The Early Middle Ages

The Early The Early Middle Middle AgesAges

Don’t write• During the early middle ages, 500 to

1000, Europe was isolated from the more advanced civilizations in the Middle East, South Asia and China.

A Land of Great Potential • Roman roads connected places,

spreading Christianity, classical ideas, and the Latin language.

Geography:Western Europe:

relatively smallResources: • Dense forests• Rich black earth

good for farming• Rich minerals• Seas (Mediterranean,

Black, North, Baltic), and Atlantic Ocean

Germanic TribesFarmers and herders

• Very different than the Romans • Small communities (no cities)• No written laws, relied on custom• Ruled by kings• Noble warriors• Divided Western Europe into small

kingdoms. • Most successful kingdom: Franks

Islam: A New Mediterranean Power

• Conquered Christian kingdoms in Spain and North Africa.

• Tried to conquer France but lost the Battle of Tours (732).

Charlemagne (Charles the Great)

Around A.D. 800

• His empire unified Europe (France, Germany, Italy)—put together the old Roman Empire

•Tall man, intimidating on a horse (giant), liked fighting

•Spent most of his time fighting Muslims (Moors) in Spain, Saxons in the North, Avars and Slavs in the east and Lombards in Italy.

•Crowned emperor by the Pope paving way to split between East and West (*Eastern emperor was not happy!*)

Charlemagne’s Government

 Tried to spread Christianity. Appointed missi domini to check

on provinces

A Revival of LearningA Revival of Learning • Tried to revive learning of Latin• Tried to reverse the trend of

ignorance • Set up a school at Aachen run by

Alcuin

Subjects: grammar, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy

Books: Bible, ancient manuscripts

New Attacks– After Charlemagne’s death,

Muslims, Magyars and Vikings attacked.

– Vikings were the most vicious attackers but traded extensively too.

Leif Eriksson – sailed to N.A. in 1,000.

PoliticalFeudalism- A political system which

exchanges land for military service.

– King gives lord (vassal) a fief (land). In exchange, the lord (vassal) gives the king his loyalty and protection when needed.

– Lords gradually became more powerful than kings as they acquired more land.

King or lord

Required to give:

-Fief (land)

Feudalism

Vassal or lord

Required to give:

-loyalty

-military service

Social• Kings and Lords were at the top of the social

hierarchy.

• Knights- mounted warriors– Chivalry- code of

– conduct for knights

– (be brave, loyal,

polite)

• Feudal lords battled constantly for power and land

• By the 1100’s, fighting declined so lords held tournaments (fake battles) to entertain people.

• Serfs- peasants who worked the lord’s land

– They could not leave without permission

– They paid the lord rent in food and labor (no $$) for use of the land and protection.

• Role of Women

– Noblewomen managed the household and were in change when men were away.

– Rights:• Received a limited inheritance

• Arranged marriages, expected to have many kids

• Few knew how to read and write

• Chivalry raised women to a new status. They were protected and cherished.

EconomicManorialism- an economy where land, not

money, is the basis of wealth

Manor- the lord’s estate, which included the town, peasant houses, church, and fields

- Self-sufficient, which led to a decline

in trade

• Three-field system- two fields planted, one left fallow (empty) to regain fertility