World Civ, Dark Ages LECTURE NOTES

Constantinople: 

- As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian walls was built in the 5th century 

- Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger

- They saved the city, -and the Byzantine Empire with it, during sieges by the Avar-Sassanian coalition, Arabs, Rus and Bulgars among others

- The advent of gunpowder siege cannons rendered the fortifications vulnerable, but cannon technology was not sufficiently advanced to capture the city on its own, and the walls could be repaired between reloading 

- Ultimately, the city fell from the sheer weight of numbers of the Ottoman forces on 29 May 1453 after a two-month siege

Justinian:

- Justinian was an ambitious leader of the Eastern Roman Empire with a mixed record of success 

- He fought several expensive wars against Arian christians such as the Ostrogoths and Vandals, exhausting the treasury 

- Under his leadership during the Nika revolt many important buildings in Constantinople were destroyed by rebels

- Theodora was a former prostitute who became empress by marrying justinian 

- Just as it appeared that the Justinian would lose during the Nika Revolt, Theodora said something to the effect of “empire is a fitting burial shroud” meaning she would rather die fighting than flee to save her life 

- This inspired Justinina and his generals to fight back against the rebels, and Justinian eventually crushed the revolt 

- Builds Byzantine to its highest point by conquering territory, but in doing so it costs him so much money and the empire was broke 

Nika Revolt:

- When fans of the chariot races at the Hippodrome (similar to the circus Maximus in Rome) rioted, Justinian arrested the leaders

- The people revolted against Justinian (Nika revolt)

- When it looked as if Justinian would lose against the rebels, his wife Theodora shamed Justinian into action and inspired him and his generals to fight back

- 35,000 people are killed in one day as Justinian punishes the revolt 

Justinians Code:

- On a more successful note, Justinian assembled Roman laws from his own and previous eras, creating a body of law that would be the basis for modern laws throughout Europe

- Many of the Laws were inspired by orthodox christian values

Hagia Sophia:

- The Hagia Sophia is an opulent temple built by Justinian in Constantinople known as the as the “ temple of holy wisdom” 

- The erase the memory of the Nika revolt, Justinian tried to recover Western Roman empire lands lost to the Arian Christain Ostrogoths and Vandals

- He largely succeeded through 20 years of Warfare, but could not maintain his victories

- The wars were expensive, as were the terms of treaties that bought off some enemies

- In addition, a plague spread throughout most of the Eastern Roman empire territories in the west

- As a result of the wars and plagues, the Eastern Roman Empire is bankrupted and weakened

More Byzantines: 

Herakleios= Could not hope to dispense justice collect taxes, protect the church, and ensure the future to his dynasty unless military power reinforced his orders

- A system of military government, the exarchate had accomplished those objectives so well in the west that in a moment of despair, Heraclius sought to return to the land of his origins 

- In all Likelihood, he applied similar principles of military rule to his possessions throughout Asia Minor, granting his generals both civil and military authority over those lands that they occupied with their “themes” as the army, groups, or corps were called in the first years of the 7th century 

Themes system= “Themes” are military districts where civilian administrations of territory is replaced with military administration of territory 

- Soldiers in the themes typically were part-time warriors and part-time farmers, living in the territory year round 

- Soldiers now had a personal interest in defending their own land and farms 

- Begins under Herakleios 

- It is an early warning system, if they were farmers but also soldiers then they would fight harder because they want to protect their own farms and homeland 

Exarchates=

Military headquarters outside of the heart of the Eastern Roman Empire, such as those in Ravenna and Carthage

Caesaropapism:

The state defining church policy; the emperor acting as the church/pope

Iconoclasm:

Many Christians develop faith in icons, such as worshipping religious symbols or believing these icons can cure ailments 

- (Don't use these symbols for worship and religion  that is a no no, they then destroyed them)

- Religious leaders in the Eastern Roman Empire view the worshipping of Images/Icons/Symbols as heretical 

Iconoclasm:

“ the breaking of images” Instituted by Eastern Roman Emperors Leo III and his son, Constantine V, the church and the state outlaw the veneration of symbols 

- Disagreements over the role of symbols and images are a factor in divisions between the Eastern and Western Church 

- Many Icons were reminders of the sanctity of saints, reminders of examples Christians should follow

- In Some cases, the images are as venerated as the saints themselves, leading to accusations that the images serve as false idols

- The Pope condemns iconoclast policies of the emperor, so the Emperor removes control of Papal State lands from the Pope

- This split deepens the divide between the Western and Eastern Roman empires, and the Western and Eastern Church

Empress Irene:

Irene is a regent for her underage son 

- She eventually has her son killed so that she could continue rule

- Irene formally announces that Iconoclasm is heresy 

- Irene also fostered closer ties with the Granksih ruler Charlemagne, a close supporter of the Pope

- Irene is eventually sent into exile, but is considered saint by the church for she restored the veneration of icons (Still considered saint by catholic church for going against iconoclasm)

Basil II:

Under Basil II the Eastern Roman Empire expanded, but at great financial costs

- He became known as the Bulgar-Slayer for his exploits in conquering ancient Bulgaria

- With a tight hold on Byzantine purse strings and a private army of giant Vikings, Basil got the better of at least two significant usurpers for his throne, reconquered Greece and all of the Balkans, won victories in Syria and doubled the size of the empire

- Also, areas that served as buffers to potential enemies were now part of the empire, meaning parts of the empire were directly exposed to invasion 

- After Basil's death, many parts of the empire revolted and the empire fell into decline 

- Last strong leader of the Byzantine empire, slow decline after him, not as fast as Rome 

Decline of the Byzantines:

Battle of Manzikert, Saliuq Turks, under the rule of Alp Arslan, successfully held off a large attack by the Byzantine empire

- The victorious Seljuk army captured the Byzantine emperor Romanos IV Diogenes, and with the empire in disarray as generals squabbled for the throne, nothing could stop the Seljuks sweeping across Asia Minor

- Manzikert was not a terrible defeat in terms of casualties or immediate territorial loss, but as a psychological blow to Byzantine military prowess and the sacred person of the emperor, it would resound for centuries and be held up as the watershed after which the Byzantine empire fell into a long, slow, and permanent decline

- This defeat for the weakened Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantines) allowed the Muslim Saljuquids to settle the Eastern region of the Byzantine empire in Asia Minor

- Was significant because it is like the battle of Adrianople for Rome, they didn't lose bad but it was a big loss because of its psychological impact

Fall of the Byzantines:

- Fall of Constantinople, conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire

- The dwindling Byzantine empire came to an end when the Ottomans breached Constantinople’s ancient land wall after besieging the city for 55 days 

- Constantine Xi was killed in action, near the gate of St. Romanos, although, as he had discarded any indications of his status to avoid his body benign used as a trophy, his demise is not known for certain (Last Byzantine Emperor)

- The emperor could have fled the city days before but he chose to stay with his people, and a legend soon grew up that he had not died at all but, instead he had been magically encased in marble and buried beneath the city which he would, one day, return to rule again

                                               The Dark Ages: Europe

Merovich:

- Descents of him are called the Merovingians, they are identified by long dark curly hair 

Monasticism:

- The idea of monks living in monasteries

- Monasteries are generally in isolated places where monks can focus on things like fasting and prayer without distractions 

- Monks produce many religious written works during this period (literacy is uncommon, but monasteries provide monks with access to education)

Saint Benedict:

- Founded many monasteries based on the idea of ora et labora 

- The idea was for monks to concentrate on on becoming self-sufficient through their labor in addition to their spiritual work 

- The Benedictine rules for daily life of monks were created to guide them in their journey to be self-sufficient 

- These rules dictated the daily activities of the monks down to the hour 

Pope Gregory:

- A major supporter of christian monasteries which Gregory sees as useful for providing education and training future church officials

- Pope Gregory was also a supporter of missionaries; one example is ordering monks to convert Germanic tribal groups such as the angles and the Saxons

- This was done by absorbing pagan customs into the Christian faith 

Ex: Christmas as the birth of Christ, As missionaries convert more people to christianity, the authority and power of the position of Pope increased

Saint Patrick:

- St Patrick lived as a slave in Ireland after his capture by pirates

- He eventually escaped but returned to Ireland, in order to convert the inhabitants to christianity

- Ireland becomes a christian stronghold, and Irish monks branch out of many other locations to spread the religion 

Book of kells:

- An example of the religious texts produced in monasteries; the book of kells contains parts of the christian gospels with elaborately ornate illustrations

Lombards:

- Three years after the death of Justinain, the Lombards invade the weakened western Rome

- Like the other “barbarian” groups, they are Arian christians

- Initially the Lombards conflict with Bishops and popes of Orthodox Christianity 

- In the early 600s, a Lombard queen, Theudelinda, convinces her second husband, Agiluf, to convert to Orthodx christianity 

- From this point forward, the Lombards follow Orhtodox christianity

Visigoths:

- The Visigoths were another Arian CHristian "barbarian" group located in present day Spain

- In 586, a visigoth emperor, Reccared, converts to Orthodox Christianity

Councils of Toledo =

Powerful church councils from Toledo (Visigoth capitol) with strong influence over the Visigoth government and society, including nominating Visigoth kings

- The councils of Toledo pass measures that oppress non-christian communities 

Franks:Roman Federates (Semi-autonomous group under the Roman government rule)

- In About 350, they become Roman federati and were allowed to occupy lands south of the Rhine, in what is now the southern Netherlands and northern Belgium

- It would appear that sea level varies over time, and the higher or lower water level had a great effect upon low-lying lands such as those the Franks inhabited

- At the height of the Roman empire, the sea-level was low and this particular region was rich in agricultural products and active in trade and commerce between the Romans and the Germanic tribes

- As time passed, however the sea began to encroach, and the area became a great marsh not unlike the bayou country of southwestern Louisiana

- Like the Cajuns of that region, the Franks were hunters and trappers and supplied recruits for the Roman armies of the period 

- When Roman authority collapses in Gaul during the 5th century, the Franks take over control 

- Early converts to Orthodox Christianity, the Franks are able to overcome the distinction as "barbarians" the “Franks” eventually become known as the “French 

Clovis I:

(the name is a form of “Louis” which became a favorite name of the French royal dynasty) = In 481 Clovis, the founding father of the Merovingian Dynasty, assumed the throne at the tender age of 15 when his father died 

- Grew up Pagan but saw Christianity as greatly beneficial to him and his Frankish people, his conversion to Orthodox Christianity makes the Franks Christians

- Under his rule, the Franks expand their power quickly 

- Needs help to rule his empire, so he needs the church because the monks and priests are the only ones that can read or write (he himself could not read or write), Converts on political standards and not on religious standards

Frankish Succession:

- The Franks quickly expand because as Orhtodox christians, they are no longer seen as “barabians” and few territories resist their advances

- Their expansion stops mostly because of finishing amongst themselves

- The Franks’ system of succession allowed all sons to inherit their fathers land, thus when a king died, sons frequently fought each other for control of greater territories

- Gavelkind, or the division of property equally among the children of the deceased property owner, was the traditional principle of inheritance among the Franks, and so the royal lands, as well as the royal title - - which was also considered a personal possessions, were divided among the sons of a dead ruler

- There was competition among the heirs to gain a greater share of the patrimony, and a rivalry arose between the Neustria, Australasia, and Aquitainte - - the three regions into which the realm was often split to be passed on to the heirs

Salic Law of Succession:

- The rule by which, in certain sovereign dynasties, persons descended from a previous sovereign only through a woman were excluded from succession to the throne 

- Gradually formulated in France, the rule takes its name from the ode of the Salian Franks, the Lex Salica

Mayor of the Palace:

- An assistant to the king, did all day to day things, administered kingdom for the king (like a vizier) 

- They will essentially increase their power over time and they will become a hereditary position, it becomes equal power and then more powerful than the king

- The only governmental institution was the chieftainship or kingship, and the Merovingians bases their power upon lands - - towns and villages - -  that they considered to be their own personal property 

- They and their followers lived on the produce of these lands, and the royal household travelled from royal estate to royal estate since no single estate produced enough to supply the royal household for more than a few days and nights 

- The staff, who provided for the household also had to manage the estates that supplied them with food, clothing, horses, and other necessities

- These household servants included the mayor of the palace

- In time, the mayor of the palace ruled for the king, much like the viziers who ruled for caliphs in Muslim territories or the shogun who ruled for the emperor in Japan 

- The position of Mayor of the Palace eventually became passed down by family succession, thus they became hereditary positions as powerful as the king 

- The increasing power of the mayor of the palace decreases the power of Merovingian kings

Dagobert:

- Last king of the Merovingian dynasty to exercise any significant power

- Was also the peak of the Merovingian dynasty

Charles Martel:

- Famous for Battle of Tours, Islam was spreading and muslims were moving north because they saw christianity as a rival, and they believed anyone that was not a Muslim could become a slave

Pepin the Short:

- Was king of the Franks from 751 until his death 768: Pepin short was a son of Charles Martel and also a mayor of the palace

- Pepin gets the pope to declare Pepin as the new king, thereby replacing the Merovingian dynasties control of the Franks to Carolingian control of the Franks 

- In exchange, Pepin gives land to the Pope

Papal States:

- Were land territories under the direct administrative control of the orthodox christian church and the pope 

Charlemange:

- Charlemagne considered a model of kingships in this era

- When Pope Leo III feuds with others over control of the papacy, he runs afoul of the Lombards and is blinded in battle

- The Pope asks for Charlemagne's assistance

- Charlemagne invades Italy, defeats the Lombards, and annexes their kingdom 

- Pope Leo responds by crowning Charlemagne as the emperor of the Romans, and Charlemagne grants additional land to the Pope to Control 

- This marks a transformation in that Charlemagne is part of the Carolingian line of Frankish leaders - - Christianized “Barbians” are now acting as the protectors of the church 

- As the protector of the Church, Charlemagne is the champion of Christendom

- Charlemagne conquers the Saxons to expand his empire

- He also leads armies into Spain to protect Christianity from the Muslim Umayyads  

Frankish Administration:

- Christianity spread through Carolingian Europe by the mission work of Irish Monasteries and by force through the conquering of Charlemagne

- The rest of Europe follows the religious and administrative examples of the Charlemagne and the Carolingians 

- “Missi Dominici” translates to the “Lords emissaries “ lord meaning king 

- The Missi Dominici were two officials working together, one secular member and one member of the clergy who inspected the work of dukes and counts 

Counts:

Administrative officials in charge of cities, with limited control of Municipal territories, and administrator royal justice

Duke:

Administrative officials similar to counts, but in charge of larger geographic areas (more authority than the counts)

Palace Chapel at Aachen:

 Charlemagne's favorite palace, also symbol of how Franks were influenced by Muslim architecture and the christian east

Frankish education:

The Franks push for greater literacy resulting in the standardization of writing 

- The push for literacy results in the standardization of unical and miniscule letters

Alcuin:

- IN 781 he met Charlemagne in Italy and accepted his invitation to Aachen, where the king was gathering the leading Irish, English, and Italian scholars of the age

- The school, where Charlemagne himself, his family, his friends, and his friends sons were taught, became a lively center of discussion and exchange of knowledge 

- Alcuin introduced the methods of English learning into the Franskish schools, systematized the curriculum, raised the standards of Scholarship, and encourages the study of liberal arts for the better understanding of spiritual doctrine

- He was also an advisor to Charlemange 

- In 796 he left the court to become abbot of Abbey St. Martin at tours, where he encouraged the work of his monks on the beautiful Carolingian minuscule script, the ancestor of Modern Roman typefaces

Post Charlemagne:

Charlemagne's only surviving heir is Louis I the Pous 

- He replaces Charlemagne as the king of the Franks, Lombards, etc

- He continues Charlemagne's policies, but his sons start fighting among themselves for control even before Louis dies

- The sons of Louis I the Pious: Louis, Lothar and Charles the bald, divide the kingdom created by their grandfather, Charlemagne

Treaty of Verdun:

- The treaty of Verdun divides the Franksih controlled kingdoms into three territories 

- West Franksih kingdom go to Charles the bald, Lothat gets modern-day Italy and other territories, and Louis II gets modern-day germany 

- This division shows the beginning of modern European states such as Italy, Germany, and France

European Invaders:

After the death of Charlemagne, new groups challenge the Franksih/Carolingian kings who continue to fight each other

- These include the Muslim Moors, the Magyars, and Vikings, who raid into Franksih territory 

Vikings:

 Vikings branch out from areas around present day Scandinavia

- They attack new territories from high-speed, elusive ships

- Vikings attack the British Isles, Constantinople, Paris, and other areas, exposing the limitations of the Franksih/Carolingian power

- Viking excursions even lead to settlements in Iceland and Greenland, and in 1000 AD the Vikings settle in what is now Canada 

- The Vikings were all from Scandinavia but the term did not designate a homogenous group; rather, it referred to one who joined an expedition expressly for the purpose of raiding others for personal gain 

- The Old norse phrase fara i viking (To go on expedition) is understood as meaning something closer to piracy and robbery than legitimate trade

Viking Raids on English Territory:

- The Viking raids and subsequent settlements define the period known as the Viking age in Britain which had profound consequences on the development of the culture and language 

- The raids started in June when 3 ships docked at the shore by the abbey of Lindisfarne

- The abbeys reeve, Beaduheard, believed he recognized them as those of Norse traders and, thinking they had lost their way, went out to direct them up the coast to the estate he thought they had been aiming for

- Upon approaching the ships, however, he was instantly killed by the sailors who then sacked the abbey and murdered everyone they found used or on the grounds; this was only the beginning

- Raids continued when Viking Ships sacked the monastery of Jarrow in Northumbria, in 795 CE when they struck at the monastery of Iona in Scotland and, in the same year, attacked sites in Ireland 

- Raids and military incursions continued in Britain through 1066 CE, ending with the invasion by the great Norwegian king harald Hardrada, known as “the last of the Vikings" whose victories over the Anglo-Saxon king Harold

Godwinson:

Contributed significantly to William the Conqueror's Norman victory over harold at the battle of Hastings later in the same year

Viking Raids on Franksh Territory:

- Attacked Paris successfully under Ragnar Lodbrok

- West Franksigh king Charles the Bald Bribes Ragnar to leave the 7,000 French livres or 5670 pounds of silver and gold 

November 885-october 886: 

- Vikings lay siege to Paris again, this time unsuccessfully

- Defense of Paris by Odo, Count of Paris

- An account of the siege was left by a monk Abo cernuus 

- The account is probably biased to favor the French and cernuus is well known for his exaggerations 

- Vikings eventually bribed to leave after the arrival of the Frankish king Charles the Fat

- He offers the Vikings 700 Livres of silver to leave 

Charles the simple:

911 = Charles the simple gives land grant to Viking leader Rollo, this grant will become known as Normandy, Purpose of this gift:

1. To encourage Vikings to stop raiding Frankish territory 

2. To have Rollo protect the mouth of the seine river against future Viking raids 

Battle of Yarmuck

-The battle that the byzantines lost to the muslims that solidified Islam in the region