform

Cardinals (with Charles V’s blessing) pick new pope, Clement VII

Now we have two Popes

Council of Pisa called to solve this problem. They deposed Urban

and Clement and elect Alexander V

Urban and Clement refuse to give up keys to popemobile

Now we have three popes....

Council of Constance wipes slate clean and installs Martin V

The Black Death

1. What hypotheses can you make regarding the origin and spread of the plague?2. Why are some areas untouched?

Setting the Stage of Death

Overpopulation

Crop failures and famine

Densely populated cities

Reactions to The Black Death

Obsession with death

Sense of fatalism

Worry about DivineRetribution

Scape-goating

Consequences of the Black Death

Farm laborers declined wages went up

Agricultural prices fell manufactured goods rose

Noble landowners try to recoup loses Peasants Revolt

Rural areas declined Cities increased