The European Middle Ages
E.Q. 1: What was life like during
the Middle Ages?
Key Terms: medieval, classical, Romance
languages
Civilization Declines
Middle Ages, c. 500 – 1500
Europe after the fall of Rome
Medieval—Latin for Middle Ages
First 500 years esp. low (Dark
Ages)
Society’s Roots
Classical (Greek & Roman)
heritage
Christian Church
Customs of Germanic Tribes
Cities Declined
People moved from cities, away
from attacks
Rural lifestyle, villages
People depended on farming to
survive
Education Declined
Farming, surviving more important than
education
Priests only literate ones, only read Latin
Romance languages—Roman-based
languages; Latin combined w/ Germanic
languages (French, Spanish, Italian,
Portuguese, Romanian)
Government Declined
People feel loyal to family, village, not a
king
No longer citizens of a country
Christian Church Increased
Germanic Tribes eventually
settled, converted to Christianity
The church was the single-most
civilizing force in society
E.Q. 2: What government and social
systems developed in medieval
Europe?
Key Terms: feudalism, lord, vassal, fief,
investiture, manorial system, serfs, threefield system, guild system, Charlemagne
Medieval Government—Feudalism
Definition—political system, nobles are
given land by their king in return for the
vow to protect that land
Gradually leads to rise of kingdoms,
empires
Positions in Feudalism
Lord—large land-owner, grants the land
Vassals—nobles who receive the land &
vow to protect it; lead the armies when
lands under attack
Army made up of knights
Fief—plot of land granted
Investiture—ceremony in which land is
granted & the vassal swears to his lord
Empire Revived
Charlemagne—king of Franks, 768 –
814
Created 1st empire since Romans
Ran an organized, effective govt., paved
the way for feudalism to dominate
Europe
Increased education for court members
Medieval Economy—Manorial
System
Manor—small estate containing village,
farmland, forests; was the basic social &
economic unit of Middle Ages
Necessities of entire manor produced
Most of pop. made of peasants
Serfs—bound to land they worked;
produced all food, clothing needed by
those living on manor
Commercial Revolution
Three-field system—farmland divided into
three parts, different 2/3 planted each
year
Brought about surplus, villages began to
trade
Guild system—group of people working
same occupation, control quality, wages &
prices
E.Q. 3: What was the role of the
Church in medieval Europe?
Key Terms: seven sacraments,
monasteries, Christendom, Holy Roman
Empire, Gothic architecture
Church Practices
Seven Sacraments—practices/rituals to
receive forgiveness of sins & salvation
(God’s favor)
Baptism, penance, communion,
confirmation, matrimony, anointing the
sick, holy orders
Monastic Life
Monasteries—religious communities where
people gave up all possessions and
devoted their lives to God (monks & nuns)
Followed strict rules, schedules for work
& prayer
Best-run, most civilized communities in
medieval Europe
Preserved writing & education
Church Hierarchy
Catholic Church has many ranks of power
Pope—leader of Catholic Church; God’s
representative on earth
Cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests
The Church Becomes Political
Pope Gregory I, 590—first pope to
become a religious & political leader
Developed concept of Christendom—
society based on a Christian Kingdom
Felt his power should extend to all
Christians
Popes followed same idea, led to Schism
of 1054
Holy Roman Empire
Empire of central Europe, included mostly
modern-day Germany & parts of Italy
Worked closely w/ Catholic Church
Pope was spiritual leader of Christians
Emperor was protector & political leader
of Christianity
Church Architecture
Gothic—architectural design to make
cathedrals taller & more decorative
Allowed light into the cathedrals
Depicted Bible stories to largely illiterate
pop.
The Crusades
E.Q. 4: How did conflicts arise
between the Church & European
kingdoms?
Key Terms: lay investiture, Gregory VII,
Henry IV
Selecting Church Officials
Lay investiture—ceremony in which kings
& nobles appointed church officials
Gave kings & nobles power over the
Church
Reformers Demand Change
Pope Gregory VII—banned lay investitures
in 1075
Henry IV—Holy Roman Emperor, called
meeting of his bishops & ordered Gregory
to resign as pope
Gregory excommunicated Henry
Bishops & princes sided w/ the pope,
rebelled against Henry
Henry begged forgiveness
Stood in front of Gregory’s castle for 3
days in the snow
Pope forgave him, but humiliated him
Issue of lay investiture still unresolved
Concordat of Worms, 1122
Meeting of Church representatives & the
HRE
Agreed that Church had sole power to
appoint bishops, but HRE could veto
appointment