Chapter 16: The Christian World Notes

Byzantine Empire

  • The Roman Empire officially fell in 476 CE.
  • Division of the Roman Empire:
    • Western Empire
    • Eastern Empire
    • Dividing line between lands under Diocletian and Maximian.

Key Figures and Their Roles

  • Constantius I: Home in Trier, Maximian's Caesar.
  • Galerius: Home in Thessaloniki, Diocletian's Caesar.
  • Maximian: Home in Mediolanum, co-emperor.
  • Emperor Diocletian: Home in Nicomedia.

Important Questions

  1. Who split the Roman Empire into East and West (286 CE)?
  2. Who moved the Roman Empire completely to the East (330 CE)?
  3. What did this person name the capital of the East?

Division of the Empire

  • Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire).
  • Western Roman Empire.
  • Kingdom of Ostrogoths.
  • Kingdom of Sueves.
  • Kingdom of Visigoths.
  • Kingdom of Thuringians.
  • Kingdom of Burgundy.
  • Kingdom of Vandals.
  • Frankish Kingdoms.

Byzantine Empire

  • Former Eastern Roman Empire, existed from 395 CE to 1453 CE.
  • In 330 CE, Constantine the Great transferred the ancient imperial capital from Rome to the Greek city of Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople.

Constantinople

  • Originally the Greek city-state of Byzantium, renamed Constantinople in 330 CE by Roman Emperor Constantine.
  • Constantine wanted Byzantium to be the "New Rome."
  • Influenced by Greek culture due to its origins as a Greek city-state.
  • In 1453, Constantinople was renamed Istanbul when the Ottoman Turks invaded.
  • Location offered sea and land access to Asia, Europe, and Africa.
  • Bosporus Strait: a harbor that allowed huge trading vessels (merchant ships) to enter the Empire.
  • Linked the Black and Mediterranean Seas, serving as a transit and trade point between Europe and Asia.

Caesaropapism

  • Emperor had absolute secular and religious power.
  • Emperor appointed the patriarch (church official) of the Eastern Christian Church.
  • Government structure: Emperor, patriarch, government officials.

Emperor Justinian and Theodora

  • Justinian (527-565 CE): first emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
  • Theodora: active advisor in politics, diplomacy, and theology.

Emperor Justinian's Accomplishments

  • Encouraged the military.
  • Forcibly ended rebellions.
  • Rebuilt Constantinople.
  • Ordered the construction of the Hagia Sophia (present-day Istanbul, Turkey).
    • Church known for architectural structures of domes, decorated curtains, marble, mosaics, and gems.
    • Hagia Sophia = Holy Wisdom.
    • Originally a Christian church (Byzantine Empire), later became a mosque under the Ottomans (Islam).
    • 1935-2020: museum.
    • July 2020: reclassified as a mosque.

Justinian’s Code

  • Re-codified Roman Law (Law of the 12 Tables) to fit the demands of the Byzantine Empire.
  • Justinian’s Code: “Corpus Juris Civilis”.
  • Codified law written between 529-534.
  • Served as legal inspiration throughout the Byzantine Empire and Western Europe.

Islam and the Byzantine Empire

  • 600s: Islam expanded, threatening the Byzantine Empire.
  • 700s: Byzantine Empire lost control of Syria, Palestine, North Africa (including Egypt) to Arab forces.
  • Byzantine forces used “Greek fire,” allowing them to retain control of Anatolia (Turkey), Greece, and the Balkan region.

Theme System

  • Reorganized political system to respond to the Muslim threat.
  • Theme (province): placed under control of a General.
  • General: provided military defense & organized an army of peasants.
  • Both General and peasants received Land in exchange for protection.
  • Imperial government: worked for Emperor and supervised General.
  • Interdependent social hierarchy (Feudalism): allowed for quick mobilization of defense if needed.

Greek Fire

  • An attack weapon used by the Byzantine Empire in the 670s during naval battles.
  • Set fire to enemy ships; consisted of a combustible compound emitted by a flame-throwing weapon that continued to burn while floating on water.
  • Provided a technological advantage.

Basil the Bulgar Slayer

  • Ruled the Byzantine Empire from 976-1025.
  • Used terror to expand the Byzantine Empire.
  • Expanded into Syria, Armenia, Italy, Crete, Cyprus, Bulgaria.

Tense Relations

  • Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) & Western Europe (Western Roman Empire) had tense relations.
  • Both followed Christianity but had differences in beliefs.
  • Byzantine Empire: East.
  • Germanic Empires: West (Charlemagne & Franks).
  • 962: rise of Holy Roman Empire (West) further strained relations between East and West.

Byzantine Society

  • Constantinople was the largest city in Europe for about 800 years, located in central, eastern, and southeastern Europe.
  • Produced enough grain to feed large populations in Byzantine cities.
  • Peasants: “backbone” of Byzantine society; did all the work & were part of the army; owned and worked on their own small farms.
  • 500s-900s: Byzantine Empire worked to limit landholdings of wealthy families on large estates to protect small landowners.

Byzantine Industry & Trade

  • Constantinople: agricultural productivity of land and trade center (due to its location).
  • Byzantine craftsmen: produced glassware, textiles, jewelry with gems, fine gold, and silver.
  • After the 500s: Byzantine monks (missionaries who went to China) smuggled silkworm eggs out of China.
  • Government in Constantinople started to control production and supplies of silk to European markets.
  • Byzantine Empire: center of trade.
  • Byzantine gold coin: bezant.
  • Standardized currency within the Mediterranean Basin.

Bezants

  • Banks and business partnerships developed to encourage trade and make huge profits from goods.
  • Byzantine empire revived the Silk Roads!
  • Silk, precious gems, metals, spices, timber, furs, slaves passed through the Byzantine Empire.
  • Collection of taxes and tariffs from these goods and the value of raw materials made Byzantine Empire wealthy.

Urban Life

  • Constantinople was the heart of the Byzantine Empire.
  • The imperial palace reflected the empire’s wealth.
  • Aristocrats lived in elaborate homes.
  • Artisans and merchants lived above their shops.
  • Government workers and lower-level employees lived in multi-storied apartment houses.
  • The poor lived in multi-family dwellings.
  • Women were involved in family economics.
  • Entertainment in cities: horse races, public baths, restaurants, theaters, circuses.

Language and Literacy

  • In early centuries of the Byzantine Empire, government business was done in Latin.
  • After the 500s, Greek became the official language of government, religion, and education.
  • Most people were literate due to the size of the empire; the government demanded educated workers.
  • Government-sponsored schools taught reading and writing, skills needed for government work.
  • Greek classics and humanities were the basis of school education.

The Byzantine Church

  • Caesaropapism: connection to the Roman Empire.
  • Defined the relationship between church and state in the empire.
  • Emperors treated the church as part of the government.
  • Appointed a patriarch of Constantinople and instructed church officials that obedience to government meant obedience to God.
  • Secular (no religious basis) & ecclesiastical (related to the Christian Church & Clergy).

Use of Icons

  • Use of icons (statues, symbols, pictures) in ceremony and worship.
  • Emperor Leo III (emperor: 717-741) in 730 CE ended the use of icons because he feared the icon was worshipped more than the emperor, used mosaics instead.
  • One reason for schism in Christianity..1054. Tension between Eastern and Western Christianity. Constantinople and Rome were centers of Christian authority clash over religion.

Schism in Christianity

  • 1054: Schism in Christianity former Eastern Roman Empire former Western Roman Empire.
  • Byzantine Empire Western Europe.
  • Eastern Orthodox/Greek Orthodox Christianity Roman Catholic Church.
  • *** Excommunicated each other.

Byzantine Empire & Eastern Europe

  • Eastern Europe → Slavic people.
    • The East Slavs:
      • Belarus
      • Russia
      • Ukraine
    • The West Slavs:
      • Czech Republic
      • Poland
      • Slovakia
    • The South Slavs:
      • Bosnia & Herzegovina
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Macedonia
      • Montenegro
      • Serbia
      • Slovenia
  • Orthodox Christianity- still strong in region today.
  • Development of Cyrillic alphabet: writing system developed in the 9th–10th century CE for Slavic-speaking peoples of the Eastern Orthodox faith.
  • Saints Cyril and Methodius: Christian missionaries. Translated the Gospels and liturgical books into the Slavic languages in the 800s.

City of Kiev

  • Present-day capital of Ukraine.
  • On the Dneiper River - easily accessible to Byzantine traders.
  • Trading city with the Byzantine Empire.
  • Thriving city- 800s Poland, Hungary, Serbia also developing at this time in Eastern Europe - also traded with Byzantine Empire.

Prince Vladimir of Kiev

  • 980s: Prince Vladimir of Kiev (ruled 980-1015) converted to Orthodox Christianity illustrating the cultural diffusion of Byzantine religion into Kiev.
  • Russian Orthodox Church head of State (government) strong church-state relationship- model for Russian government and religion wanted their own Caesaropapism positions.
  • Example: Autocratic rule (cultural diffused from Byzantine Empire). Autocratic rulers known as Czars (Tsars). Czar - Russian word for Caesar.

St. Basil's Cathedral

  • Moscow, Russia.
  • Russians adopted religious art, music, and architecture of the Byzantine Empire.
  • Example: Byzantine Domes transformed into the onion domes of Russian architecture.

Western Europe

  • Quest for political order: 500-1500 CE: Middle Ages/Medieval Period of Western Europe (fall of Roman Empire to beginning of Renaissance).
  • Agricultural economy, decentralized political order (Feudalism).
  • Post-1054: Roman Catholic Church: dominant source of authority.

King Clovis

  • King Clovis ruled 481-511 first king of the Franks, ruler of much of Gaul.. Franks had a close connection with the Church. Considered responsible for the spread of Christianity in the Frankish Kingdom (France and Germany) and subsequent birth of Holy Roman Empire.
  • 496: converted to Roman Catholicism partnership with Roman Catholic Church benefits for both the Church and State.

Charlemagne

  • Charles the Great ruled 771-814 CE. United the majority of western and central Europe.
  • First recognized emperor to rule from western Europe since the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
  • Intelligent leader: used military, judicial and intellectual powers to centralize the empire. Diplomatic relations with Byzantine Empire and Abbasid Caliphate (Islam).
  • The expanded Frankish state that Charlemagne founded is known as the Carolingian Empire.

Charlemagne's Relationship with the Church

  • Gave money and land to the Christian church and protected the popes.
  • Converted to Christianity, and subjects followed him.
  • Stopped a rebellion in Rome.
  • As a way to acknowledge Charlemagne's power and reinforce his relationship with the church, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans on December 25, 800.
  • Given the title Holy Roman Emperor, leader of Holy Roman Empire.
  • Government officials: missi dominici: envoys (representatives) of the Lord…2 emperors? How can that be? 1054… major religious event?

End of Carolingian Empire

  • 800-843 CE.
  • 814: Charlemagne died.
  • 814-840: leader- Louis the Pious, Charlemagne’s son.
  • Not a strong leader: internal disunity, external invasions.
  • Carolingian Empire ends.
  • August 10, 843: Treaty of Verdun.

Treaty of Verdun

  • August 10, 843: Treaty of Verdun Louis’ sons and grandsons split up Charlemagne’s territory into Italy, Germany & France.

Vikings

  • Called Norseman or Northman; members of the Scandinavian seafaring warriors.
  • Invaded Western Europe from the 800s-1000s.
  • Did not convert to Christianity.
  • Known for boats (longboats/longships):
    • slender, flexible.
    • skilled shipbuilders.
    • could hold about 60 men.
    • sail could navigate in the wind.
  • Had detailed knowledge of tides and settlements.
  • Raided coastal regions- used rivers as highways.
  • Rapid, unexpected attacked on villages/cities in Western Europe.

Regional Authorities

  • England:
    • Smaller kingdoms established by the Angles and Saxons 400s-500s.
    • Built fortresses (walls) & developed a navy to go against Vikings.
    • Lays the foundation for a future nation of England.
  • Germany:
    • King Otto I of Saxony fought against invasions by Magyars - originally from Central Asia (present-day Hungary).
    • Battle of Lechfeld- 955.
    • Won against the Magyars.
    • Formed basis of Germany identity and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962 by Pope John XII.
  • France:
    • Ruled by small provinces run by counts and subordinates.
    • Vikings established their own settlements in Northern France.
    • 700s - 800s end of the invasions and the establishment of a stable, decentralized political order laid the foundation for social, economic and cultural development in western Europe.

Feudalism in Medieval Europe

  • Region: Western Europe similar to Japan.
  • Late 700s Feudalism: social and political system in which landholders provide land to tenants in exchange for their loyalty and service.
  • Maintained political and social order.
  • Land economy/agricultural society protection decentralized monarchs - decentralized political organization.
  • *Land for loyalty nobles built a system after Charlemagne’s death to protect their lands and maintain order protection from rival Lords, invaders (example: Vikings) *military and political relationships.

Social Hierarchy

  • Monarch:
    • Land
    • Serfs also known as Fief
  • Knights:
    • Code of Chivalry: unwritten set of rules for conduct- honor, courtesy, bravery
  • Lords:
    • Governing elite: handled business, politics, economics and legal affairs of the kingdom

Fief and Vassal

  • Fief: land and serfs.
  • Vassal: given Fief owes service to a person of higher status. Castle.

Serfs

  • A person who is forced to work on a plot of land, especially during the medieval period when Europe practiced feudalism, when a few lords owned all the land and everyone else had to work on it. “bound to the land”.
  • Cultivated land to produce an agricultural surplus.
  • Needed permission to travel outside of the Manor and permission to marry.
  • Received land from Lords to cultivate for the kingdom and also to cultivate for themselves IN EXCHANGE FOR protection for Lord/King/Kingdom when needed.

Manorialism

  • Western Europe manorialism: political, economic, and social system by which the serfs/peasants of medieval Europe were rendered dependent on their land and on their lord.
  • Agricultural organization; agricultural surplus needed to support life on the manor (small community, not large empire).
  • Manor/fief: land, crops, animals, tools, serfs all of the above are necessary to produce agricultural surplus.
  • Self-sufficient communities: limited need for trade and contact with others artisans, small markets, churches (Roman Catholicism).

Feudal Europe vs. Feudal Japan

  • Feudal Europe
    • Feudal government.
    • Christianity.
    • Religious themes in art and literature.
    • Royalty (kings and queens, emperor).
    • Nobles (lords, daimyo).
    • Warriors (knights, samurai).
    • Warrior codes of honor (chivalry, Bushido).
    • Peasants worked land
  • Feudal Japan
    • Buddhism, Shinto, Confucianism.
    • Nature themes in art and literature.

Economy of Medieval Europe

  • 900 CE: political stability led to renewed trading.
  • Moldboard Plow/Iron Plow: allowed the peasants to turn the heavy soil of northwestern Europe. Although expensive, lords invested in this capital good because it resulted in more fields being cultivated and increased output per worker-increase in agricultural production. Pulled by horse, not oxen.
  • Draft animals: The invention of the horse collar and the practice of using horseshoes to protect horses’ hooves made it possible to use horses as draft animals. Horses were more expensive but were also stronger and faster than oxen. Draft animals made it possible to till more fields and increase output per worker.

Watermill

  • Use of hydropower (water power): not moved by humans or animals. water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Needed in the production of many material goods, including flour, lumber, paper, textiles, and many metal products.

Three Field System

  • The first field would be planted with winter crops such as rye and wheat.
  • The second field would be planted with spring crops such as peas and beans.
  • The third field would lie fallow (uncultivated/unused): nothing was planted in it that year allowing the field to rest.

The Papacy

  • Office of the Pope Roman Catholic Church Western Europe Pope Gregory I (pope: 590-604).
  • Established the idea of strong Papal leadership.
  • Ensured the survival of the Roman Catholic Church and the city of Rome.
    • Asserted papal primacy Pope was the ultimate authority of Christian church.
    • Emphasized sacraments.
    • Emphasized the need for educated clergy.
    • Promoted an active missionary movement (England, France, Germany).
    • Promoted monasticism: monkhood- a way to serve God and the Church, life of holiness as opposed to worldly success.

Monasticism

  • Monkhood: a way to serve God and the Church.
  • Early Christian monasteries developed their own rules under guidance from:
  • St. Benedict of Nursia (Italy) lived 480-547. he was an Abbot (head of monastery).
  • Monastery: Monte Cassino upset with the abuses of the Church.
  • 516: Benedictine Rule: devote your life to God and the Church. 3 parts:
    • poverty
    • chastity
    • obedience
  • Benedict had many converts to Christianity. Monasteries helped spread Christianity among the peasant population helped to bring order to the countryside, provide labor for agricultural production.
  • Monasteries acted as hospitals, rest for travelers, homes from orphans (Abbess: head of the convent).

European Borrowing

  • European Borrowing
    • Horse collar
    • Stirrup
    • Gunpowder
    • Paper
    • Spinning wheel
    • Wheelbarrow
    • Aristotle
    • Medical knowledge/ treatments
    • Christian mysticism
    • Music/poetry
    • Mathematics
    • Chess