Part 1 Topic 7: Medieval Christian Europe (330-1450)

Battle of Tours

(732 CE) European victory over Muslims. It halted Muslim movement into Western Europe. Christian warriors triumphed. To them, the victory was a sign that God was on their side. Muslims advanced no farther into Western Europe, although they continued to rule most of what is now Spain. To European Christians, the Muslim presence in Spain and around the Mediterranean was a source of anxiety and anger. Even when the Muslim armies were no longer a threat, Christians continued to have a hostile view of the Muslim world. Still, medieval Europeans did learn from the Arabs, whose knowledge in many areas, especially science and mathematics, was extensive and exceeded their own.

Tournaments

A mock battle in which knights would compete against one another to display their fighting skills

Serfs

A person who lived on and farmed a lords land in feudal times

Troubadour

A wandering poet or singer of Medieval Europe

New Invasions Pound Europe

After Charlemagne died in 814, his son Louis I took the throne. Later, Louis's sons battled for power. Finally, in 843, Charlemagne's grandsons drew up the Treaty of Verdun, which split the empire into three regions. The empire was divided just at a time when these lands were faced with new waves of invasions.

A Blending of Cultures

After rising to spectacular heights, the Byzantine empire eventually declined to a small area around Constantinople itself. Yet it was still in existence nearly 1,000 years after the fall of the western Roman empire. As the heir to Rome, it promoted a brilliant civilization that blended ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian influences with other traditions of the Mediterranean world.

Charlemagne's Legacy

Although Charlemagne's empire crumbled, the great Frankish ruler left a lasting legacy. He extended Christian civilization into northern Europe and furthered the blending of Germanic, Roman, and Christian traditions. He also set up a system for strong, efficient government. Later medieval rulers looked to his example when they tried to strengthen their own kingdoms.

Magyars

An ethnic group centered in present-day Hungary

A Time of Decline

As Rome declined and withdrew from its provinces in Western Europe, these lands suffered severe blows. Waves of invaders swept in, and Roman civilization slowly disappeared. Wars raged constantly. Trade slowed to a trickle, towns emptied, and learning virtually ceased. The early Middle Ages was a harsh and difficult time for the peoples of Europe. Much later, some people looked back on this time and called it the "dark ages" because of the disorder and loss of Roman civilization Today, historians recognize that the Middle Ages were, in fact, a time of new beginnings. During this long period, Greek, Roman, Germanic, and Christian traditions were slowly blended and gave rise to a new medieval civilization. Medieval comes from the Latin term for "middle age."

Muslim Armies Advance Into Europe

As the Franks and other Germanic peoples carved up Europe, a powerful new force, Islam, swept out of the Middle East across the Mediterranean world. Islam is a religion that began in Arabia around 622. Over the next 200 years, Muslims, or believers in Islam, built a huge empire and created a major new civilization. The pope and the Christian kingdoms in Europe watched with alarm as Muslim armies overran Christian lands from Palestine to North Africa and Spain. When a Muslim army crossed into France, Charles Martel rallied Frankish warriors.

What characteristic of the development of the political and social system of feudalism BEST summarizes the life of knights and nobles? A. Chivalry served them as a way to attain positions of power. B. As lords, they constructed large castles and raised armies. C. They were mainly involved in manor duties and competing in tournaments. D. As vassals, they swore loyalty and provided military service.

As vassals, they swore loyalty and provided military service

A Shift to the North

At its height, the Roman empire included much of Western Europe. Rome unified the region and spread classical ideas, the Latin language, and Christianity to the tribal peoples of Western Europe. But Rome was a Mediterranean power. The Germanic peoples who ended Roman rule in the west shifted the focus to the north. There, the peoples of Europe would begin to create a new civilization, building on the legacy of Rome. Despite the disorder and decay that came with the fall of Rome, Western Europe was a place of great potential. It had fertile land and other resources, such as timber, furs, and tin. In the early Middle Ages, gradual changes took place that would eventually bring a measure of order.

The Life of a Knight

At the age of seven, a boy slated to become a knight was sent away to the castle of his father's lord. There, he learned to ride and fight. He also learned to keep his armor and weapons in good condition. Training was difficult and discipline was strict. Any laziness was punished with an angry blow or even a severe beating. With his training finished, the youth was named a knight, often in a public ceremony. An older knight or the boy's future lord said words like these: "In the name of God, Saint Michael, and Saint George, I dub thee knight; be brave and loyal." Then the young knight took his place beside other warriors. Knights usually fought on horseback using swords, axes, and lances, which were long poles. They wore armor and carried shields for protection. Other soldiers fought on foot using daggers, spears, crossbows, and longbows. As the fierce fighting of the early Middle Ages lessened in the 1100s, tournaments, or mock battles, came into fashion. A powerful lord would invite knights from the area to a tournament to enter contests of fighting skill. At first, tournaments were as dangerous as real battles. In time, they acquired more ceremonies and ritual

What elements of Constantinople's location helped it flourish as the capital of the Byzantine empire? A. its location beside a huge lake and bordered by two vast deserts B. its location on a strait between seas and on key trade routes C. its location on a great river and surrounded by high mountains D. its location far from trade routes and close to threatening tribes

B: its location on a strait between seas and on key trade routes

Three Sources of Attack

Between about 700 to about 1000, Western Europe was battered by invaders from other lands. Muslims, Magyars, and Vikings conquered lands across the region. Even after their defeat at Tours in 732, Muslim forces kept up their pressure on Europe. In the late 800s, they conquered the island of Sicily, which became a thriving center of Muslim culture. Not until the 900s, when power struggles erupted in the Middle East, did Muslim attacks finally subside. About 900, a new wave of nomadic people, the Magyars, overran Eastern Europe and attacked the Byzantine empire. They moved on to plunder Germany, parts of France, and Italy. Finally, after about 50 years, they were turned back and settled in what is today Hungary.

Charlemagne Revives Latin learning

Charlemagne hoped to make his capital at Aachen (ah kun) a "second Rome." To achieve this goal, he made a determined effort to revive Latin learning. Charlemagne could read but not write. He is said to have kept a slate by his bed so that he could practice making letters. For him, education also served to strengthen his empire as he saw the need for records and clear reports. To ensure a supply of educated officials, Charlemagne set up a palace school and brought scholars there from all over. He asked a famous scholar, Alcuin of York, to run his palace school. There, scholars were set to work copying ancient manuscripts including the Bible and Latin works of history and science.

Creating a Unified Christian Empire

Charlemagne set out to exercise control over his lands and create a united Christian Europe. Many of his subjects were pagans, as non-Christians were called. Charlemagne worked closely with the Church to spread Christianity to the conquered peoples on the fringes of his empire. During his reign, missionaries won converts among the Saxons and Slavs. Like other Germanic kings, Charlemagne appointed powerful nobles to rule local regions. He gave them land so they could offer support and supply soldiers for his armies. To keep control of these provincial rulers, he sent out officials called missi dominici (mih see daw mih nee chee) to check on roads, listen to grievances, and see that justice was done. Charlemagne instructed the missi to "administer the law fully and justly in the case of the holy churches of God and of the poor, of wards and of widows, and of the whole people."

Emperor of the Romans

Charlemagne —made by Pope Leo III

A Spiritual and Worldly Empire

During the Middle Ages, the Christian Church split into eastern and western churches. The western church, headed by the pope in Rome, became known as the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church grew stronger and wealthier during the Middle Ages. The pope was the spiritual leader of Roman Catholic Christians but also ruled vast lands in central Italy, later called the Papal States. As the spiritual heir and representative of Christ on Earth, according to Church teachings, the medieval pope eventually claimed papal supremacy, or authority over all secular rulers.

The Growth of Church Power

During the Middle Ages, the Church became the most powerful institution in Western Europe. The Church not only controlled the spiritual life of Christians but also exercised enormous influence over secular, or nonreligious, affairs.

Nobles, Knights, and Warfare

During the Middle Ages, warfare was constant. For medieval lords and vassals, it was a way of life. Rival lords battled constantly for power. Both greater and lesser nobles trained from boyhood for a future occupation as a knight, or mounted warrior.

Castles and War

During the early Middle Ages, powerful lords fortified their homes to withstand attack. The strongholds gradually became larger and grander. By the 1100s, monarchs and nobles owned sprawling stone castles with high walls, towers, and drawbridges over wide moats. Castles were fortresses. Wars often centered on seizing castles that commanded strategic river crossings, harbors, or mountain passes. Castle dwellers stored up food and water so they could withstand a long siege. In time of war, peasants from nearby villages might take refuge within the castle walls.

A Self-Sufficient World

During the early Middle Ages, the manor was generally self-sufficient. That is, the peasants who lived there produced almost everything they needed, from food and clothing to simple furniture and tools. Most peasants never ventured more than a few miles from their village. They had no schooling and no knowledge of a larger world outside. A typical manor included cottages and huts clustered close together in a village. Nearby stood a water mill to grind grain, a church, and the lord's manor house. The fields surrounding the village were divided into narrow strips. Each family had strips of land in different fields so that good land and bad land were shared evenly. only the lord had the right to chip wood or hunt animals in the forests that lay beyond the cleared land

Justinian Code

Even more important than expanding the empire and rebuilding its capital was Justinian's reform of the law. Early in his reign, he set up a commission to collect, revise, and organize all the laws of ancient Rome. The result was the Corpus Juris Civilis, or "Body of Civil Law," popularly known as Justinian's Code. This massive collection included laws passed by Roman assemblies or decreed by Roman emperors, as well as the legal writings of Roman judges and a handbook for students. Justinian's Code had a legal and political impact far beyond the Byzantine empire. By the 1100s, it had reached Western Europe. There, monarchs modeled their laws on its principles, which would slowly, over many centuries, help them to centralize their power. Later, the code also guided legal thinkers who began to put together the international law in use today. Justinian commissioned an important reform of Ancient Rome's laws

A Complex System

Everyone had a place in medieval feudal society. At the top of the power structure stood the monarch. Below the monarch were the most powerful lords, who might have had titles such as duke or count. They held the largest fiefs. Each of these lords had vassals, and these vassals in turn had their own vassals. In many cases, the same man was both vassal and lord—vassal to a more powerful lord above him and lord to a less powerful vassal below him. Because vassals often held fiefs from more than one lord, relationships between them grew very complex. A vassal who had pledged loyalty to several lords could have serious problems if his overlords quarreled with each other. What was he to do if both demanded his aid? To solve this problem, a vassal usually had a liege lord to whom he owed his first loyalty.

Feudal contract

Exchange of pledges between lords and vassals

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Expanded the usual role of medieval women. Was politically active and participated in crusades She was queen of France And then queen of England Through 2 marriges

The Life of a Peasant

For most peasants, life was harsh. Men, women, and children worked long hours, from sunup to sundown. During planting season, a man might guide an ox-drawn plow through the fields while his wife walked alongside, urging the ox on with a pointed stick. Children helped in the fields, planting seeds, weeding, and taking care of pigs or sheep. The peasant family ate a simple diet of black bread with vegetables such as cabbage, turnips, or onions. They seldom had meat—that was reserved for the lord. Peasants who poached, or illegally killed wild game on their lord's manor, risked harsh punishment. If they lived near a river, peasants might add fish to their diet. At night, the family and their livestock—cows, chickens, pigs, or sheep—slept together in their hut.

How did Germanic tribes carve Europe into small kingdoms? A. Germanic leaders formed strong alliances. B. Germanic traders set up free-trade zones. C. Germanic priests unified religious groups. D. Germanic kings waged wars of conquest.

Germanic kings waged wars of conquest

How did the culture of the Germanic tribes differ from that of the Romans? A. Germanic peoples lived in great cities administered by a central government. B. Germanic peoples lived in small communities governed by unwritten customs. C. Germanic peoples were mostly traders, so they traveled throughout Europe. D. Germanic kings were chosen by single combat between warriors.

Germanic peoples lived in small communities governed by unwritten customs

How did a lord MOST benefit from granting a fief to his vassal? A. He provided protection and money. B. He collected fees from tournaments. C. He received loyalty and military service. D. He encouraged better farming methods.

He received loyalty and military service

Charlemagne Builds an Empire

In 768, the grandson of Charles Martel became king of the Franks. He built an empire reaching across what is now France, Germany, and part of Italy. The founder of this empire became known as Charlemagne (shahr luh mayn), or Charles the Great. Charlemagne spent much of his 46-year reign fighting Muslims in Spain, Saxons in the north, Avars and Slavs in the east, and Lombards in Italy. Charlemagne loved battle and was a successful conqueror who reunited much of the old Roman empire in Europe.

Changes in Western Europe

In Europe, the centuries after the fall of Rome are called the Middle Ages, which lasted from about 500 to 1350. The Middle Ages refers to the time between the ancient and modern worlds. During this long stretch of time, Western Europe passed through two distinct phases: the early Middle Ages, lasting from about 500 to 1050, the late Middle Ages, lasting from about 1050 to 1350.

The Byzantine Empire Thrives

In European history, the thousand-year span between the fall of the Roman empire and the Renaissance beginnings of modern history is known as the Middle Ages. Perhaps best remembered today for knights on horseback and towering Gothic cathedrals this medieval period began with the collapse of the western Roman empire. You have read that as German invaders pounded the Roman empire in the west, the Roman emperor Constantine and his successors shifted their base to the eastern Mediterranean Constantine rebuilt the Greek city of Byzantium and then renamed it after himself—Constantinople. By 330, he made Constantinople the new capital of the empire. From this "New Rome," roads fanned out to the Balkans, to the Middle East, and to North Africa. In time, the eastern Roman empire became known as the Byzantine empire.

Vassal

In medieval Europe, a lord who was granted land in exchange for service and loyalty to a greater lord

Fief

In medieval Europe, an estate granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for service and loyalty

Feudalism Develops

In the face of invasions by Vikings, Muslims, and Magyars, kings and emperors were too weak to maintain law and order. People needed protection for themselves, their homes, and their lands. In response to this basic need for protection, a decentralized political and economic structure evolved, known as feudalism. Feudalism was a loosely organized system of rule in which powerful local lords divided their landholdings among lesser lords. In exchange, these lesser lords, or vassals, pledged service and loyalty to the greater lord. In practice, feudalism varied greatly from place to place, and its traditions changed over time. Overall, however, feudalism became the basis for the political and economic system that governed life during the Middle Ages and beyond.

The Code of Chivalry

In the later Middle Ages, knights adopted a code of conduct called chivalry. Chivalry required knights to be brave, loyal, and true to their word. In warfare, they had to fight fairly. For example, a knight agreed not to attack another knight before the opponent had a chance to put on his armor. Warriors also had to treat a captured knight well or even release him if he promised to pay his ransom. Chivalry had limits, though. Its elaborate rules applied to nobles only, not to commoners. But chivalry also dictated that knights protect the weak, and that included both peasants and noblewomen. Few real knights could live up to the ideals of chivalry, but they did provide a standard against which a knight's behavior could be measured. Chivalry raised women to a new status. In theory, if not always in practice, chivalry placed women on a pedestal. Troubadours, or wandering musician-poets, composed their love songs, praising the beauty and wit of women throughout the ages.

How did Justinian's Code have an impact beyond the Byzantine empire? A. It provided models for strong alliances between monarchs. B. It organized ancient Roman laws for use within the empire. C. It later guided the development of present-day international law. D. It promoted trade among Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

It later guided the development of present-day international law

How did the manor system serve the needs of the early Middle Ages? A. It ensured the humane treatment of peasants and curbed the excesses of their lords. B. It supported the spread of peasant trade and the increased wealth of their lords. C. It provided safety and security for peasants and wealth and prestige for their lords. D. It encouraged peasants to become independent and their lords to give up some of their rights.

It provided safety and security for peasants and wealth and prestige for their lords

Hagia Sophia

Justinian left a more lasting monument in the structures of his capital. In 532, riots and a devastating fire swept Constantinople. Many buildings were destroyed and many lives were lost. Hagia Sophia first served as a cathedral for more than 900 years, then as a mosque for nearly 500 years. A Turkish museum since 1935, it remains a magnificent presence

Seasons and Celebrations

Like farmers everywhere, peasants in Europe plowed in spring and autumn. In summer, they harvested and hayed. At other times, they weeded and repaired. Hunger was common, especially in late winter when the harvest was exhausted. Disease took a heavy toll, and few peasants lived beyond the age of 35. Still, peasants found occasions to celebrate, such as marriages and births. Welcome breaks came on holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. At these times, people might butcher an animal for a feast. There would also be dancing and rough sports, from wrestling to ball games.

Feudalism

Loosely organized system of government in which local lords governed heir own lands but owed military service and other support to a greater lord

Mutual Obligations

Medieval society involved a network of mutual obligations between the ruler and the ruled. The relationship between lords and vassals was both political and economic. It was based on the exchange of land for loyalty and military service. These vows were conducted publicly in front of witnesses. The relationship between lord and vassal grew out of custom and tradition and involved an exchange of pledges known as the feudal contract. Under this system, a powerful lord granted his vassal a fief (feef), or estate. Fiefs ranged from a few acres to hundreds of square miles. In addition to the land itself, the fief included peasants to work the land, as well as any towns or buildings on it. As part of this agreement, the lord promised to protect his vassal. In return, the vassal pledged loyalty to his lord. He also agreed to provide the lord with 40 days of military service each year, certain money payments, and advice.

The Lives of Noblewomen

Noblewomen played active roles in this warrior society. While her husband or father was off fighting, the "lady of the manor" took over his duties. She supervised vassals, managed the household, and performed necessary agricultural and medical tasks. Sometimes she might even have to go to war to defend her estate. Some medieval noblewomen, like Eleanor of Aquitaine, took an active hand in politics. Eleanor inherited vast lands in southwestern France.

The Mutual Obligations of Lords and Peasants

Peasants and their lords were tied together by mutual rights and obligations. Peasants had to work several days a week farming the lord's lands. They also repaired his roads, bridges, and fences. Peasants had to ask the lord's permission to marry. Peasants paid the lord a fee when they inherited their father's acres or when they used the local mill to grind grain. Other payments fell due at Christmas and Easter. Because money had largely disappeared in late Roman times, peasants had to pay fees with products such as grain, honey, eggs, or chickens. In return for a lifetime of labor, peasants had the right to farm a certain amount of land for themselves. Under the system of mutual obligations, they were entitled to their lord's protection from raids or warfare. Although they could not leave the manor without permission, they also could not be forced off it. In theory, at least, they were guaranteed food, housing, and land. The Manor System supports feudalism

Justinian contributed to the flourishing of the Byzantine empire after Rome's decline by A. freeing slaves throughout the empire. B. reforming the laws of ancient Rome. C. reducing poverty in Constantinople. D. reviving the traditions of ancient Greece.

Reforming the laws of Ancient Rome

Pope Sylvester II

Reigned from 999 to 1003, shows the power and pomp of medieval European popes

Which was a major effect of Pope Leo III crowning Charlemagne Emperor of the Romans? A. unification of the eastern and western Roman empire B. decline of Latin learning throughout Europe C. future collaboration between popes and emperors D. revival of the ideal of a unified Christian community

Revival of the ideal of a unified Christian community

Charlemagne briefly reunited much of Western Europe by A. ceasing war with his enemies after calling upon the Pope's support. B. compiling the Corpus Juris Civilis to reform laws within his empire. C. sending out missi dominici to keep control over his provincial rulers. D. bringing back missionaries from Asia to strengthen belief at his court.

Sending out missi dominici to keep control over his provincial rulers

Which positive effect might the rules of chivalry have had on feudal society? A. established the right of women to fight in wars B. softened the daily brutality of a warlike society C. required fair treatment of captured commoners D. promoted equal treatment of lords and vassals

Softened the daily brutality of warlike society

Economic and Military Power

The Byzantine empire flourished under a strong central government, which exercised strict control over a prosperous economy. Peasants formed the backbone of the empire, working the land, paying taxes, and providing soldiers for the military. In the cities of the empire, trade and industry flourished. As coined money disappeared from areas once ruled by the Roman empire in the west, the Byzantine empire preserved a healthy money economy. The bezant, the Byzantine gold coin stamped with the emperor's image, circulated from England to China. A prosperous economy allowed the Byzantines to build one of the strongest military forces in the world. Soldiers, ships, and sailors protected the empire, and fortifications protected its capital. The Byzantines also relied on a secret weapon called Greek fire, a liquid that probably contained petroleum. Thrown toward an enemy, it would ignite on contact, and its fire could not be put out with water. For centuries, Greek fire was an effective and terrifying weapon of the Byzantine navy.

The Age of Justinian

The Byzantine empire reached its greatest size under the emperor Justinian, who ruled from 527 to 565. Justinian was determined to revive ancient Rome by retaking lands that had been overrun by invaders. Led by the brilliant general Belisarius, Byzantine armies reconquered North Africa, Italy, and the southern Iberian peninsula. However, the fighting exhausted Justinian's treasury and weakened his defenses in the east. Moreover, the victories were only temporary. Justinian's successors would lose the bitterly contested lands, one after the other.

Godfrey of Boullion

The Frankish knight Godfrey of Bouillon helped lead the First Crusade. He refused the title of king of Jerusalem but accepted the crown. Songs described him as a "perfect Christian knight."

Germanic Kingdoms

The Germanic tribes that conquered parts of the Roman empire included the Goths, Vandals, Saxons, and Franks. Their culture was very different from that of the Romans. They were mostly farmers and herders, so they had no cities or written laws. Instead, they lived in small communities governed by unwritten customs. Their kings were elected leaders, chosen by tribal counsels. Warriors swore loyalty to the king in exchange for weapons and a share in the plunder taken from defeated enemies. Between 400 and 700, these Germanic tribes carved Western Europe into small kingdoms.

Papal supremacy

The claim of medieval popes that they had authority over all secular rulers

The Empire Declines

The fortunes of the Byzantine empire rose and fell in the centuries after Justinian. Time and again, its skilled forces held off attacks by invaders. The empire withstood successive attacks by Persians, Slavs, Vikings, Huns, Arabs, and Turks. The empire thus served as a buffer for Western Europe by absorbing the brunt of invasions from the east. Among the fiercest attacks came from the Arab armies that were carrying a new religion, Islam, into the Mediterranean world and beyond.

Manorialism

The heart of the medieval economy was the manor, or lord's estate. Most manors included one or more villages and the surrounding lands. Peasants, who made up the majority of the population in medieval society, lived and worked on the manor.

Vikings Raids from the North

The most destructive raiders, however, were the Vikings. At home, they were independent farmers ruled by land-owning chieftains. When they took to the seas, they snapped the last threads of unity in Charlemagne's empire. These expert sailors and ferocious fighters burst out of Scandinavia, a northern region that now includes Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. They looted and burned communities along the coasts and rivers of Europe from Ireland to Russia. The Vikings were not just fierce warriors. They were traders and explorers as well. In their far-ranging voyages, they sailed around the Mediterranean Sea and crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

The Kingdom of the Franks

The strongest and most successful kingdom was that of the Franks. In 486, Clovis, king of the Franks, conquered the former Roman province of Gaul. Later, this area would be known as France.

Constantinople Grows

The vital center of the empire was Constantinople. The city was located on the shores of the Bosporus, a strait that links the Mediterranean and Black seas. Constantinople had an excellent harbor and was guarded on three sides by water. Emperors after Constantine built an elaborate system of land and sea walls to bolster its defenses. Equally important, Constantinople commanded key trade routes linking Europe and Asia. For centuries, the city's favorable location made it Europe's busiest marketplace. There, merchants sold silks from China, wheat from Egypt, gems from India, spices from Southeast Asia, and furs from Viking lands in the north. At the center of the city, Byzantine emperors and empresses lived in glittering splendor. Dressed in luxurious silk, they attended chariot races at the Hippodrome arena. Crowds cheered wildly as rival charioteers careened around and around in their vehicles. The spectacle was another reminder of the city's glorious Roman heritage.

How did ideas in Justinian's Code influence Western political and legal traditions? A. They provided useful models for modern political campaigns. B. They encouraged European rulers to decentralize their power. C. They helped legal thinkers to create modern international law. D. They supported the development of parliamentary democracy.

They helped legal thinkers to create modern international law

Which describes how noblewomen contributed to the economic system of manorialism? A. They brought dowry income to their lord's manor. B. They managed the daily activities of their manor. C. They fostered trade among peasants on their manor. D. They left the manor to support their lord during war.

They managed the daily activities of their manor

How did the economic system of manorialism MOST affect nobles? A. They supported peasant efforts to become self-sufficient. B. They let peasants grind grain for a fee at the manor's mill. C. They provided protection and gave peasants land to farm. D. They rewarded peasants with money after good harvests.

They provided protection and gave peasants land to farm

Which BEST summarizes the impact of the Vikings on Western Europe? A. They burned and looted in Western Europe and disrupted Mediterranean trade routes. B. They burned and looted, but also established trade routes and settled in Western Europe. C. They mixed with local populations in Western Europe, helping to unify Charlemagne's empire. D. They set up a colony in North America, but also disrupted trade routes to northern Europe.

They urned and Looted, but in contrast, established trade routes and settled in Western Europe

Which could MOST likely have caused peasants on medieval manors to die so young? A. They could be hurt while away from the manor on the lord's service. B. They received no or inadequate medical treatment for their illnesses. C. They could be at risk of injury or death during attacks by rival lords. D. They worked hard and had poor diets, so were vulnerable to disease.

They worked hard and had poor diets, so were vulnerable to disease

Vikings

This is a modern replica of a Viking ship built around 820 and found buried in western Norway in 1903. Thirty oarsmen, a lookout, and a man at the tiller would have sailed that ship.

Justinian Rules With Absolute Power

To Justinian, the law was a means to unite the empire. Yet he himself was an autocrat, or sole ruler with complete authority. Like earlier Roman emperors, he had a large bureaucracy to carry out his orders. The emperor also had power over the Church. He was deemed Christ's co-ruler on Earth. As a Byzantine official wrote, "The emperor is equal to all men in the nature of his body, but in the authority of his rank he is similar to God, who rules all." His control was aided by his wife, Theodora. A shrewd politician, she served as advisor and co-ruler to Justinian. At times, she even challenged the emperor's orders and pursued her own policies.

How did the fall of Rome impact Western Europe? A. Trade slowed greatly, and Western Europe became politically divided. B. Cities grew rapidly, and Western Europe's economies expanded. C. Western Europe's contact with advanced civilizations in Asia increased. D. Waves of Roman immigrants settled in a thriving Western Europe.

Trade slowed greatly, and Western Europe became politically divided

An economic System

Under the manor system, also called the manorial system, the lord of the manor exercised legal and economic power over the peasants who lived on the estate. The lord administered justice and provided land and protection. In return, peasants owed their lord labor and goods. Historians have described several factors that contributed to the development of the economic system of manorialism. These were largely the same as those that led to the development of feudalism. Kings and emperors in Western Europe had become too weak to provide security. Trade declined sharply. Local communities had to become self-sufficient economic systems capable of meeting their own needs. These communities were manors. Most peasants on a manor were serfs, bound to the land. Serfs were not slaves who could be bought and sold. Still, they were not free. They could not leave the manor without the lord's permission. If the manor was granted to a new lord, the serfs went along with it.

How did the manor system serve the needs of the early Middle Ages? A. It ensured the humane treatment of peasants and curbed the excesses of their lords. B. It supported the spread of peasant trade and the increased wealth of their lords. C. It provided safety and security for peasants and wealth and prestige for their lords. D. It encouraged peasants to become independent and their lords to give up some of their rights.

Vikings, Muslims, and Magyrans invaded Europe at a time of political weakness

Castle warfare

Was brutal. Battering rams, catapults, ad fighters on ladders assisted stone walls. Defenders shot arrows and poured hot oil on attackers

How did the collapse of the western Roman empire affect Western Europe? A. Western Europe's people moved to cities. B. Western Europe fell into disorder as invaders swept in. C. Western Europe supported classical learning. D. Western Europe's traders grew wealthy.

Western Europe fell into disorder as invaders swept in

Lesson 2: Feudalism and the Manor Economy

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Manor System

an economic system of exchanging land use and protection for goods and services

Secular

having to do with worldly, rather than religious matters

King Clovis

known as the political and religious founder of the kingdom of the Franks. He ruled much of Gaul from the late fifth century until 511. His kingdom, which expanded south and west from what is present-day Belgium and northeastern France, was the most powerful in Gaul He was also the most important ally of the Byzantine emperor Anastasius I. Born a pagan, Clovis corresponded with the powerful bishops of Gaul and, in 496 or perhaps later, became famous as one of the first Germanic kings to convert to Christianity. Image: King Clovis rallies his warriors during one of the many battles he fought to build his Kingdom. His conversion to Christianity set an example for other Germanic rulers Clovis ruled his new lands according to Frankish custom. At the same time, however, he managed to preserve much of the Roman legacy in Gaul. Clovis took an important step when he converted to Christianity, the religion of his subjects in Gaul. In doing so, he not only earned their support, but he also gained a powerful ally in the pope, leader of the Christian Church of Rome.

Charlemagne

or "Charles the Great") king of the Franks, the Lombards, and emperor of the Romans, began as a warrior king seeking to conquer territory and distribute plunder in the Frankish tradition. But he also strove to unite and govern an increasingly diverse collection of conquered peoples as well as cope with threats from new invaders. He conducted a long series of successful military campaigns, made efforts to spread Christianity and implement religious reform, sought to make more effective inherited political institutions and procedures, and supported cultural renewal through a revival of learning.

Charles Martel "The Hammer"

served as mayor of the palace (the person who ruled in the name of the king) for the eastern part of the Frankish kingdom from 715 until 741. The illegitimate son of the former mayor, Martel seized power, eventually reunited, and then ruled the entire kingdom of the Franks. Since 711, Muslims had raided Frankish lands, and in 732 they reached Bordeaux. Called to help at the battle of Tours that year, Charles's cavalry halted this last great Muslim advance into Europe.

Constantinople

the "city of Constantine," the former Greek city of Byzantium located on the Bosporus strait, rebuilt by Constantine and in 330 made the "New Rome," the capital of the eastern Roman or Byzantine empire