EMERGING EUROPE & THE
BYZANTINE EMPIRE
Chapter 9
Essential Questions
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Why was Rome the center of the Christian world at
the beginning of the period?
What purpose does a strong central government
serve?
How do you think the Magna Carta affected the
development of the U.S. government?
What was the purpose of the Crusades?
Transforming the Roman World: The
New Germanic Kingdoms
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Germanic peoples began moving into Roman
territory by the 3rd century
The Visigoths occupied Spain & Italy until the
Ostrogoths took control of Italy in the 5th century
Bt 500 A.D. the Western Roman Empire had become
a number of states ruled by Germanic Kings
They kept the Roman governmental structure,
however Germanic warriors dominated the
population
Eventually excluded Romans from holding power
The New Germanic Kingdoms cont…
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Germanic Angles & Saxons moved into Britain in the
5th century. Eventually they became the AngloSaxons
Only German kingdom to last long was the Franks.
Clovis was the leader of the Frankish Kingdom
Clovis resisted converting to Christianity, but during
a battle that was going badly he called on Jesus
He said If you come to my aid I will believe and be
baptized. After this plea it is said the enemy fled,
Clovis won & converted to Christianity
The New Germanic Kingdom cont…
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His conversion won Clovis the support of the Roman
Catholic Church in Rome
Clovis empire extended from the Pyrenees to present
day western Germany
After he died his sons divided the kingdom among
themselves
Germans & Romans intermarried & created a new
society where German customs had an important role –
the extended family was the center of Germany society
They worked the land together & protected each other
in violent times
German Society
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The German concept of family affected crime &
punishment
In the Roman Empire(and in ours) most crimes were
considered offenses against the state, not the
person.
A court hears the evidence and makes a judgment
Germanic law was personal. One person injuring
another often led to a savage blood feud
They developed a new system to avoid this
bloodshed
German Society
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New system using a fine was called Wergild: money
for man
The wrongdoer paid the injured party’s family a set
amount of money which varied by social status
One way of determining guilt in Germanic law was
the ordeal
The ordeal was based on the belief that the gods
would not let an innocent person be punished.
If the accused was unharmed after a physical trial
(ordeal) then he/she was presumed innocent
The Role of the Church: Organization
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Christianity had become the supreme religion of the
Roman Empire by the end of the 4th century & had
developed a system of organization
Priests headed local communities called parishes
A group of parishes was headed by a bishop whose
area of authority was called a bishopric or diocese
Bishoprics were joined under the direction of an
archbishop
The Bishop of Rome claimed he was the leader of
the Roman Catholic Church
Role of the Church: Organization
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This claim was based on the belief that Jesus gave
Peter the keys to heaven. Peter was considered the first
Bishop of Rome
The Bishops that came to succeed him in Rome came to
be called Popes – meaning father in Latin
Christians accepted the pope as the Church’s leader but
could not agree on the extent of the pope’s power
First pope was Gregory I- he strengthen the power of
the papacy
From 590-604 he took control of Rome & its
surrounding territories. Converted many non-Christian
Germanic people to Christianity
Role of the Church: Monks &
Monasteries
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Monk: a man who separates himself from worldly,
everyday life to dedicate himself entirely to God
Monasticism: is the practice of living the life of a
monk
Saint Benedict founded an order of monks in the 6th
century & wrote rules for their practice
Rules divided the day into activities: prayer,
physical labor, meditation & reading, all monks
coming together and praying seven times a day
Role of the Church: Monks &
Monasteries
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An abbot (father) ruled each monastery & monks
obeyed the abbot
Monks took a vow of poverty & dedicated their lives to
God.
Monks were social workers & monasteries became
centers of learning
Became missionaries spreading the Christian message
throughout Europe
This made them the new heroes of Christianity- high
moral examples to all
Ladies could become nuns & live in convents headed by
abbesses
Questions
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How did the Catholic Church affect the new
European civilization?
Why were Monks the new Christian heroes?
The Carolingian Empire
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In the 6th & 7th centuries, the Frankish kings lost their
power to chief officers of the king’s household, called
mayor’s of the palace
One of the mayors was Pepin & he assumed the
kingship
Pepin’s son was Charles the Great or Charlemagne –
one of history’s greatest kings
Charlemagne was curious, driven, intelligent, a strong
warrior & a devout Christian
He was unable to write but he strongly supported
learning
Charlemagne & the Carolingian
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Charlemagne ruled from 768 – 814 and expanded the
Frankish empire into much of western and central
Europe & called it the Carolingian
Charlemagne’s staff & counts (German nobles) ran the
empire locally
To keep the counts in line, Charlemagne established the
missi dominici (messengers of the lord) to make sure the
king’s wishes were followed
Charlemagne power & prestige grew. In 800 he was
crowned Roman Emperor.
The symbolized the coming together of the Roman,
Christian & Germanic civilizations.
The Carolingian Renaissance
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Charlemagne’s desire to promote learning led to
what has been called the Carolingian Renaissance
or rebirth.
There was a renewed interest in Latin cultures & the
classical works of the Greeks & Romans
Monasteries played a crucial role in this revival of
learning
Monks copied Christian & classical Latin manuscripts
Most of the Roman works we have today exist
because Carolingian monks copied them
Question
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How did Charlemagne attempt to create European
unity?
What was a strength of Charlemagne?
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Complete questions 4,5 & 6 on page 307.
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Feudalism: The End of the Carolingian
Empire
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After Charlemagne’s death the Carolingian Empire
was weakened from division within & by enemy
attacks
The empire was divided into 3 kingdoms by
Charlemagne's grandsons
Local nobles became more important as people
turned to them for protection that the empire could
no longer provide
The End of the Carolingian Empire:
Invaders
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Muslims invaded southern France
Magyars from western Asia settled on the plains of
Hungary & invaded western Europe
The Vikings (Norsemen of Scandinavia) invaded
Europe & destroyed towns, churches & armies
In 911 Frankish rulers gave the Vikings the land of
Normandy & started to convert them to Christianity
As a result of the above the Vikings were soon
made a part of European civilization
Development of Feudalism
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Because of the invasions people felt unsafe &
turned to local nobles to protect them
A powerful lord would protect you and in return you
would offer your service
A new political & social order developed between
800 and 900 called Feudalism
Feudalism thrived for 400 hundred years
Feudalism: Knights & Vassals
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Vassal: a man who served a lord in a militarily
capacity
A lord/King would give the vassal a piece of land
in return for his protection. This land was called a
fief.
Knights: warriors who were heavily armored
cavalry. Knights had great social prestige & formed
the backbone of European aristocracy
Feudal Contract
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In a feudal society having loyalty to one’s lord was
a chief virtue
A public ceremony was held to make the
lord/vassal relationship official
To become a vassal a man performed an act of
homage to his lord and took an oath
The lord also had responsibilities to the vassal: he
also protected his vassal & took his side in any
disputes
Feudal Society
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Feudalism became complicated. Kings (nobles) had
vassals (they could become nobles), who themselves
had vassals
When a vassal received land, he became the
authority of that land. He could hire a vassal for
himself if he chose to and so on…
The number of separate powerful lords and vassals
had increased – many different people were now
responsible for keeping order
Feudal Society: Nobility & Chivalry
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Nobles: Kings, dukes, counts, barons, bishops &
archbishops and even knights. They dominated
European society
Very wealthy with political. economic & social power
By the 11th & 12th centuries, under the influence of the
Church, a more civilized behavior among nobles
evolved called Chivalry
Chivalry: Knights were to defend the Church and
defenseless people, treat captives as guests & fight for
glory not material rewards
Feudal Society: Women
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Women could legally hold property but most
remained under control of men – fathers &
husbands
The lady of the castle had to manage the large
household: the estate & financial accounts
Some strong minded women advised and
dominated their husbands
Most famous was: Eleanor of Aquitaine
Questions:
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Complete questions 2,3 & 5 on page 313
The Reign of Justinian
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In 5th century, as German tribes moved into the
western part of the Roman Empire, the Eastern
Roman Empire continued to exist
Justinian became emperor of the Eastern Roman
Empire in 527
He wanted to restore the full Roman Empire & he
almost did. He had many conquests
After his death, the Lombards had taken over &
conquered much of Italy
Justinian: Body of Civil Law
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Codex: A collection of all known ordinances issued
by previous emperors. Published in 10 books.
Digest: A selection of the most valuable writings of
Roman jurists. Published in 50 books.
Institutes: An elementary law textbook for use by
first year law students
Novels: Several collections of new ordinances
passed by Justinian himself after the publication of
the Codex
Justinian: Body of Civil Law
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It was the basis of imperial law until the Eastern
Roman Empire ended in 1453
Also became the basis for much of the legal system
of Europe
From Eastern Roman Empire to
Byzantine Empire
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Justinian’s conquests left the Eastern Roman Empire in
serious trouble
Too much territory far away from Constantinople
(Eastern Rome’s capital) to protect
Also no money left, decrease in population due to the
bubonic plague & renewed threats of takeovers
Islam was the new threat
By beginning of the 8th century, the much reduced
Eastern Roman Empire consisted only of the eastern
Balkans & Asia Minor.
This smaller Eastern Roman Empire was called the
Byzantine Empire – lasted until 1453.
The Byzantine Empire
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Was both Christian & Greek
Greek became the official language of the empire
However, the empire was built on the Eastern
Orthodox Church
Much artistic talent went into church building, church
ceremonies, & church decorations to honor the
Christian faith
The emperor’s powers were considered absolute
because he was seen as chosen by God & crowned
in sacred ceremonies
The Byzantine Empire
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The emperor exercised complete control over the
Eastern Orthodox church because he appointed the
head of the church
The head of the church is called the Patriarch
The people of the Byzantine Empire believed they
were there by God to preserve the Christian faith
Life in Constantinople
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Justinian rebuilt Constantinople (Eastern Rome) in 532
after the Nika Riots had destroyed much of the city
Constantinople was the largest city in Europe during the
Middle Ages with a population in the hundreds of
thousands
Up until the 12th century, Constantinople was Europe’s
chief center for trading goods between the West & East
Justinian smuggled in silk worms from China. Silk cloth
became the city’s most lucrative product
Life in Constantinople cont…
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Justinian rebuilt much of Constantinople during the 6th
century
He built an immense palace, hundreds of churches, a
hippodrome, & extensive public works (underground
water supply)
His greatest building was the Hagia Sophia – Church of
Holy Wisdom – in 537
Had a large dome that seemed to float in space & had
42 windows that created a play of lights.
The light symbolizes the presence of God in the world
New Heights…
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Macedonian expanded the Byzantine Empire
during 867 – 1081
They expanded the empire to include Bulgaria,
Cyprus, Crete, & Syria
Macedonians expanded trade with the West,
especially silk & metal works
Constantinople continued to prosper until…
New Problems
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Incompetent Macedonian rulers undid most of the gains
Power struggles between military leaders and
aristocratic families led to political & social disorder in
the empire in the 11 century
Also a growing split between the Eastern Orthodox
Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
Eastern Church did not accept the pope as the head of
the Christian faith
In 1054 Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael Cerularius
excommunicated each other
This created a separation between these two branches
of Christianity
The Crusades
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From the 11th century to the 13th centuries, European
Christians went on a series of military campaigns to
regain the Holy Land from the Muslims
These Muslims were regarded as infidels or
nonbelievers
These military campaigns are known as the
Crusades
Crusade means “going to the cross”
Why Fight for the Holy Land?
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A war between the Christians and the Muslims
centered around the Holy Land of Jerusalem
Jesus was born near the Holy Land, crucified and
buried there
In 1065 Jerusalem was taken by the Turks (Muslims)
and 30,000 Christians were massacred
Jerusalem was also important to Muslims. It was
where Muhammad (founder of the Muslim faith)saw
the angel who told him he was a prophet (5th
century)
The Push for the Crusades
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The Byzantine Emperor Alexius I asked for the
Europeans for help against the Seljuk Turks who
were Muslims
Pope Urban II responded to the request – he saw a
opportunity to provide leadership for a great cause
That cause was rallying European warriors to free
Jerusalem & The Holy Land (Palestine) from the
infidels (non-believers) – the Muslims
In 1095 Pope Urban II challenged Christians to take
up their weapons & join in a holy war
The Push for the Crusades cont…
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The Pope exclaimed, “All who die… shall have
immediate remission (forgiveness) of sins.”
Warriors of western Europe formed the first
crusading armies.
These knights & others in the army were motivated
by religious fervor, adventure & fighting, some
wanted to gain wealth & maybe a title, and some
sought trading opportunities
The First Crusades: The People’s
Crusades
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1st came the People’s Crusade
Popular preachers urged people to go to Jerusalem
with the cry, “God Wills It!”
A monk Peter the Hermit aroused large parts of
France with his preaching to vast crowds
Without waiting for the nobles and knights from
Constantinople, a horde of poor men, women and
children set out, unorganized & unarmed to
Jerusalem
First Crusade: The People’s Crusade
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80,000 people joined Peter the Hermit and Walter the
Penniless via an overland route through Germany &
Hungary
Many perished due to the battles they had with the
countries they had to pass through
Many perished due to lack of food & exposure to the
weather
Most were slaughtered by the Turks in Asia Minor
Peter the Hermit survived & eventually led the little
remaining Crusaders in a procession around the wall of
Jerusalem just before the city was taken
The First Crusade
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Meanwhile real armies were gathering. Most were from
France
The expedition numbered 700,000 men – 100,000 of
them knights
In 1098 captured Antioch – this battle lasted a year
They then pushed on toward Jerusalem. They were
down to a ¼ of their numbers
When the Crusaders arrived at the Holy Land it is said
the wept & kissed the ground on which they stood
The First Crusade
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They also took off their shoes and marched
barefoot in religious procession around the walls
with Peter the hermit leading the way
Jerusalem was taken over by 1099
Once inside the city, the Crusaders massacred their
enemies without mercy
The slaughter went on for 7 days
The Crusaders took possession of the houses &
property of the infidels
The Second Crusade
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After taking possession of the Holy land, the Christians set up four
Latin crusader states
These states were surrounded by Muslims
These four kingdoms relied on supplies from Europe coming through
Italian cities
By 1140 the Muslims began to strike back. Captured one of the
four Latin states – Edessa and slaughtered most of the population
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux with the help of King Louis VII of France
& Emperor Conrad III of Germany formed a second crusade. It
failed.
In 1187, Jerusalem fell to the Muslims under its leader Saladin
The Third Crusade
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Three Christian leaders, Emperor Frederick Barbosa
of Germany, Richard the Lion Hearted of England
& Phillip II Augustus of France agreed to lead a 3rd
Crusade.
Frederick drowned, Phillip went home
Richard the Lion Hearted negotiated an agreement
with Saladin to allowing Christians pilgrims access to
Jerusalem
Fourth Crusade
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About 6 years after Saladin’s death in 1193, Pope
Innocent III started a 4th Crusade
On their way to Jerusalem, the Venetian leaders
used the situation to weaken their largest
commercial competitor, the Byzantine Empire
The Crusaders sacked Constantinople in 1204
Children’s Crusades
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In 1212, a German youth named Nicholas of
Cologne brought thousands of children to the pope
He said God had inspired him to lead these
children to the Holy Land – the Pope sent them
home, yet 50,000 went on to the Holy Land
They were never heard from again
At the same time, a group of twenty thousand
French children sailed for the Holy Land
The ships went down at sea & those children that
did live were sold into slavery
Effects of the Crusades
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Greatest impact of the Crusades was political – the
eventually helped break down feudalism.