World History:
The Rise of Medieval Europe
Ms Shari
Rise of Medieval Europe
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Frankish Rulers - strongest Germanic group
Settled in France and Germany A.D. 700
King of the Franks - Clovis (Adopted Catholicism)
Mayors of the Palaces - Frankish Government officials
who had real power given to them by the king.
Charles Martel was a Mayor of a Palace who defeated
Muslims and defended France.
Son of Charles - Pepin the Short
Pepin forced Lombards out and gave land to Church.
Annointed by Pope and secured tie to Church.
Pepin’s son - Charlemagne or Charles the Great.
Charles the Great
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Charlemagne’s Empire included Germany, France,
Northern Spain and Italy.
Defended Pope Leo III against Roman Nobles
Pope Crowned Charles the new Roman Emperor.
Set up Capital in Germany
Greatest Frankish ruler
Charles died and his 3 grandsons split his empire
(Germany, Italy, France)
Signed Treaty of Verdun A.D. 843 to settle the split
A New Europe
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The grandsons lost land to invaders
Vikings/Norseman, Muslims, Slavs, Nomads
Isolated communities and weakened Central
Governments, trade declined, economic
collapse.
Nobles and non royals back in power
A.D. 800 - new political system began
Feudalism
Feudalism
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An exchange of goods and services for protection of
lands and people.
Land given to nobles in exchange for loyalty and
military help.
Nobles obligated to provide Knights (mounted warriors)
to the royal army. (Bullies and thugs)
Code of Knights was Chivalry
Age 7 live with nobleman; Age 15 a Squire could train
as a Knight.
Warriors granted Fiefs or estates with peasants
Later fiefs granted to counts and local officials.
System of Feudalism
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Like a pyramid
King
Lords
Vassals
Knights /Squire
Serfs/Peasants
Life in the Feudal System
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Lords had almost total authority
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Ladies had few or any rights (house work)
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Entertainment was called Tournament
- mock battles of military skills and hunting.
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Jousting, Falconry, Archery, Horseback riding
Life of a Nobleman
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Tie between the Noble and Vassal were made
official in a ceremony known as a Homage.
Most important pledge was military service.
Every nobleman built a castle
Built on a hill, surrounded by a Moat and
strongest part was the Keep. Surrounding the
keep was an open area called the Bailey
(many useful rooms).
Manorial System
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System of Agricultural production
Provided lords and peasants with food, shelter
and protection.
Economic system between Lords and Serfs.
Serfs were bound to Lords, but were not slaves
Could not be sold apart from the land.
Peasants could gain freedom if they could run
and avoid detection for 1 year and 1 day.
The Medieval Church
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Kingdom of Christians “Christiandom or Age of
Faith”
Pope was the strongest political leader in
Western Europe.
Catholic claim - Peter the Apostle was Rome’s
first Bishop, chosen by Jesus to lead the
church.
Believed all people were sinners dependent on
God’s grace or favor.
Medieval Church Continued
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Eucharist - Holy Communion
Baptism, Penance, Confirmation, matrimony, anointing
of the sick and holy orders.
Mass or religious services in Latin
Pope, Bishops, Priests (Secular Clergy)
Friars, Monks, Nuns (Regular Clergy) lived apart from
society.
Roman Official Benedict founded a monastery in Italy.
Benedictine Rule - poverty, chastity and obedience
Abbot or head of a Monastery
Nuns under rule of Abbess
Church Reform
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Began with Monks and Friars
Cardinals appointed Popes
Pope has complete jurisdiction over the church
Non Clergy were stopped from giving religious gifts as
rewards.
Heresy - crimes against church (convert Jews)
Pope Innocent III was the most powerful Pope
Inquisitions in A.D. 1232
Arrested for criticizing or challenging the basic
teachings of the church.
Tried and Excommunicated if found guilty. Later
tortured and burned at the stake.
Catholic Power Grew - A.D. 1200’s
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Jews were persecuted further.
Blamed for social and economic problems
Blamed for the death of Jesus
Required to wear badges on their clothing
Required to live in Ghettos and pay high taxes.
Lost rights to own land, trade and later expelled to
Poland.
Christians could not live in Jewish homes or provide
medical care to Jews,
Actions by Christians served to remove power and
position of Jewish people.
“Sound Familiar”
Crusades 1096 - 1272
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Pope Urban II called for Christians to make a
Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and capture the Holy Land
from the Muslims “infidels”
Those who fought were Crusaders.
9 military expeditions in all (Battles fought in Germany
and France because of large populations of Jews)
Most vicious battle was the Battle of Mayence in South
of France.
1300 Jews invited to hide in Archbishop’s palace.
Slaughtered and property distributed.
1099 Crusaders captured Jerusalem. Herded all the
Jews into a synagogue as they circled it holding hands
They sang “Christ we adore thee” while they burned
the Jews alive.
Effects of the Crusades
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Helped end Feudalism
Increased monarchy power
People had larger views of the world
United all Muslim Islamics in the world
Promoted Trade and Cultural Exchange
Cultural and Economic improvements (new
plow, collar harness, crop rotation, roads
repaired and rebuilt.
Fairs aided trade and cultural exchange
Banking in Medieval Europe
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Brought the rise of money economy
Money Exchangers determined values,
transferred funds, deposits, and made loans.
Jews and Italians were some of the 1st
Bankers especially during Crusades.
People came in contact and traded goods for $
Jews acted as Money exchangers
Bankers $
Rise of Disease
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Towns grew on waterways and off roads
Streets were alleyways, buildings wood and
thatch roofs.
Bandits made it necessary for wood/stone
fences around towns.
ALMOST NO SANITATION - tossed in streets
Diphtheria, typhoid, flu, malaria, Bubonic
Plague or BLACK DEATH.
BLACK DEATH A.D. 1348 - 1350
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Fleas infected the rats who then infected humans.
Came on trade ships from China to Italy
Spread to every corner of Europe (populated areas)
Took over 30 years for Plague to end
“Ring a Round the Rosie, Pocket full of posies, ashes,
ashes, we all fall down”
Killed over 1/3 of Europe’s Population
Jews were blamed for Disease and burned alive,
hanged and murdered. Accused of poisoning the wells
or magic that brought the disease to the Christians.
Medieval Middle Class
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Hospitals and medical care grew
Business and Guilds monopolized trade
Masters - Journeyman - Apprentices
Artisans - Blacksmiths, carpenters,
shoemakers, tailors, weavers, masons, maids
Townspeople granted charters - gave rights to
control their own affairs, and businesses
Burghers in Germany, Bourgeoisie in France,
Burgesses in England (Middle Class Groups)
Medieval Education
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Nobles and rich went to universities
Schools modeled after law school in Bologna,
Italy and specialized in medicine and law.
System of thought - Scholasticism
Catholics opposed this thinking that combined
learning of reason and faith. Rejected
Aristotle’s and scholarly teachings as heresy.
Thomas Aquinas - A.D. 1200 most important
scholastic thinker (His teachings - God’s Gifts)
Medieval Art and Literature
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Epics and Romances
Songs written into stories
Traveling Poet-Musicians - Troubadours or
Mintrels.
Late Medieval Literature written in Vernacular
(everyday languages of their region)
Art seen in Churches (Romanesque)
French architecture (Gothic)
Angleland
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England - Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms united
Alfred the Great Defeated the Danish Vikings
who earlier crossed English channel to invade
England. He was the 1st to have “Great” title.
French William Duke of Normandy won the
English Crown in A.D. 1066
William the Conqueror - 1st Norman King
New English Culture
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William the Conqueror’s grandson King Henry II
Created Common Law, Grand and Petit Jury
Sons Richard the lionhearted and John
John took over when Richard left to fight in Crusades
King John taxed nobles due to loss of income
Nobles wrote Magna Carta to limit kings power
Great Council of nobles created (Parliament)
Knights enforced the Magna Carta and protected
Noblemen
House of Lords and House of Commons compares to
our Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)
Monarchy Rise to Power
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Hundred’s Year War - England and France
battle A.D. 1337 - 1453
English fought to keep Land William the
Conqueror had acquired (Northern France)
A.D. 1337 England’s King Edward III claimed
French Crown.
Longbow gave the English victories
Monarchs replaced fuedal soldiers with
national armies.
Joan of Arc and France
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17 year old girl who made Charles VII King of France
She heard her saints her instructed her to save France
from the English.
French beat English at Orleans, Joan was hero
English kidnapped Joan
Church tried her for heresy/burned at stake.
France united and developed a strong centralized
Government but had independent rulers in regions.
Church Canonized Joan of Arc (made her a saint over
500 years later)
English Monarchy
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War of the Roses
Family members fight over Monarchy
House of Lancaster (Red Rose)
House of York (White Rose)
Red Rose family WON!
King Henry VII Tudor Monarcy won control
Spanish Monarchy
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A.D. 1469 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
Ferdinand of Aragon
Isabella of Castile
Married and ruled separate but royal power
united Spain
Cortes (assemblies) reviewed royal policies
Moors and Jews left Spain weakening their
economy (lost banker, businesses, skilled)
Spanish Inquisitions made Monarchy powerful!
Troubled Catholic Church
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Holy Roman Empire largest political unit
Monarchs weakened power of Church
France controlled Church
Romans forced Cardinals to elect Italian Pope after
death of French Pope Clement.
This change was called “Great Schism”.
Church Corruption was outrageous
Simony - selling of church positions to wealthy
Indulgences - pay for your sins to be forgiven
Church Challengers - John Wickliffe and Jan Hus who
was burned at the stake