Early Europe until 1453

2000 years in a day!!!!!!!!!

I. Rome (500bc–500ad)(ish)

• Roman Republic (500bc – 0) (ish)– Republic < Caesar < Senators < 2nd

Triumvirate < Octavian– Octavian ----> Augustus (1st emperor)

• Roman Empire (0 – 500ad)– Early emperors

• Built up Rome• Expanded Empire (strengthened army)• Stabilized government• Pax Romana

– Darker times (200-300ad)• Economic/military problems• No clear succession

– Later Imperial period (delaying the inevitable)• Diocletian

– Divided the Empire in two (East and West)– Divided the Emperor in four (two for each)– Strengthened the borders– Fought economic problems– Attempted to solve succession problem (…but)

• Constantine– Came to power through civil war– Legalized Christianity and converted– Moved capital from Rome to Byzantium– Eastern Empire would survive

– The Fall of Rome• Huns pushed German tribes into Rome• 410 – Rome sacked by Visigoths led by Alaric• 476 – last Western Emperor deposed by

Odoacer (German)

II. The East (Part 1)

• The City– Byzantium became Eastern Roman capital

(Constantine)– Built up like Rome (forum, temples, etc.)– After fall of the West, becomes center of

Eastern (Byzantine) Empire– Name changed to Constantinople

• Religion– Eastern Orthodox– Patriarch head of church gov’t.– Emperor head of gov’t., leader/symbol

of church– Developed independently from Roman

Christianity

• Justinian– Code of Laws (Roman)– Tried to recapture West– Hagia Sophia

III. Islam• 622 – Muslim calendar begins with

Muhammad’s Hijrah to Medina

• New, monotheistic religion sweeps through the Arabian peninsula

• Islam will quickly expand to all parts of the Middle East, Northern Africa, Spain, and Southeast Europe

• Battle of Tours Battle of Tours (732) - Charles (732) - Charles Martel stops Martel stops spread of Islam spread of Islam into Western into Western EuropeEurope

•Byzantine Empire Byzantine Empire resists spread of resists spread of Islam into Eastern Islam into Eastern EuropeEurope

IV. The East (Part 2)• Byzantines decline

– Inefficient government– Attacks from without (especially Turks)– 1071 – lost battle at Manzikert to Seljuk

Turks• Asked for help against Muslims from Western

Christians• 1095 – First Crusade begins

• The City (again)– 1204 – sacked by Crusaders from the

West (4th Crusade)– 1261 – Byzantines finally retake the city– 1453 – Mehmet the Conqueror takes

Constantinople

V. The West

• German Kingdoms take over– Anglo-Saxons– Franks

• Clovis becomes first German king to convert to Christianity

• Merovingians prosper in Roman Gaul (France)• Lay groundwork for Carolingians

• Carolingian Renaissance– Pippin the short becomes King of the

Franks– His son, Charles, expands the kingdom

• Renamed “the Great” (Charlemagne)• Supported learning

– Built schools– Revived Roman ideas

• 800 – crowned Emperor of the Romans• Kingdom becomes Holy Roman Empire

• Feudalism– System based on land ownership– Large landowners (Lords) divide their land

among loyal men (vassals)– Vassals at lower levels known as knights

(military troops)– Land was worked by commoners (serfs

and free peasants)– System provided security and food in

exchange for loyalty and work

• High Middle Ages– Life organized around small farms

(manorialism)• Manor house surrounded by fields, peasant

homes, and basic services• People rarely left the manor or surrounding

area• Most felt connected to their manner as opposed

to any idea of “country” or “nation”

– Urban life renewed as towns begin to re-emerge

• Many towns had walls for protection– English: borough, German: burg– Town dwellers known as burghers or bourgeoisie

• Northern towns centered on manufacturing (guilds)

• Italian towns centered on trade– East-west trade– City-states formed

• Regaining the past– First universities formed (11th-13thC)– Scholasticism

• Blend Classical reason with Christian Faith• St. Thomas Aquinas• Based in monasteries and cathedral schools

• Rise of States– England

• William the Conqueror – 1066 (French)• Magna Carta – 1215

– King John forced to cede power to nobles– Edward I - Parliament formed 75 years later

– France• Capetians centralized rule by maintaining their

line• France develops into most centralized state in

Europe

• Hundred Years War– Since William (1066), English King had

held title to large chunk of France– End of Capetian dynasty creates

opportunity for English king to press his claim

– War ensues– After much struggle, France is finally

victorious (Joan d’Arc)

• Church vs. State– Papal supremacy

• As Christ Vicar, Pope is ultimate authority on earth

• Claim weakened by political struggles, land ownership

– Temporal supremacy• As protector of the Church, Holy Roman

Emperor believed he had ultimate authority• Investiture controversy weakened both parties