Chapter 12: The Early Middle Ages.

Section 1: Early European Kingdom.

CHINAWorld studies

A. The People and Land of the Middle Ages

The weakened defense of the old Roman borders cleared the path for Germanic speaking groups to invade Europe.

A . The People and Land of the Middle Ages in Europe

The Geography of Western Europe› Much of the land of western

Europe during the early Middle Ages was covered with thick forests.

› People had left the cities, such as Paris and Rome, and moved to the countryside, where they could grow their own food.

› Roman warriors were no longer assigned to defend the old borders, so the outlying regions of the empire were soon overcome by invading groups.

A. The People and Land of the Middle Ages

The People of the Middle Ages in Europe› The people of northern

Europe did not share the culture or the Latin language of the Romans.

› Germanic people lived in small groups of farmers and herders.

› They fought to gain new lands that had better soil for farming and better grazing for their animals.

B. The Empire of the Franks

Charlemagne was crowned Roman emperor, ruler of a large empire in western Europe.

B. The Empire of the Franks

Uniting the Franks› Around 481, Clovis was

able to unite several of the Frankish groups.

› As a Christian, he gained the support of the people of Gaul.

› In the eighth century, the descendants of Clovis were displaced by the grandfather of the famous ruler Charlemagne.

B. The Empire of the Franks

The Rise of Charlemagne

› He ruled as king of the Franks for 46 years, from 768 to 814.

› During the first ten years of Charlemagne’s rule, he conquered the Lombard kingdom in present-day northern Italy, fought against the Saxons in northern Europe, and invaded Spain.

› He also improved culture, education, and law within his kingdom.

B. The Empire of the Franks

A Christian King› As Charlemagne expanded

his kingdom, he tried to force the conquered peoples to become Christian.

› He also demanded strict punishment for anyone who practiced other religions.

› His promotion of Christianity sealed his friendship with the leader of the church in Rome, Pope Leo III.

C. The age of Charlemagne

Charlemagne’s rule encouraged culture and learning to develop in western Europe.

C. The Age of Charlemagne’s

Schools and Learning› Charlemagne brought in

scholars from England, Germany, Spain, and Italy, including one of the greatest scholars of the time, Alcuin of York.

› The courses at the palace school were based on advances in education in England and Ireland.

› Under Alcuin’s influence, Charlemagne issued the Charter of Modern Thought.

C. The Age of Charlemagne

Culture› Charlemagne’s interest in

learning led to a revival, or renewed interest, in the cultures of Rome and Greece.

› Most books were produced by monks and were handwritten copies of the Bible and other books of early Christianity.

› His leadership brought about so many reforms and improvements that the period of his reign has come to be called the Age of Charlemagne.

C. The Age of Charlemagne

The Decline of Charlemagne's Empire› With Charlemagne’s death

in 814, the empire he had built went into slow decline.

› After almost 30 years of conflict, his three grandsons signed the Treaty of Verdun.

› Muslim forces attacked southern Italy and gained control of Sicily in the late 800s.

Chapter 12: The Early Middle Ages

Section 2: Feudalism and the Manor System

CHINAWorld studies

A. The Viking Invasion of Europe

The Viking invasions in the ninth through the eleventh centuries resulted in the settlement of Normandy and the Norman Conquest of England.

A. The Vikings Invasions of Europe

The Crisis of Power in England› In the tenth century, the

Vikings took advantage of the fighting among Charlemagne’s heirs.

› Raiding parties attacked and settled land along the Seine River in northern Europe.

› As the Norman rulers became stronger, they set out to expand their power.

A. The Vikings Invasions of Europe

The Norman Conquest› The Normans defeated

the English army at the Battle of Hasting, in which Harold was killed.

› William, now known as William the Conqueror, was crowned king of England.

› The victory of William's army over the English is known as the Norman Conquest.

B. Feudalism

Feudal societies brought safety to Europe and a new class of nobility.

B. Feudalism

Land Grants and Service› In a feudal society, a king

might grant a large parcel of land, called a manor, to a lord or knight.

› The lord could also divide his manor into smaller portions and give each portion to another person.

› The feudal system was often complicated.

B. Feudalism

Knighthood› Being a knight meant

more than being a good warrior.

› Knights were supposed to behave according to a code of conduct called chivalry.

› A knight who was a good warrior might win land or receive it as a reward from its lord.

B. Feudalism

Importance of Castles› Kings and lords built great

castles with high, strong walls to protect themselves and their families from other lords.

› Other areas held large supplies of food and water, so when the castle was attacked, the people inside had everything they needed to survive for some time.

› Castles were often located in key places that were important to trade or travel, such as at the mouth of a river or at the entrance to an important mountain pass.

B. Feudalism

Women in the Middle Ages› While a woman could own

land, her land and her belongings became the property of her husband when she married.

› The daily life of women depended in large part on their social status.

› They were trained to spin, weave, and make the clothing for the family.

C. The Economics of Feudalism

Feudalism benefited both lords and peasants, while technology improved their lives.

C. The Economics of Feudalism

Peasants› Some peasants were

free to move from place to place as they which, but most were serfs.

› Serfs were peasants who were legally bound to the land of the manor where they worked.

› Serfs paid rent, usually in the form of food produced, and agreed to work three days a week in the lord’s field.

C. The Economics of Feudalism

Technology Brings Improvement in Farming› Life in Europe had

improved somewhat. People generally had plenty of food and were not being killed in battle.

› A system of harnessing animals one behind the other allowed teams of animals to pull heavier loads.

› As new lands opened up, conditions for free peasants and serfs improved.

Chapter 12: The Early Middle Ages.

Section 3: The Church in Medieval Times

CHINAWorld studies

A. The Importance of the Church Men and

women in the Middle Ages took part in the Roman Catholic Church as members or as monks and nuns.

A. The Importance of the Church

Religion in Everyday Life› Everyone was expected to

go to church on Sundays and on other holy days, such as the feast days of important saints.

› The parish priest was a very important man in the village.

› There was no higher authority in the Roman Catholic Church than the pope.

A. The Importance of the Church

Religious Communities› Some men and women

chose to practice their religion by withdrawing from society and joining religious communities called monasteries and convents.

› The monastery contained a church or chapel where the monks worshiped.

› Many monasteries and convents grew quite wealthy and powerful.

A. The Importance of the Church

The Roles of Monasteries and Convents› Monasteries and

convents filled other roles in society.

› Some monasteries were known for the beautiful books they produced.

› Some monks felt that they had to leave the monastery and spread their religious message.

A. The Importance of the Church

Benedictine Rule› A holy man named

Benedict organized a monastery in southern Italy.

› Rules urged the monks to lead simple, orderly lives of prayer, study, and work.

› These rules were called the Benedictine Rule and were followed by most monasteries of Europe and England for many centuries.

A. The Importance of the Church.

New Religious Orders› The ideas of the Roman

Catholic Church were spread throughout parts of Europe by wandering priests.

› Some religious organizations had orders of nuns.

› The main responsibility of nuns was to care for the sick and the poor.

B. Church, Religion, and Power. During the early

middle ages, the authority of the church could be seen in the power of the Pope and in lavish cathedrals, while Jewish people were free to worship their own religion.

B. Church, Religion, and Power.

The Pope’s Reach› The ultimate weapon of

the Pope was excommunication, the expelling of a person or group of people from the Church.

› This punishment was dreadful, because it meant that a person’s soul would not go to heaven.

› Great nobles, kings, and even the toughest warriors feared the authority of the Pope.

B. Church, Religion, and Power.

Cathedral Architecture› During the early Middle Ages,

churches and cathedrals were built with round arches and heavy roofs.

› Churches were more open and rose much higher, this architecture is called gothic style and it spread across medieval Europe.

› Most people at the time could not read, so the windows served to illustrate stories from the Bible.

B. Church, Religion, and Power.

Jewish People and European Economics› The Middle Ages was a time of

anti-Semitism, or attacks and prejudice against Jewish people.

› Most Jews lived quite peacefully in the Christian lands of northern Europe and were free to practice their own religion.

› Jewish merchants were able to keep the lines of trade open between the Middle East and Europe during times that Muslims and Christians were at war.