Studied by 10 people
western roman empire fell
476 CE
Germanic tribes
overrun western Europe
Western Europe
mixture of Ancient Roman Idea, Germanic Tribes, Christian Church
1st change to Western Europe
disruption of trade - loss of trade, collapse of business, scarcity of $$
2nd change to Western Europe
Downfall of cities - governments fell in cities
3rd change to Western Europe
Population shifts - move to rural areas
Middle Ages
time between Roman Empire and Renaissance (500-1000)
Middle Ages AKA
Midieval period
Dark ages
“Age Of Faith”
Age of Faith
Christianity at it’s strongest
Life During Middle Ages
decline in learning
loss of common language
Church Clergy were typically only literate people
decline in learning
illiterate
loss of common language
stifled communication
Education is _________
POWER
Government during M.A.
smaller, clan oriented
warrior kingdoms
alligance to chief
Church during M.A.
only surviving institution
stability
promised salvation
Franks
in Gaul
Clovis
1st king in France to convert to Christianity
Church supports who?
Clovis in military campaigns against other tribes
By 600
most germanic tribes christian
Merovingian Dynasty
starts with Clovis
Major Domo / Mayor of palace
most important official
Charles Martel
1st Major Domo to become more powerful than king
Battle of Tours (732)
Martel + forces stop spread of Islam into Europe
Martel
becomes Christian hero
End of Marovingian dynasty
Martel causes collapse
Carolingion dynasty
Martel’s power passed to Pepin the short
Pepin the short
defends church against Lumbards and is rewarded by church
Pepin becomes
“King by the grace of god”
Pepin dies
Carlomon
Carlomon dies
Charlemagne
Charlemagne builds
largest kingdom in Western Europe since rome
Charlemagne =
Charles the Great
Charles the Great does
reunites western europe
reignites roman culture
Saves Pope Leo III in 800
hands on
Holy Roman Emperor
Charlemagne named Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day 800 after saving the pope
What three things join together in Charlemagne’s rule
leftover of roman ideas
christian church
germanic tribes
Missi Dominci
sent people to oversee the Nobles to make sure they were treating the common people well
Charlemagne and education
encourages learning
opens schools
expanded libraries
Charlemagne unified empire through
roads, churches, schools
After Charlemagne
son Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious
weak ruler
more religious than political
Frankish civil war
Louis the pious’s three sons fight for power
Treaty of Verdun (843)
divides empire into 3
kings lose power
new political and economic system
The Vikings
Scnadanavia
great sailors
Norsemen/North Men
got bad rap in history but actually very honorable
attacked areas rich from church
acceptance of Christianity ends their attacks on Europe
Eric Thorvaldsson
created 1st settlement in Greenland
Leif Ericson
1st European to discover North America (Newfoundland)
The Magyars
Eastern Europe
horsemen
Northern Italy, Rhineland, Burgundy impacted by raids
Muslims
disrupt mediterranean trade
The Moors
the moors
Muslims from North Africa who settled in Iberian peninsula (Spain + Portugal)
Angles/Saxons/Celts
Germanic groups who settled in Britain; each had their own separate kingdom
Christianity in British Isles
Reached Britain through missionaries
One of Feudalism’s causes
constant invasions creates need for system of protection that kings could no longer provide
1st Feudalistic exchange in Europe
King Charles of France grants viking Rollo a piece of land to keep him from attacking
Rollo pledges loyalty to protect Charles’s land when necessary
The Feudal system (political)
kings gave land to lords as reward for loyalty
lords gave portions of land to knights for military services
Fiefs
land grants given to lords + knights
Vassal
one who receives a fief
The Manorial system (economic)
serfs (peasants) work manor in exchange for protection
tied to land
paid 10% of earnings to church
Lords got workers =
peasants got protection
the Manor
self contained, self sufficient piece of land
details of the Manor
controlled by Lord
Manor house, church, workshops, fields, food, clothing, tools
kings had little power
3 field rotation
so they don’t use up all nutrients
1 field fallow while 2 fields planted
improvements on farming
collar harness allowed horses to be used with plows
faster, easier
When you can support more people
population goes up
Knighthood
became better horsemen
expected to show courage in battle and loyalty to lords
Chivalry
code by which Knights lived
3 masters of Knights
Earthy lord, heavenly lord, chosen lady
new kingdoms
highly fragmented and decentralized society
little government
problems with feudalism
alliegiances to more than one person
relied on loyalty
king had to ask permission
no strong central government
lords constantly fighting among themselves
lords below kings but had more power
life of the nobility
entertainments, tournaments
mock battles between knights
archery, big dinners, minstrels, singers
Knight’s Templar
set up first baking system
Ancient ATM
Note 
Flashcard (90)