Christendom

Caesaropapism

As the first Christian Ruler after the fall of the Roman Empire, Constantine claimed divine favor and sanction for his rule. By intervening in theological disputes and using his political position to support orthodox beliefs , he effectively established the precedent of Caesaropapism, where the authority of the emperor extended into the realm of religious governance.

  • Secular lord

  • ecclesiastical affairs: administration of religious matter


Justinian and Theodora

Found a position in imperial bureaucracy and mastered the intricacies of Byzantine finance and was supported by his wife Theodora.

He led the construction of Hagia Sophia: important Christian structure


Justinian’s Code

Codification of Roman law.

Original of Roman law was confusing and conflicted with many others -→ Justinian ordered a review of Roman law and issued the Corpus iruis civilis (body of the Civil Law)


Byzantine Conquest

Justinian tries to reconquer western Roman Empire from Germanic peoples and reestablish Roman authority through out Mediterranean Basin

  • 533-565 control over Italy, Sicily, NW Africa, S Spain (did not have resources to sustain long term control

  • After Justinian dies, conquest ends and only Ravenna is under control (now holds a lot of Byzantine culture)

Byzantine Empire

  • Eastern Orthodox Christianity: justify power structure



Muslim Conquests and Byzantine Revival

  • Sasanids in the E and Slavics in N were threatening Byzantine rule as they devoted effort into Mediterranean up in the west

Muslim Conquest

  • Were under muslim control but when they truied to resist this northward invasion in constantinople, the Byzantian navys and fleets were able to fight back using greek fire.

Theme System

  • Because their empire weakened due to Islam expansion, the Byzantine Empire placed their society under the Theme System, a system where generals are given authority over provinces allowing them to hold responsibility for their military and civil administration.

  • Generals recruit armies and these armies raised under the theme system were effective for expansion -→ reconquered Mediterranean (Sryia, Armenia, Danube river, Cyprus).


Rise of Franks

476 CE, Germanic general Odoacer removed last of western Roman emperors and left the throne vacant

-→ Urban populations decline, loss of power, struggle amongst trade.

Germanic Kingdoms

  • This led to the rise of germanic kingdoms (Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Lombards, Franks)

  • These people absorbed culture and christianty along with Roman law.

Franks

  • By 6th century conquered Roman Gaul (they had preeminent military and political power)

  • Also named Carolingian Dynasty due to founder Charles Iarolus) also known as Charles Martel or Charles the Hammer because he was very strong.

Charlemagne

  • Charles Martel Grandson reestablished centralized imperial rule, maintained diplomatic relations withe Byzantine Empire and Abbasid caliphate, expanded Empire making E Europe and S Italy to pay tribute

His Administration

  • Built a court and capitol at Aachen, but did not have a bureacracy or an administrative apparatus -→ relied on counts to hold political, military, and legal authority in local jurisdictions.

  • Missi Dominici: imperial officals would inspect these local authorities to make sure they were doing a good job

As emperor

  • Charlemagne was crowned emperor but did not plan this because the Byzantines made it clear that they wanted to be the only big ruler with the emperor title in Roman empires.

The end and Carolingian Empire or Franks

  • External Invasions, Louis the Pious succeeded his father but lacked military skills and lost control of Local authorities.

  • Louis the Pious’ three sons split the power and dissolved empire.


Age of Vikings

  • They were Nordic people of Scandinavia for the conquest of wealth.

  • Many sought out for trade but they were known for attacking and looting monasteries to big cities for money, goods, and wealth. (raided Constantinople three times).


Western Europe

  • Hierarchy of Lords and vassals who took charge of political and military affairs.

  • Peasants worked agriculture, retainers worked military


Monks and Missionaries

  • Asceticism: Christian monasticism gathered a community building the early monasteries but were very inconsistent with teaching.

  • St Basil and St. Benedict: Once having a purpose, monasteries became popular. St. Basil and St Benedict provided regulations for monasteries to establish mild asceticism

  • St. Scholastica: Benedict’s sister provided women religious guidance.

  • Monasticism and Society: provide social service -→ spread Christianity

  • Missionaries: Pope Gregory I sent missionaries to England and converted pagan Germanic Kings and people


Two churches

Constantinople saw icons as appropriate and Byzantine beliefs saw them as idolatry

  • Religious Rivalry: Christian churches and Constantinople and Rome disagreed on many other points leading to the Schism, which is when the popes and patriarchs did not recognize each other as Christians and mutually excommunicated each other.

  • Eastern Orthodox Christianity: Justified Roman rule

  • Roman Catholic Christianity.


Ch15

Gupta, Harsha, Intro to islam and conquest of Sind in N india, Mahmud of Ghazni,