The Middle Ages

Feudalism

Social and economic structure

Hierarchical Structure 

A pyramid social class

Answer to people above you

Economic Structure

Controlled by people who owned land

Aristocracy/Nobility

“those who fight”

Church/Clergt

“Those who pray”

Peasantry

“Those who work”

Was there any social mobility

no

The Nobility

Carolingian origins

feudum/fief

Oaths of fealty

Carolingian Origins

Chronic war and insecurity

Feudum/fief

The king giving land to warriors. In return the warriors fought for the king

Oaths of fealty

A sacred obligation to obey the people above you (vassals)

Primo Geniture

The land and title goes to the eldest son

military obligation of vassals

The nobles had to fight in war

Political and judicial roles

The nobles were the law, interpreted and created laws.

Political advisor to the king

Code of Chivalry

Bravery, Courage in battle

Men should be polite and respect women in nobility

Only applied to the nobility**

Knights

non-noble warrior/ land owner

Infantry

Foot soldiers, supplied by nobles and knights

The peasantry

Slaves became peasants

Christians believed they shouldn’t enslave other Christians

Peasants and Serfs

Serfs were the lowest class

Serfs could be sold

Bound to land/manor

Children inherited the role

couldn’t leave

Contracts

Legal contracts that bounded serfs to land and manor

Obligations to the owner were detailed in the contract

In return, serfs had a place to live and were given little care by their lord

weren’t paid 

Manorial System

Largely self-sufficient economic, and political communities

The lord owned whole estate

The Medieval Church

Hierarchical Structure:

Pope —> Bishop/Archbishop —-> Avis 

parish clergy vs. regular clergy

veneration of virgin Mary

role of saints 

role of art works 

Pope

Highest power of the church

Bishop/Archbishop

manage most of the diocese

Avis

In charge of monestary

Parish Clergy

Drawn from peasantry

related to regular people

Regular clergy

members of religious orders

Veneration of virgin Mary

A deep respect for Mary

Example of a perfect Christian life

role of saints

humans who did Charity

people prayed to them

elected as a saint b/c of a good reputation

role of art works

stained glass

paintings

statues

People prayed to them

Corrupt Practices

“worldliness” of church

Simony

Pluralism

Lay control of church

appointment of bishops

Simony

selling positions in church

pluralism

holding multiple positions at once

lay control of church

non-clergy members controlling church

appointment of bishops

appointing friends as bishops even though they’re not qualified

Gregorian reforms 

Pope Gregor VII (1073-85) 

Papal Centralization 

Tried to eliminate corruption

Papal centralization

The power is in the pope

Monastic Revival

Reaction to growing worldliness

Cluny 909

Cistercians 1098

Order of Friars

Mendicant orders

active roles 

contrast with monks 

Franciscans

St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)

Dominicans

St.

Heresy

Denial of key church teachings

Heretics

The people who spread heresy

dangers of heresy

You were arrested and tortured. 

Seen as the worst crime possible 

waldensians and Albigensians

anti church beliefs

The inquisition

the investigative body of the church to investigate heresy

Initially attempted to convince you that Hersey is bad.

If you still practiced Heresy you were tortured 

The Culture Of the high middle ages

Medieval Universities

Emergence of Vernacular Languages

Medieval Architecture 

Medieval Universities

Groups of scholars that students would go to to learn.

Courses, programs, curriculums were established. 

Certified exams were given 

You were given a degree once completed

Curriculum of universities

Theology, math, philosophy, languages, music, Ancient learning of Rome and Greece 

Teaching Methods

Lectures, no textbooks or paper for students only teachers b/c they were expensive.

BA,MS degrees

Scholastic Method

Faith vs. Reason?

Take the reason and concepts of Aristotle to support Christianity. 

Summa Theologica: Book about Christianity

Emergence of Vernacular Languages

French, Italian, Spanish

Divine Comedy; Decameron

German, English

Canterbury Tales

Troubadours: French poets who composed poetry and performed poems

Medieval Architecture

Builds on and transcends Greco-Roman styles

Romanesque styles

Romanesque styles

500-1,100’s

Small windows, stone

Gothic style

After 1,100

Tall spires, tall buildings, bigger windows 

wanted to be closer to god 

Medieval Politics

Empire, papacy, national kingdoms

origins of modern European states

Holy Roman Empire

Origins: Otto the Great 962

Structure: Many little states, self-governed, own rulers that were elected. 

Had no power (figurehead)

Nobility: Ran the states

Significance: Hinders unification of German speaking people 

The rise of monarchies

1. Medieval France 987-1328

   1. Hugh Capet, count of Paris

   2. Expansion of royal authority (king is getting stronger)

Anglo-Saxon and Norman conquest

1066-Norman conquest

Edward the confessor (1042-1066) last Anglo-Saxon king, no heir

After the conquest

Anglo-Saxon’s are defeated and poor

Normans take over Anglo-Saxon territory

William the conqueror centralizes power

Domesday book

A record for unexplored land

Office of the Exchequer

The treasury

Medieval England

Reign of King henry the 2nd (1154-1189)

Emergence of the English common law for the whole country

Characteristics: jury trial, rights of the accused, role of precedent

Conflict with Thomas Becket: Becket says that the church will not become a part of the common law

13th century England: Placing limits on royal power

John 1st (1190-1216)

High taxes; royal confiscations

1215 Barrons revolt

Magna Carta: reduces the power of the king, due process

Origins of English Parliment

meetings between the king, aristocracy, members of the church, rich merchants, and knights

Lords: Lords were people in nobility

Commons: Rich people who werent members of the nobility

The Late middle ages

A. New weapons. end of chivalry and mounted knights. Crossbows, longbows, cannons

B. Climate change: “little Ice age”

C. The black death: “the bubonic plauge”. Originated from Asia. Came from fleas, killed 1/3-2/3’s of the population

Social Consequences of the Black Death

Fatalism: The idea that life is short

higher wages: Less workers so wages increased

Peasants revolt: Jacuerie in France 1358

English peasants revolt: 1381 (Great rebellion)

nobility puts down both rebellions

The Renaissance 1350-1550: Birth of modern era of western civ

Renaissance Italy and Trade routes:

Italy is divided into many states

Traded silk, opium, cloth, etc

Shifting world views in western civ from middle ages to renaissance

World View: your vision on humanity, life, and goals

Medieval world view

religion, church, heavenly focus, fatalistic view, faith-centered

Renaissance World View

1. Classicalism —>Petrarch: Believed society should go back to Ancient Greece and Rome (Roman republic)

2. Humanism: more positive view of human and nature and capacity or reason,; perfect creation

   1. Individualism Limitless potential; ambition as a excellence

Renaissance Culture and Art

Reaction against medieval styles in literature, architecture, sculpture, painting —> return to classical styles, models, and subjects

more realistic portrayals of the body, use of perspective in painting, nudity in sculpture, celebration of human body

emphasis on individual “genius”

Patrons

wealthy noblemen, merchants, church

The people who paid for these things

The Renaissance Man

A person who has lots of interests that they develop to a high skill (polymath)

Limitless capacities of development

Leon Battista Albert: “A man can do things if he will”

EX: Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo

Did not advocate outright rejection of Roman Catholic Church

1. Erasmus (1466-1536)

2. Classical Biblical scholar

3. critical of, but loyal to church

The praise of Folly 1509:

mocks church and clergy power

Thomas Moore 1478-1535

Lord Chancellor of England

Friend of Erasmus

Utopia 1516: critique of existing church and state using imaginary, perfect society

remains loyal to RC church

martyr under henry VIII

New science of Renaissance politics: birth of modern political theory

Nicole Machiavelli’s The Prince (1513) Handbook for the rulers

New secular understanding of human nature- realism, cynicism, trust no-one

must separate politics from Christian ethics. political and persona morality different

A ruler following Christian ethics will often bring disaster and defeat to his state

Ends justify the means in politics

Underlying causes of the protestant reformation

Abuses of Church: worldliness, Greed, corruption

Corrupt Renaissance papacy for political power and money

desire of political rulers

growing of anti-clerical and challenges to church authority

Gutenberg and the print revolution 1450: increased literacy, made books cheaper, allowed spread of ideas

The Lutheran reformation

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Key issues: indulgences

1517: 95 thesis

Luther’s main principals

1. Salvation by faith alone (sola fide)

2. Primacy of bible (sola scriptura)

3. Priesthood of all believers

4. Other important Lutheran Doctrines: 1521: Diet of worms:" “here I stand. I can do no other”

   1. The spread of Lutheranism to northern Germany

The Swiss Reformation (Calvinism)

1. John Calvin

2. Main principals of Calvinism

   1. Faith over works, rejection of papacy

   2. The reformed churches

      1. Presbterian and puritan churces

   3. Spread of Calvinism

The radical reformation

1. Peasants war in Germany 1525

   1. Peasants were crushed

2. The anabaptists principals:

   1. Baptized grown adults

   2. sell your land for the community

   3. rejection of politcal rulers

The catholic reformation

1. Reform from within

   1. win back people

2. The council of Trent (1545-63)

   1. meetings to change their acts

   2. clean up worldliness and corruption

3. St. Ignatius Loyola

   1. Society Of Jesus

Impact of Protestant Reformation on Western Civ

1. Fragmenting of Western Christendom- end of Medieval unity under RC church

   1. Now 3 Christiandoms: Catholic, orthodox, protestant

2. Initially, greater religious intolerance and war- later reaction against this in favor of religious freedom

3. Questioning authority and institutions

4. Individualism- private judgement and conscience

5. Growing secularization toward separation of religion and politics: religion as a private matter

6. Rise of nationalism- new source of identity and loyalty