History

Who:

The charter was created by William I of Aquitaine, a powerful duke and count, along with his wife Ingelberga.

who else was involved

the monk Berno of Cluny, who was chosen to lead the monastery.

who was the monestary dedicated to

Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

what is the document

the foundation charter for Cluny Abbey. It records William donating land, wealth, churches, serfs, fields, forests, mills, and other property to establish a Benedictine monastery. It also guarantees that the monks could elect their own abbots and remain independent from local political control.

when was it written

September 11, 910, during the early Middle Ages.

Where is the Monastery of Cluny located

the region of Burgundy in present-day France, specifically in the county of Mâcon. The charter itself was officially completed in the city of Bourges.

Why was it created

mainly for religious reasons, especially to help save his soul and the souls of his family through prayers and good works. Cluny was placed under the protection of Peter and Paul because they were the leading apostles connected to Rome and papal authority. This connection helped protect the monastery from interference by local nobles and bishops. Cluny later became important because it led major monastic reforms, gained enormous prestige, and attracted donations from rulers and nobles across Europe who wanted spiritual benefits and association with its religious reputation.

Who was the peace and truce of god written by

Rodulfus Glaber, a monk who described the Peace and Truce of God movement. It also involves bishops, abbots, nobles, and church leaders in regions like Aquitaine and Burgundy who worked together to stop violence.

The Peace and Truce of God was

a church movement created to reduce violence and chaos in medieval society after the breakdown of strong royal authority following the Carolingian Empire. Church leaders held councils where nobles swore oaths not to attack churches, peasants, merchants, monks, or livestock, and agreed to limit fighting during certain days of the week.

the movement began when?

the late 900s, especially with the Council of Le Puy in 994, and continued into the 1000s. Rodulfus Glaber mainly describes events around 1033–1041.

where

The movement started in Aquitaine in what is now France and spread through Burgundy, Lyons, Arles, and much of medieval France. The Council of Le Puy took place in the Auvergne region.

why

Europe had suffered from famine, violence, raids, and political disorder after the collapse of centralized Carolingian rule. In the first quote, Glaber explains that after years of disaster and famine, people believed God had finally sent peace, good weather, and abundant harvests. Because people feared God’s punishment and wanted stability, bishops organized large religious councils with relics of saints to encourage peace and unity.

Charlemagne is the son of

Pepin the short (Pepin III)

Charles the Hammer (Charles Martel) ruled the franks from

715-741

On Christmas Day, December 25, 800 AD, Pope ____, crowned Frankish King ____ as Emperor of ______________

Leo III, Charlemagne, the Romans in St. Peter's Basilica

Treaty of Verdun was signed 843 to end

a destructive civil war among the three surviving grandsons of Charlemagne.

year 888

permanent collapse of Carolingian empire

Peace and truce of God was where people began to

get fed up with ruling class

Where is the word chivalry from

means to ride horse, rooted in violence,

Feudalism

a system used in medieval Europe where people exchanged land, protection, and service. After the fall of strong kingdoms like the Carolingian Empire, there was a lot of violence and no strong central government, so people depended on local lords for safety.

____ was at the top of the system and gave land to powerful nobles called _____

the king, lords or vassals

Nobles would

promise loyalty and military support to the king

The lords then allowed _____ to use parts of their ____, and the ____ promised to fight and protect the lord when needed.

Knights, land, knights

At the bottom of feudalism is the ___

peasants or serfs, who worked the land. (Serfs were not slaves, but they were tied to the land and had limited freedom.)

900’s-1000’s the _____ was better and things started to become more stable

climate and population was growing

Otto I, known as Otto the Great, played a pivotal role in

shaping early medieval Germany and is renowned for his victory over the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfeld in 955. This battle was a decisive moment in Otto's reign, which marked the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire's formation. 936-973

Hugh Capet

the founder of the Capetian dynasty, which ruled France for nearly 800 years.

Robert the Strong

830 – 866) was the father of two kings of West Francia: Odo (or Eudes) and Robert I of France

st. Benedict lived in

480-547 AD in italy

Benediction rule

guidelines written around the year 530 for monks living in monasteries.

fonte avellana was in italy and

had a community where some people were hermits

Peter Damian (1007-1072)

scholarly writings, fiery preaching, and personal commitment to solitude

Cistercians (1098)

simplicity - white robes, simple homes, fish ponds for lent, finding loopholes, running water,

Robert of Molesme

principal founder of the Cistercian Order - 1028-1111

The pope is the

Bishop of Rome

First pope was

Saint Peter

Everyone that comes after saint Peter has power because

they are in a successive line to him

Donation of Constantine

famous medieval document that claimed Constantine the Great gave the pope authority over Rome and much of the western Roman Empire. According to the document, Constantine supposedly transferred political power to Pope Sylvester I after the pope cured him of illness and converted him to Christianity.

The document said the pope had authority not only over the Church, but also over emperors and kings in the West. During the Middle Ages, many people believed the document was real, and popes used it to support claims of political power and independence from secular rulers.

Gregorian Reform

The main goals of the Gregorian Reform were:

• ending simony (the buying and selling of church offices),

• stopping priests from marrying,

• reducing corruption among clergy,

• and preventing secular rulers from choosing bishops and church officials.

named after Pope Gregory VII

Diet from 900’s-1100’s

grain was ground away from home at a mill, more time for textiles

Conversion of Constantine the Great

300’s

Council of Nicaea

300’s

Fall of the Western Roman Empire

400’s

Rule of Charlemagne

700’s-800’s

Treaty of Verdun

800’s

Development of feudalism

900’s

Abd al-Rahman III declares himself caliph

929

Peak of Umayyad power in Spain; major economic and cultural growth

900’s

Umayyad rule in al-Andalus collapses

1031

Great Berber Revolt

700’s