Fragmented Worlds: The Middle Ages in East and

West

Fragmented Worlds: Middle Ages in East & West

I. Germanic Migrations and a new EuropeA.    Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) B. Germanic and non-Germanic Migrations to the West

C. Mapping Europe in the Dark Ages– The Rise of the Franks and Clovis conversion (496)

II. The Byzantine Empire and Maintaining Romanness in the EastA. The Reign of JustinianB. Expansion and Decline of Byzantine World

IV. The Rise and Development of the Islamic WorldA. Background and Muhammad as ProphetB. Islamic Beliefs—Five Pillars C. Spread of Islam D. Islamic Scholarship

I. Germanic Migrations, Fall of Rome, and New Europe

A.  Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) “the triumph of barbarism and religion”B. Germanic and non-Germanic Migrations to

the West– Huns, Visigoths, Vandals, Ostrogoths,

Franks, Angles, Saxons….– Relationship between Germanic Politics and

Culture with Roman SocietyC. Mapping Europe in the Dark Ages

– The Rise of the Franks and Clovis’s conversion to Christianity (496)

Germanic Migration

s

The End of the Western Roman Empire• The German migrations: Visigoths,

Ostrogoths, Vandals & Franks; Lombards later• Visigoths defeat Roman army at Adrianople in

378• Emperor Valens dies in battle

• Assimilation of the German peoples into empire

• Visigoths under Alaric sack Rome (410)• Augustine writes City of God

• Attila and Huns invade Italy in 452• Vandals lead attack on Rome in 455

The End of the Western Roman Empire (cont’d)• Attila and Huns invade Italy in 452• Vandals lead attack on Rome in 455• Odovacer (German mercenary for Rome) rebels and takes

western Empire for himself• Ostrogoths under Theodoric attack the Roman Empire and

enter Rome (493)• “Rome fell to the Goths in the 1164th year after its

foundation,” –Venerable Bede (c. 673-735) • The withdrawal to the countryside (transition from slavery to

serfdom)

• The Rise of the Franks• Clovis (466-511) and his conversion (496)• 732--Charles Martel defeats Muslims at Poitiers• Boniface and Barbarian Conversions (680-754?)• 755-756—Franks defeat Lombards

• Gift of papal state by Pepin

Mapping Europe in the Dark Ages

The Byzantine EmpireI. Maintaining Romanness in a multicultural

worldII. The Reign of Justinian (527-565)

Nika Revolts 532Church: Hagia Sophia (537)Law: uniform law for empire

Corpus Juris CivilisIII. Expansion and Decline of Empire

Maintaining Romanness in a multicultural worldThe Reign of Justinian (527-565)

532: Nika RevoltsChurch

Eastern Church and orthodoxy Hagia Sophia (537)

Society and Politics

Bribery and limits on women’s status

Powerful bureaucracy

Taxes, expansion, and building projectsCodification of law

Uniform law for Empire based on precedentCorpus Juris Civilis

Mosiac of Emperor Justinian (527-564)

Hagia SophiaA.D. 537

I. Maintaining Romanness in a multicultural worldII. The Reign of Justinian (527-565)

532: Nika RevoltsChurch

Eastern Church and orthodoxy Hagia Sophia (537)

Society and PoliticsBribery and limits on women’s statusPowerful bureaucracyTaxes, expansion, and building projects

Codification of lawUniform law for Empire based on precedentCorpus Juris Civilis

Theodora (d. 548), Wife of Emperor Justinian

III. Byzantine Empire: Gradual Decline

• Persian invasions: Jerusalem (614) and Egypt (619)

• Siege of Constantinople by the Avars (626)

• Defeat of Byzantine army by the Bulgars (670)

• The decline of urban life

Europe at the death of Justinian, 565

IV. The Rise and Development of the Islamic World

Background Muhammad as ProphetIslamic BeliefsSpread of Islam Islamic Scholarship

Koran in the majestic Kufic script (7th or 8th century)

The Rise of Islam• Bedouins before the 7th century• Muhammed (c. 570-632) and the Qur’an• Monotheism: • Hegira the journey from Mecca to Yathrib (Medina)• and back (622)• The five pillars of Islam: Faith, prayer 5 times

daily, zakat (alms), fast of Ramadan, pilgrimage to Mecca

Ummah = community of believers

The five pillars of Islam: 1. Faith

(shahadah)2. Prayer (salah)3. Charity (Zakat)4. Fast of

Ramadan (9th month of Islamic calendar)

5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) (629)

Ka’ba:Black meteorite in Mecca

624: Battle of Badr629: Mecca

Islamic Conquests• Battle of Badr 624 (control of Mecca)• Conquest of Palestine and Persia by

637• Seige of Constantinople 674• Conquest of Visigothic kingdom by

711• Battle of Poitiers/Tours 734

Growth of Islam by Eighth CenturyMartel turns back Muslims at Poitiers by 732

• Scientific and cultural contributions to the West

• Inquiry and IslamPhilosophy

Ibn Sina 980-1037MathematicsAl-Khwarizmi book on “Al-jabr”ScienceNavigation

Astrolabe

Family of Al-Asturlabi

Measures altitude of sun to calculate time and latitutde