Day 1: Middle Ages

Unit 10

What are the Middle Ages?

Period between 500 to 1500 CE in Western Europe.

AKA Medieval Period → comes from latin medium (middle) and aevum (age)

This is the period that follows the Fall of the Western Roman Empire

Germanic tribes eventually turn into kingdoms which eventually turn into Nation-States (countries)

Changes in Government and Economy

Region divided into small kingdoms

After Rome fell, leaders of the Germanic tribes seized power and caused Western Europe to be divided into small kingdoms that were almost constantly at war

Main focus of these leaders was to keep their people safe. This will lead to stronger governments over time

Decline in centralized government

Germanic tribes did eventually unite together, such as the Franks, to form powerful kingdoms, however, these new kingdoms did not create large centralized governments like in Rome

No written laws

In addition to not forming centralized governments Germanic kingdoms didn't’ write down their laws. Instead the people obeyed the unwritten laws and traditions of their king.

Decline of trade

During Middle Ages, the Western Europe sees a decline in trade as the Germanic tribes were not interested in trading.

Region had a mostly moderate climate and fertile soil, abundant forestland that provided wood for building, and mountains that provided minerals like iron that allowed the Germanic tribes to build weapons, lots and rivers and coastlines allowed access to fish

Not necessarily a need for trade due to the geography

This causes a decline in cities

Social Changes

Population Shift

As trade declined, so too did the cities. This meant that the European population shifted from urban areas (cities) to more rural areas where the people lived in small villages where they worked the land and tended their herds.

Decline of Learning

Germanic tribes were not literate. The only people in Western Europe who would end up being literate were priests, monks, and other church officials

Loss of a common language

During the Roman Empire, Latin was the common language in Western Europe. This starts to break down with the take over of the Germanic tribes who spoke different languages. Instead, we see the rise of romance languages. These new languages would cause further separation among the different regions of Western Europe.

The Frankish Kingdom

Former Germanic tribe

The Franks were a Germanic tribe that united to eventually form the Frankish Kingdom

Conversion of Clovis

Clovis was the first Germanic leader to convert to Christianity

Converted after earning a victory in battle that he attributed to a blessing from God. Influenced by his wife’s faith in Catholicism, Clovis prayed to God when he realized his army would be destroyed in battle.

After his conversion, many of Clovis’s subjects converted as well.

His conversion helped spread Christianity and increased its influence

Remember, Christianity becomes the one unifying force in Western Europe

Charlemagne

Frankish King in 768

200 years after Clovis

Goal was to unite all Germanic tribes

Highly successful in this goal

Fought Slavs, the Lombards, and Saxons in Germany

Became strongest leader in Western Europe due to his ability to conquer the other Germanic tribes

Organized ruler

Established new laws to keep order

Appointed officials to run faraway regions

Established schools

Spread Christianity

Charlemagne’s goal as the Frankish king was to unite all the Germanic tribes under his rule

Through unification, Charlemagne also hoped to spread Christianity as well

Even threatened death to those who would not convert. As a result, 4000 Saxons were slaughtered for not converting. This then caused others to no longer resist conversion.

Crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800

After saving Pope Leo from rebellious Lombardis in Rome, Leo crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans

Becomes first German emperor of what would later be called the Holy Roman Emperor

Title made Charlemagne a guardian of Christianity

Effect: Also basically solidified the power of the pope OVER kings and emperors as he was the one to crown Charlemagne.

The Invaders

Angles and Saxons

Moved from continental Europe to England starting in the 400s

Invaded over a period of time and eventually came to be the main occupiers of England

Used to fight for Romans

This was when the Romans were bringing in barbarians into the army

Formed small kingdom by the early 800s in Britain

Will fight the Vikings

The Magyars

Invaded W. Europe in late 800s

Nomadic people from the east

Captured people not land

Wanted to capture people to sell as slaves. Not worried about conquering or gaining land.

Focused on attacking isolated villages and monasteries

The Vikings

Germanic people from Scandinavia, also referred to as Northmen or Norsemen

Invaded Russia, England, and hit the coastal areas of Western Europe

Worshipped warlike gods

Vikings would attack quickly by sea/waterways

They built ships that were capable of sailing into shallow water, so they could sail in shallow creeks, attack, then run back to their ship and leave. They’re described as being quick as lightning.

Targeted at first, monasteries and inland villages

Also expert explorers, Leif Ericson

Leif Ericson, a Viking explorer, landed in north America around 1000, about 500 years before Columbus

Impact of Christianity and warmer climate

However, as Vikings started to convert to Christianity they stopped raiding monasteries, and as the climate in Europe got warmer, it made farming easier in Scandinavia and as a result, the seafaring life drifted away

Effects of the Invasions

Immediate Effects

Disruption of trade and decline of towns

Long-Term Effects

Fear of invasion will help lead to feudal society