Chapter 12- The Early Middle Ages in the West to 1000: The Birth of Europe:

     (1). Describe the decline of Roman authority in the West.

     (2). Examine the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Justinian.

     (3). Explain the critical role that the Byzantine Empire played in the early development of the West.

     (4). Examine the impact of Islam on both the East and West, and describe the West’s debt to Islam.

     (5). Discuss the Roman Church’s development, monastic culture, Papal primacy, & East-West schism.

     (6). Examine the Kingdom of the Franks, and the important role of the Church.

     (7). Explain the significance of Charlemagne’s reign  (768-814) on Western Civilization’s development.

     (8). Discuss the significance of the Carolingian Renaissance, and describe the role of Alcuin.

     (9). Outline the break-up of the Carolingian Kingdom, and explain the impact of the Treaty of Verdun.

   (10). Describe the Viking, Muslim, and Magyar invasions of the ninth and tenth centuries.

   (11). Examine Feudal Society and  its origins and characteristics.  

   (12). Examine the early Middle Ages as assessed in world perspective.  

 

 

v   The End of the Western Roman Empire

Ø    Preliminary observations:

§       Fall of Rome process over centuries 

§       Western half fell (Eastern half until mid 1400s)

§       No single explanation... numerous concurrent forces:

·       Spiritual considerations

·       Political & Military Factors

¨     Empire’s division

¨     Role of Army & Germanic Migrations (Map) 

·       Economic Causes


Ø    The Byzantine Empire (Map):

§       Constantinople & its Golden Age

§       Contraction & defeat in 1453 by Ottomans

Ø    The Reign of Justinian (527-565):

§       Height of Byzantine Power

§       Role of Empress Theodora

§       Imperial Goal in the East:

·       “One God, one empire, one religion…”

¨     Strong centralized government

¨     Legal & doctrinal conformity

§       Corpus Juris Civilis

§       Role of Decurions => $$$ & intellectual elite

§       Special Governors & Bishops (loyalty) 

§       Limited tolerance for Jews => forced conversion 

Ø    Eastern Influences:

§       Role of Heraclius (610-641) => Greek vice Latin

·       Fighting Persian & Islamic invasion

§       Leo III => iconoclasm policy  alienates West

·       Islam’s influence & emperor’s involvement in Church

§       Role of Byzantine Empire wrt Western Europe

§       Beginning of the End: Seljuk victory at Manzikert in 1071

·       Ottoman victory in 1453 & end of Eastern Empire

Ø    Byzantium's long term impact on world history and West:

§       Preserved Greek Culture; (philosophy, science, math, lit.)

§       Stimulated learning; (both in Islam and Christian West);

§       Byzantine culture=> Slavs=> legal principles/art

·       Cyrillic alphabet (Greek basis) => adapted to Slav lang

§       Prevented advance of Arabs/Islam to Eastern Europe

v   The Impact of Islam on East & West

Ø    Muslim Lake & Lasting fear of Islam

§       Role of Leo III in the East - (717-718)

§       Role of Charles Martel at Tours – ( 732)  

Ø    The Western Debt to Islam:

§       Islam integrated Arab, Bz, Persian, Indian Cult. traditions

§       Built on Greek foundations: science, math, philosophy

§        Acquired Greek learning from Persians and Byzantium

§       Greek works into Arabic =>with comment (Avacenia)

·       Significance?  preserved Greek West’s ancient heritage

 

v   The Developing Roman Church

Ø    Monastic Culture:

§       Hermits of the East (parallels)

§       Counsel of perfection  (chastity, poverty, obedience)

§       St. Benedict’s Rule & role of the Abbot

·       Work, study, devotion, & unquestioned obedience

 

Ø    The Doctrine of Papal Primacy:

§       Christian organization:=> Hierarchical- Bishop of Rome

§       Basis of doctrine & the role of  Pope Damasus I=>

·       “Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock …”

¨     Rome’s Bishops declared Peter’s successors

·       Pope Leo I’s new title => “pontifex maximus”

¨     “plentitude of power” over Western Church

¨     Imperial degree recognized Pope’s jurisdiction

§       Pope Gelasius I=> clergy’s power wrt to that of kings?

§       Church  expands power & influence=> Northern Europe:

·       Role of Pope Gregory 1st > formative period =>

¨     Rome’s leadership extended to other Bishops/Monks

Ø    Papacy also extends secular holdings- land/prop.

Ø    Division of Christendom:

§       Minor differences between East & West:

·       Linguistic & cultural differences

·       More mystical orientation of East=> hereafter

·       Western Bishops resisted royal intervention

¨     Eastern Patriarchs more readily to submitted

·       Celibacy prohibited Western Bishops from marriage

·       Leavened vs. unleavened bread

·       West rejected East tendency to compromise w/Arians

·       Jurisdiction dispute over Balkans  

§       Three major differences in doctrinal authority:

·        Bible & ecumenical councils vs. Rome’s decrees

¨     Primacy of Bishop of Rome disputed

·       Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed=> filoque vs. Arian

¨     Father, Son, & Holy Spirit => one & the same

·       Iconoclastic controversy (Leo III degrees after 725)

¨     West’s resistance met with confiscation of papal land

§       Meanwhile Western Papacy threatened by the Lombards

·       Pope sought alliance to defend itself against this threat

·       Also to offset growing intrusion by Eastern Emperor

·       Finally=> 1054: Both sides excommunicate each other

 

v   Key Question: What was the significance of this alliance?

Ø    How did this alliance change the course of History   

v   The Kingdom of the Franks

Ø    Merovingians and  Carolingians (Clovis to Charlemagne):

§       Franks: German (Frankish) tribes of Rhine River valley;

·       Expanded into Roman territory during 4/5th centuries;

§       Leader=> Clovis: united various tribes & conquered Gaul

·       Clovis the warrior chieftain & founder of new dynasty

·       496AD=> converts to Roman Christianity (impact?)

§       Clovis successors fail to maintain power

·       Passed to mayor of palace (King's chief exec officer)

§       Charles Martel mayor (717-741)=> subjects all Franks

·       Defeated Muslims- Battle of Tours 732

§       732=> Pepin (the Short) succeeds father

·       w/Pope & St. Boniface support=> takes power formally

·       Pope Stephen II anoints Pepsin=> King of Franks

¨     (Note Church role and expansion of power)

§       Pepsin (upon Pope’s appeal) becomes Church's protector

·       Pepin defeats Lombards & gives captured lands to Pope

¨     Known from then on as Papal States

§       Significance: alliance established => Church & Franks

 

Ø    Reign of Charlemagne (768-814):

§       The New Empire (Map)

·       Great ambitions => from king to emperor

·       Palace at Aachen built to imitate ancient Roman Empire

·       Exploited his relationship with the Church =>

¨     Promote social stability & hierarchical order  

¨     Populace embraced Roman Catholic doctrine

Ø    Baptism & Nicene Creed (w/filoque clause)

Ø    Church preached reverence to Charlemagne

§       The New Emperor

·       Christmas Day 800=> Emperor of the Romans

¨     Significance? 

·       Charlemagne’s personality?

·       Son Pepin’s intrigues & the result

§       Problems of Government

·       Government through 250 Counts admin districts:

¨     Maintain local army loyal to king

¨     Collect tribute & dues

¨     Administer justice throughout his district

·       Over time Counts’ heirs became more independent

¨     Missi dominici fail to halt trend=> fragmentation  

§       Alcuin & the Carolingian Renaissance

·       Carolingian "Renaissance"

¨     Fostered education clergy & youth

¨     Established schools=> copy/preserve classical works

·       Role of Alcuin:   

¨     Charlemagne lures Alcunin of York  from Britain

Ø    Established a library, with full $ support=>

§       Made major improvements in learning

§       Copy & preserve Greco-Roman Works/Lit.

¨     Objective: scholastic/literacy upgrade learning

Ø     Clergy and Imperial bureaucracy

§       Significance of Charlemagne’s reign=>

·       Distinct European Civilization emerges & blends=>

¨     Roman, German, & Christian strengths

¨     Blended: Rome's heritage of world empire

Ø    Greco-Roman culture with=>

Ø    Christian spiritual values &

Ø    Germanic warrior customs

·       Engenders concept of unified "Christendom"=>

·       Result: unique European society

§       The Manor and Serfdom

·       Mutually beneficial relationship – how?

 

·       Manorialism => economic support for feudalism

¨     System=> organized agricultural based society =>

¨     Factors: limited markets and money

¨     Manorial village => self-sufficient economic unit

¨     Also involved contractual agreement=>

Ø    Lord & Peasant

·       Obligations=>?

¨     Lord protected Serf & allow cultivate fields=> son

¨     Serf=> bound to land with certain obligations

Ø    Dedicated service to Lord – for life

§       Religion & the Clergy

·       Local Lords seek to invest & control clergy

¨     Frankish lords preferred manor’s “serf priest”?   

·       Lack of educated clergy promoted more tangible beliefs

¨     Relics & saints

·       Charlemagne embraced similar beliefs & practices

¨     Veneration of relics & pilgrimages to Rome

¨     Visits to Church of St. Mary several times a day

¨     Endowed masses & prayers after death

·       Conclusion about early European attitudes?    

Ø    Breakup of the Carolingian Kingdom (see Timeline):

§       Role & influence of “regionalism”

§       Louis the Pious (814-840)

·       Salic law & tradition & Pepin’s attempt to subvert it

¨     Lothar made coregent & sole imperial heir

¨     Brothers given nominal & lesser kingdoms

¨     2nd wife & 4th son => promote war for equal share

¨     Church supports Lothar (separate agenda?) 

§       The Treaty of Verdun & its aftermath (Map)

·       Divides Kingdom of Louis the Pious=> 3 sons

¨     Charles the Bald

¨     Louis the German  

¨      Lothar (died 855)=> result?

Ø    Treaty of Mersen 870

·       Marked beginning of Carolingian fragmentation

¨     Smaller weaker kingdoms => east & west kingdoms

Ø    Conflict over middle kingdom is continued legacy

Ø    Viking, Muslim, & Magyar Invasions (Map)

§       Concurrent with internal conflicts=> more vulnerable

§       Independent regional agreements & treaties=>

·       Reinforced regional independence & separation

·       Overtime=> different cultures, history, & languages   

v   Feudal Society

Ø    Origins: As decentralization and localism rose =>

§       Kings' authority virtually disappeared=> Reasons? =>

·       Outside forces/threats (?):

·       Economic collapse thru Europe=>

·       Peasants fled to manors for protection & econ survival;

·       Cultural life died   (What became principal concern?)

¨     Survival & subsistence prime concern

Ø    Feudalism=> society’s attempt to adjust to a harsh reality

§       stop-gap system of Government => attempt to establish”

·       Order, justice, law during breakdown & localism

·       Feudal relationships developed=>

Ø     Vassal, Lord, & the Fief=> personal and contractual

·       Vassal=> swears military fealty & other services

·        Lord provides fief => $$$ means of support

·       Gradually=> King seen as chief lord=>

¨     Bestowed fiefs to favorites=>

¨      Feudal hierarchy gradually evolved

§       Feudal traditions=>  glory in battle & combat

·       still influences warrior mentality now;

·       Church uses feudal knight/warrior cult=>

·       pursue church interests (crusades)