ch 16 apwh

two halves of christendom

• both inherited Christianity from Roman empire

  • post 8th century, tensions between two halves

    • differences between Orthodox E + christian W

• Byzantine

• Germanic

early byzantine empire

• capital: Byzantium

  • located on golden horn

    • commercial and strategic value of location because it’s on a trade route

• renamed byzantium as constantinople during constantine’s rule

  • site of imperial government post 330 CE

• city falls to Turks in 1453 CE

caesaropapism

• means: power centralized in figure of emperor

  • christian leader can’t claim divinity, yet involved in religious rule in addition to political rule

  • emperor has absolute authority

emperor etiquette

• royal purple robes

• visitors prostrate 3x

• even nobles act like slaves

• mechanical devices designed to inspire awe

justinian and theodora

• justinian rules 527-565 CE

  • sleepless emperor cuz he works really hard

• wife Theodora is his advisor

  • ambiguous background, “circus performer” (burlesque basically)

• ambitious construction programs under JusDora rule

  • church → mosque “Hagia Sophia”

justinian’s code

• codification of Roman law

  • combination/pick and choose

byzantine conquests

• they make an effort to reconquer much of western Roman empire from germanic people

  • unsuccessful

• Rome is abandoned and capital moves to Ravenna

muslim conquests

• arab Muslim expansion in 7th century

• they besiege Byzantium twice

  • byzn defense made possible through use of Greek fire

theme system

• provinces under control of generals

  • military administration and control from central imperial govt

• soldiers recruited from peasant class and rewarded with land grants

rise of franks

• last Roman emperor is deposed by Germanic guy “odovaser” in 476 CE

  • administrative apparatus still in place but cities lose population

• German successor states

  • visigoths, ostrogoths, Lombards, franks

    • people who used to live under Roman rule

• heavy influence on euro development 5-9th century

  • conversion to christianity gained popular support → alliance with Christian church

carolingian (Frank) dynasty

• created by Charles “the hammer” Martel

• begins with defeat of Spanish muslims at the battle of tours (732 CE)

  • halts Islamic advance into W euro

• decline begins with Louis the pious (r. 814-840 CE) son of Charlemagne

  • he loses control of courts

  • civil war among his sons (lol like harun al Rashid)

• empire divides in 843 CE

• external pressures also cause collapse

  • S muslims

  • E magyars

  • N vikings

charlemagne

• r. 768-814

• grandson of hammer

• #illiterite

• MAJORRRRR military achievements

• admin

  • capital at Aachen Germany

  • constant travel through empire

  • he hesitates to challenge byzn emperors by taking title emperor but he’s surprised by pope pookie on Christmas in 800 CE

vikings

• norse expansion driven by population pressure and a quest for wealth

  • they have SUPERIORRR seafaring tech

    • boats w shallow drafts, capable of river travel and open sea #peak

• they attack villages, cities, and ESPECIALLY monasteries from 9th cent

  • they sack Constantinople 3x #clocked

    • carolingians have no navy

economies and trade of early medieval europe

• byz: economic powerhouse

  • ag surplus + long-distance trade

  • western christendom

    • increased political stability in 10th cent leads to economic recovery

• free peasantry kept byzn strong cuz supported by theme system but declines post 11th cent cuz wealthy accumulate large estates

• trade routes bring key tech like silk

• advantage of constantinople location leads to expansion in crafts and industry

• bezant (gold coin) becomes standard currency

• invasions and political turmoil disrupt commercial activities

• AG INNO

  • heavy plow, water mills, horse collar

• small scale exchange and maritime trade in med

norse trade

• commerce or plunder as convenient

• link with Islamic world for trade cuz of river trade routes

urban byzn

• different social standing = different housing

  • palace → appts → communal living spaces

• baths, taverns, restaurants, theaters

• hippodrome

  • chariot races, athletic matches, circuses

christian evolutions

• christianity is the main source of religious/moral/cultural authority

• church and state are closely aligned in byzn church

  • emperors appointed patriarchs

  • caesaropapism create dissent

dissent and rivalry of two halves

• two halves disagree on doctrine/ritual/church authority (mid 11th cent)

  • E Orthodox

  • Roman Catholic

• tensions between east and west

• RITUAL DISPUTES

  • beards on clergy

  • leavened/unleavened bread

• THEOLOGICAL DISPUTES

  • iconoclasm

  • nature of trinity

pope gregory

• greg the great (590-604 CE)

• asserted papal primacy

• prominent thologican

• SACRAMENT OF PENANCE (patriarch of connie disagrees)

iconoclasm

• emperor Leo III (r. 717-741 CE)

• destruction of icons after 726 CE

  • popular protest and rioting

  • policy abandoned 843 CE

asceticism

• hermit existence

  • celibacy

  • fasting

  • prayer

saints basil/benedict

• established consistent rule for monasteries

  • poverty, chastity, obedience

saint scholastica

• sister of benedict

• adapted benedictine rule for convents

monasteries and society

• monasteries perform social welfare projects

  • inns, orphanages, hospitals

• agents spread Christianity to England, N Germany, Scandinavia

• missions → christian culture zone in W part of eurasia

slavic stuff

• saints Cyril and Methodius mission in Bulgaria/Moravia

  • leads to creation of Cyrillic alphabet

• slavic lands develop orientation to byzantium

  • conversion of prince Vladimir of kiev

schism

• arguments over hierarchy + jurisdiction

  • autonomy of patriarchs on primacy in Rome (?)

• mutual excommunication of patriarch of Constantinople and pope of Rome (1042 CE)

• E → eastern Orthodox

• W → Roman Catholic Church