The Middle The Middle AgesAges

The beginning…Early Middle The beginning…Early Middle AgesAges

Decline of Roman Empire Decline of Roman Empire Rise of Northern Europe Rise of Northern Europe New forms of government New forms of government Heavy “Heavy “RomanizationRomanization” ”

(religion, language, laws, (religion, language, laws, architecture, government)architecture, government)

LatinLatin- “medium aevum” - “medium aevum” means “middle age” and means “middle age” and is source of English word is source of English word “medieval”“medieval”

Early Middle Early Middle AgesAges

Dark AgesDark Ages (500 CE- 1000 CE)- scholars (500 CE- 1000 CE)- scholars named this as a time when the forces of named this as a time when the forces of darkness (barbarians) overwhelmed the darkness (barbarians) overwhelmed the forces of light (Romans) forces of light (Romans)

Rise of influence of Rise of influence of barbariansbarbarians as Roman as Roman Emperors had granted barbarian Emperors had granted barbarian mercenaries land with the Roman Empire in mercenaries land with the Roman Empire in return for military service and it was these return for military service and it was these barbarians who eventually became the new barbarians who eventually became the new rulers rulers

Warriors and Warbands in the Warriors and Warbands in the WestWest

Period of change in Western Europe as Period of change in Western Europe as barbarians were migrating in to areas given barbarians were migrating in to areas given up by Romansup by Romans

As more barbarians moved westward, other As more barbarians moved westward, other tribes were forced to movetribes were forced to move

Groups categorized by languages and little Groups categorized by languages and little elseelse

CelticCeltic: Gauls, Britons, Bretons: Gauls, Britons, Bretons GermanicGermanic: Goths, Frank, Vandals, Saxons: Goths, Frank, Vandals, Saxons SlavicSlavic: Wends: Wends

From Rome to From Rome to ConstantinopleConstantinople

ConstantinopleConstantinople

(former city of Byzantium) became new capital and (former city of Byzantium) became new capital and control centre for Roman Empirecontrol centre for Roman Empire

Was largest city by population in the world west of Was largest city by population in the world west of ChinaChina

Strategic location on trade routesStrategic location on trade routes One of largest natural harbours in the world linked One of largest natural harbours in the world linked

the east and westthe east and west Byzantine gold coin (bezant) was the main currency Byzantine gold coin (bezant) was the main currency

of international tradeof international trade Ruled provinces by Roman model (governors, Ruled provinces by Roman model (governors,

bureaucracy and imperial army, heavy taxation and bureaucracy and imperial army, heavy taxation and favouring of royal family and priests in trade and favouring of royal family and priests in trade and taxestaxes

Expanding Influence of the Expanding Influence of the ChurchChurch

Christian ChurchChristian Church has become an important has become an important political, economic, spiritual and cultural political, economic, spiritual and cultural force in Europeforce in Europe

Leading officials of Church were the Leading officials of Church were the PopePope and and PatriarchPatriarch

Banning of Banning of heresyheresy (holding beliefs that (holding beliefs that contradict the official religion)contradict the official religion)

conversion by forceconversion by force Eventually in 11Eventually in 11thth Century, Church split Century, Church split

into two independent branches into two independent branches Eastern Eastern OrthodoxOrthodox (Greek) based in Constantinople (Greek) based in Constantinople and and Roman CatholicRoman Catholic in Rome in Rome

You scratch my You scratch my back…back…

I’ll scratch yours…. I’ll scratch yours….

ChurchChurch was granted favors by was granted favors by Roman EmperorsRoman Emperors / Kings (land, exemption / Kings (land, exemption from taxes, immunity in courts, positions from taxes, immunity in courts, positions in courts) and in return the Church would in courts) and in return the Church would endorse kings to help secure their ruleendorse kings to help secure their rule

KingsKings looked to looked to ChurchChurch to supply to supply educated administrators to help run educated administrators to help run kingdoms and in return kings would kingdoms and in return kings would enforce laws that prohibited other enforce laws that prohibited other religionsreligions

Monasticism Monasticism and Saintsand Saints

MonksMonks were people who gave up worldly were people who gave up worldly possessions and devote themselves to possessions and devote themselves to a religious lifea religious life

Established between 400 -700 communities Established between 400 -700 communities called monasteries which became centres of called monasteries which became centres of education, literacy and learningeducation, literacy and learning

Strict codes of monastic conduct called Strict codes of monastic conduct called Rule Rule of St. Benedict of St. Benedict

Saints- one who performs miracles that are Saints- one who performs miracles that are interpreted as evidence of a special interpreted as evidence of a special relationship with Godrelationship with God

St. Augustine-St. Augustine- wrote “Confessions” which wrote “Confessions” which discussed ideas of ethics, self knowledge, discussed ideas of ethics, self knowledge, and the role of free will which shaped and the role of free will which shaped monastic tradition and the influence of monastic tradition and the influence of ChurchChurch

Justinian the Great Justinian the Great (ruled 527-565 CE)(ruled 527-565 CE)

Byzantine EmperorByzantine Emperor

goal to reunite the Roman world goal to reunite the Roman world as a Christian Empire and as a Christian Empire and suppressed all paganismsuppressed all paganism

Ordered the codification of Ordered the codification of Roman laws in the Roman laws in the Justinian CodeJustinian Code or “Body of Civil Law” that or “Body of Civil Law” that defined civil law in the Middle defined civil law in the Middle Ages and the modern worldAges and the modern world

Crushed the Crushed the Nika RiotNika Riot with the with the help of his wife Theodorahelp of his wife Theodora

During his reign During his reign LatinLatin was the was the official language of the Byzantine official language of the Byzantine Empire, but was later changed to Empire, but was later changed to Greek (another difference Greek (another difference between two regions)between two regions)

Byzantine Empire in 6th Century

MerovingiansMerovingians

Merovingian is derived from the leader of the Merovingian is derived from the leader of the tribe of Frankstribe of Franks

First dynasty after the Romans and ruled for 300 yearsFirst dynasty after the Romans and ruled for 300 years Leader in 481 CE was Leader in 481 CE was Clovis I-Clovis I- he united Frankish tribes he united Frankish tribes

and expanded territoryand expanded territory His His conversionconversion to Christianity won him support from the to Christianity won him support from the

ChurchChurch Clovis I wrote Clovis I wrote Salic LawSalic Law - assigned a specific financial - assigned a specific financial

value to everyone and everything; concept of value to everyone and everything; concept of trial trial optionsoptions (trial by oath and trial by ordeal) (trial by oath and trial by ordeal)

Merovingian's founded and built many monasteries, Merovingian's founded and built many monasteries, churches and palaces and spread Christianity churches and palaces and spread Christianity throughout Western Europethroughout Western Europe

IMPACT = Eventually dynasty declined as kings relaxed IMPACT = Eventually dynasty declined as kings relaxed power and became more like figure heads whereas the power and became more like figure heads whereas the real power lay with the powerful officials and leading real power lay with the powerful officials and leading aristocracyaristocracy

CarolingiansCarolingians Rise of aristocratic Rise of aristocratic Charles MartelCharles Martel who who

dominated Frankish kingdom in 8dominated Frankish kingdom in 8thth century century

He confiscated land given to Church and began He confiscated land given to Church and began Church reforms that would restore spirituality Church reforms that would restore spirituality to clerical lifeto clerical life

His son His son Pepin the ShortPepin the Short continued continued Church reforms and eventuallyChurch reforms and eventually with the support of reformed with the support of reformed Church, removed last Church, removed last Merovingian king from throneMerovingian king from throne

Established the Established the Carolingian Carolingian dynastydynasty, named to protect the, named to protect thepapacy and establish the popepapacy and establish the popeand bishops are the makers of kingsand bishops are the makers of kings

Greatest legacy was CharlesGreatest legacy was Charles the Great, or the Great, or CharlemagneCharlemagne

The Holy Roman The Holy Roman Empire & Empire &

CharlemagneCharlemagne CharlemagneCharlemagne (Charles the Great) who was a (Charles the Great) who was a

military general and restored Pope Leo III who military general and restored Pope Leo III who had been exiledhad been exiled

In return, Leo placed a crown on Charlemagne In return, Leo placed a crown on Charlemagne and named him the and named him the “Emperor of the Romans“Emperor of the Romans” ” which secured the relationship between which secured the relationship between Frankish kings and the papacyFrankish kings and the papacy

Charlemagne became the first ruler of the Charlemagne became the first ruler of the Holy Roman EmpireHoly Roman Empire, a dynasty that would last , a dynasty that would last for more than 700 yearsfor more than 700 years

CharlemagneCharlemagne- imposed order on empire - imposed order on empire through the Church and statethrough the Church and state

Ordered the Ordered the standardization of Latinstandardization of Latin, , textbooks, manuals for preaching, schools for textbooks, manuals for preaching, schools for clergy and people, new form of handwritingclergy and people, new form of handwriting

All these promoted education and scholars All these promoted education and scholars and produced a precise written language and produced a precise written language (Latin)(Latin)

Slaves and SerfsSlaves and Serfs

Slaves made up of conquered Slaves made up of conquered peoplespeoples

Some treated harshly, while other Some treated harshly, while other were treated fairlywere treated fairly

Rural slaves became serfs, who Rural slaves became serfs, who worked the land and provided labour worked the land and provided labour for owner (in return from protection)for owner (in return from protection)

Set up for system of feudalismSet up for system of feudalism

Birth of Modern LanguagesBirth of Modern Languages

Development of Middle AgesDevelopment of Middle Ages New languages born through New languages born through

migration, resettlement, conflict and migration, resettlement, conflict and changeschanges

Old English (Anglo Saxon) began to Old English (Anglo Saxon) began to incorporate words borrowed from Latin incorporate words borrowed from Latin and Old French, Old German and Old and Old French, Old German and Old NorseNorse

Roots of contemporary Spanish, Italian Roots of contemporary Spanish, Italian and other Romance languages and other Romance languages