WK2 Lecture

The Power of Religion to 1500 CE (The Global Medieval)

Shifting our focus away from Empires - more on the power of religion

Merchant communities capable to conversion

• Religion is connected to the expansion of empires and the trade networks. As the world became more connected, the more religion spread.

• Following that, religions were able to be in local communities but spread all over the world

Religions tied to places:

Religion in China and East Asia:

There are three big religions in the area. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. There is no religious monopoly.

Confucianism:

• A moral philosophy rather than a religion

• concerned with how society should be organised, especially social relationships

• came from Confucius / ‘Kongzi’ (551-479 BCE) His name means something like teacher?

• Sayings collected in the Analects. It is his book that contains his ideals and teachings

• Started around the same time that Buddhism was developed. Also, the greek philosophers

• He was persecuted in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE)

• It became the state ideology in the Han Dynasty (202-229 BCE)

What is Neo-Confucianism?

• It was the revival of Confucianism during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE)

• During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism and Taoism was widely accepted. The revival caused backlash

• This version was a more systematic and modernised. They eliminated all influences from Buddhism and Taoism

• Zhu Xi was a big figure in Neo-Confucianism as he made reforms on classic texts.

• Confucian Imperial Examinations:

  • Became more organisedd, regular and systemized during the Song Dynasty

  • These exams were ‘open to all’ and were based on merit.

  • But most candidates were from well-off families and officials

  • It was to get a position in the Chinese Beaurachracy

  • After the Mongols invaded and took over, they stopped these exams. But because these tests on Confucianism was so ingrained in their government so they had to restore the exams

  • During the last Dynasty, they got rid of Confucian education and replaced it with western education

  • This education system also existed in Korea and Vietnam. However, the French had replaced it earlier in 1913.

Taoism:

• Lao-taught/Laozi (c. 6th-c. 4th BCE)

• ‘The Way’ is the key concept

• Tao Te Ching is the key text

• It was not very involved with governance, rather it was more on the religious side

• It became popular in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

Buddhism:

• It was brought to China from India by Indian Buddhist monks from Tibet into China around C2 CE

• Was adapted into Chinese society

• becomes a state religion during the Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE)

• The Golden age of Buddhism was considered to be during the Tang Dynasty

• It spread from China to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

• There were different schools of Buddhism:

  • Mahayana (yellow)

  • Vajirayana (orange)

  • Theravada (red)

• There are religious theories of kingship based on this religion

How did Buddhism Spread?

• The maritime state of Sri Vijaya was a main component

• During the 1st millennium, Buddhism had it’s peak in India.

• However, after 1000CE Buddhism declined in India

• After the 13th C, Buddhism also started declining in SEA

Islam:

• Began to spread to SEA from the C 13th

• Areas that was exposed to maritime trade were usually the first to become muslim

• Main people who were exposing SEA to Islam

  • Arab, Persian, Indian and Chinese Muslim Merchants

• The Sultanate of Melaka (Conversion story)

  • converts to Islam in 1402

  • Builds strong trade links (geography has a large part in this) ruler submits Melaka to China as a tributary state.

  • They have a very good relation where they kinda become like China’s vassals

  • Controls access to the Straits, becomes the most prosperous port in SEA.

• Rise of the Delhi Sultanate (1207-1526)

  • Buddhism had disappeared from India by the C 12th

  • The Rise of the Delhi Sultanate marks the first Muslim politcal state in India. Also the first Sultan

  • Delhi Sultanate was pretty cosmopolitan, a mixture of Islamic and Indic civilisation

What is Caliphate?

• Caliph was the ;Successor to the Prophet Muhammad’ (570-632 CE)

• In theory the Caliph haws authority over all Muslims. At the time it was more realistic since Islam wasn’t as widespread as it is now

• There were many different Caliphates.

• During he Abbasid Caliphate, the mongols conquered them in 1258

• A lot of figures took over the position of Caliphate

  • Egypt: Mamluk Sultanate. Then, the Ottoman Empire takes over Egypt and the Ottoman sultan assumes position as Caliphate. They didn’t control over all muslims but had control over the office of the Caliph

  • The Caliph later on becomes more symbolic with less power.

Connection

Main Points:

• Christiandom

• Judaism

Christianity:

• Started in the holy land of Palestine

• Blah blah the bible story we hear all the time. was persecuted and killed and rose from the dead

• The Messiah is what he is referred to as in Greek

• The spread of Christianity was written. Then there were 2 apostles (Paul and Peter)

• Later on, Christianity wasn’t split into 2 separate churches

  • Orthodox - East

  • Catholic - West

• What is the relationship between Christianity and the rulers?

  • Christianity was adopted as Rome’s religion and then there was a Christian city established. There was a church build directly next to the palace

  • later emperors were viewed as merged with religion and revered as if they were also god. there was a god in the kingdom above, and there was one on the Earth as the emperor

• How can Christ be both human and divine? How can he be weak and yet omnipotent?

Orthodox:

• has been referred to as ‘primitive’ christianity

• has classical influences. ‘eastern Roman’ concepts of divine

• Church governance and institutions

• Missionary work and consequences

WHAT IS GOING ON!!!!!! HE’S TALKING TOO FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Caesaropapism

The rule of the King and the Rule of the Pope are the same. they have the same level of authority. Religion and governance was the valued the same amount at the time. The king was viewed as being the mediator between Christ and the Christian people.

In the Orthodox tradition of the Eastern Roman Empire, they treated the Church as if it were a counter-part of imperial authority. There was no division of church and state in Byzantine.

Conversion:

Vladimir the king? of Kiev. he converted to Orthodox Christianity and also converted his entire population. There was also a language developed by two brothers that was deeply infused with the spread of Christianity. Celtic letters were taken and redeveloped.

Roman Catholicism (Latin Christianity)

• Claims to be the universal version of authority of Christ and the Christian God

• St Peter’s was sigificant. Was directly founded by one of the initial apostles of Christ. He was crucified by the Emperor Nero, but did not want to be crucified the same way as Christ so he was done so upside down

• The title of ‘Pope’ comes from the latin word for ‘father’ - ‘papa’

• Greek - Hebrew - Latin

• Had a lot of concepts of law and civil society

• Later bishops of Rome, based on inheritance, inherited the power and roles of their previous.

• As the Roman Empire falls, there was already a Roman-Catholic Society set up to replace.

• Pope’s had the power to instill and undermine power to local rulers.

• The church was a large part of ordinary, everyday things.

• The Donation of Constantine - it is important look it up later

  • forged document that claimed before the emperor had establish constantinople, he had WHATN OW???? SLOW DOWN