The Foundations of

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Chapter 17
The Foundations of Christian Society in Western
Europe
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The Germanic Successor States, c. 500 CE

• Last Roman emperor deposed by Germanic Odoacer,
  476 CE
• Administrative apparatus still in place, but
  cities lose population
• Germanic successor states
• Spain Visigoths
• Italy Ostrogoths
• Gaul Burgundians, Franks
• Britian Angles, Saxons

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• Successor States to the Roman Empire c. 500

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The Frankish Empire

• In the territory known as Gaul, and what is
  currently the country of France, the Franks
  emerged as the dominant tribe in the area.
• In the late 400s, Clovis was the first king of
  the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under
  one ruler. His conversion to Christianity gained
  him a great ally in the Roman Catholic Church.

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The Franks

• Heavy influence on European development
• Strong agricultural base
• Shifts center of economic gravity to Europe
• Firm alliance with western Christian church

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Clovis (ruled 481-511)

• Major Frankish leader
• Destroyed last vestiges of Roman rule in Gaul
• Dominated other Germanic peoples
• Franks establish themselves as preeminent
  Germanic people

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Clovis Conversion to Christianity

• Paganism, Arian Christianity popular among Franks
• Clovis and army chooses Roman Catholicism
• Influence of wife Clotilda
• Political implications
• Alliance with western church

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The Carolingians

• Charles The Hammer Martel begins Carolingian
  dynasty
• Defeats Spanish Muslims at Battle of Tours (732)
• Halts Islamic advance into western Europe

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• Charles de Steuben's Bataille de Poitiers en
  Octobre 732 depicts a triumphant Charles Martel
  (mounted) facing Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi (right)
  at the Battle of Tours.

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• The Carolingian Empire

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Charlemagne (r. 768-814)

• Grandson of Charles Martel
• Centralized imperial rule
• Functional illiterate, but sponsored extensive
  scholarship
• Major military achievements

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Charlemagnes Empire
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Charlemagnes Administration

• Capital at Aachen, Germany
• Yet constant travel throughout empire
• Spread Christianity
• Set Up Education System
• Increased Scriptoriums
• Alcuin, the leading scholar and educator under
  Charlemagne introduced the 7 liberal arts
• Begins Romanesque Architecture
• Expansion of Territory
• Imperial officials missi dominici (envoys of
  the lord ruler)
• Continued yearly circuit travel

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Romanesque church in Normandy
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Charlemagne as Emperor

• Hesitated to challenge Byzantines by taking title
  emperor
• Yet ruled in fact
• Pope Leo III crowns him as emperor in 800
• Planned in advance?
• Challenge to Byzantium

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Pope Crowned CharlemagneHoly Roman Emperor Dec.
25, 800
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The Carolingian Renaissance
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Carolingian Miniscule
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Louis the Pious (r. 814-840)

• Son of Charlemagne
• Lost control of courts, local authorities
• Civil war erupts between three sons
• Empire divided in 843

Charlemagne crowns Louis the Pious
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Charlemagnes Empire CollapsesTreaty of Verdun,
843
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Invasions

• South Muslims
• East Magyars
• North Vikings
• Norse expansion begins c. 800 CE
• Driven by population pressure, hostility to
  spread of Christianity
• Superior seafaring technology
• Sailed to eastern Canada, northeastern US

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• The dissolution of the Carolingian Empire (843 CE
  divided amongst Charlemagnes grandchildren)
  and the invasions of early medieval Europe in the
  ninth and tenth centuries

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The Vikings

• From village of Vik, Norway (hence Viking)
• Boats with shallow drafts, capable of river
  travel as well as open seas
• Attacked villages, cities from 9th century
• Constantinople sacked three times
• Carolingians had no navy, dependent on local
  defenses

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England

• Viking invasions force consolidation of Angles,
  Saxons and other Germanic peoples under King
  Alfred (r. 871-899)
• Built navy
• Fortified cities against attack

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Germany and France

• King Otto of Saxony (r. 936-973) defeats Magyars,
  955
• Proclaimed emperor by Pope in 962
• Establishment of Holy Roman Empire
• France endures heavy Viking settlement
• Loss of local autonomy

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Early Medieval Society

• Concept of Feudalism
• Lords and vassals
• Increasingly inadequate model for describing
  complex society
• Ad hoc arrangements in absence of strong central
  authorities

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Feudalism
A political, economic, and social system based on
loyalty and military service.
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Knight

• The Armored knight was the pre-eminent weapon in
  the medieval arsenal. He was worth approx. 50 to
  100 common foot soldiers for he could inflict
  just as much damage.

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Organizing in a Decentralized Society

• Local nobles take over administration from weak
  central government
• Nominal allegiances, esp. to Carolingian kings
• But increasing independence

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Lords and Retainers

• Formation of small private armies
• Incentives land grants, income from mills, cash
  payments
• Formation of hereditary class of military
  retainers
• Development of other functions
• Justice, social welfare

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Potential for Instability

• Complex interrelationship of lord-retainer
  relations
• Rebellion always a possibility
• Nevertheless, viable large states developed
  (Germany, France, England)

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Origins of Serfdom

• Slaves, free peasants in both Roman and Germanic
  societies
• Heavy intermarriage
• Appeals to lords, special relationships
• Mid-7th century recognition of serf class
• Midway between slave and free peasant

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Serfs Rights and Obligations

• Right to pass on land to heirs
• Obligation to provide labor, payments in kind to
  lord
• Unable to move from land
• Fees charged for marrying serfs of another lord

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Manors

• Large, diverse estates
• Lord provides governance, police, justice
  services
• Serfs provide labor, income

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The Medieval Manor
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Life on the Medieval Manor
Serfs at work
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Women in the Middle Ages

• Noblewomen were responsible for the entire
  running of an estate while her husband was in
  battle.
• All women had very limited inheritance rights, as
  all possessions went to the oldest son.
• In the Middle Ages, the Church portrayed women as
  weak and easily tempted into sin. Yet, women
  were also portrayed as modest and pure in spirit.
• Learning was generally discouraged for women.

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The Economy of Early Medieval Europe

• Agricultural center moves north from
  Mediterranean
• 8th century iron-tipped plow introduced in Europe
• Draft animals bred
• Water mill technology
• Agricultural output insufficient to support
  growth of cities
• Strong Mediterranean trade despite Muslim
  domination of sea

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Norse Merchant Mariners

• Commerce or plunder as convenient
• Link with the Islamic world for trade

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Population Growth of Europe, 200-1000 CE
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The Formation of Christian Europe

• Clovis conversion forms strong alliance with
  Roman Christianity
• Church supplies Clovis with class of literate
  information workers
• Scribes
• secretaries

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The Franks and the Church

• Protectors of the Papacy
• Charlemagne destroys Lombards, who threatened
  Pope, Rome
• Spreads Christianity in northern areas
• Support of scholarship, scribal activity

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The Spread of Christianity

• Charlemagne fights pagan Saxons (772-804)
• Saxons later adopt Christianity
• Scandinavia, other pockets of paganism until c.
  1000 CE

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Pope Gregory I (590-604 CE)

• Gregory the Great
• Asserted papal primacy
• Prominent theologian
• Sacrament of penance
• Major missionary activity, especially in England

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Monasticism

• Egyptian origins, 2nd-3rd centuries
• Monastic lifestyle expands 4th century
• Large variety of monastic rules
• Range from extremely ascetic to very lax

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St. Benedict (480-547)

• Established consistent rule for monasteries
• Poverty
• Chastity
• Obedience
• St. Scholastica (482-543)
• Sister of St. Benedict
• Adapts Benedictine Rule for convents

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Pope Gregory I, by Francisco de Zurbarán
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Monasticism and Society

• Accumulation of large landholdings, serfs
• Social welfare projects
• Esp. labor contributions
• Expansion of literacy
• Inns, orphanages, hospitals

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The Power of the Medieval Church

• The church controlled about 1/3 of the land
  in Western Europe.
• Tithe ? 1/10 tax on your assets given to the
  church.
• Threat of excommunication and an inderdict gave
  the church tremendous control over European
  peasants and nobles.
• The selling of indulgences, canon law and
  simony also fortified the churchs power, but
  led many to recognize these acts as corrupt.

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Church Secular Influence Pope Innocent III

• The Church claimed authority over all secular
  rulers, many of whom did not recognize this
  authority, often resulting in power struggles
  between monarchs and popes.
• When King John of England challenged Pope
  Innocent III over the appointment of an
  archbishop, he was excommunicated in 1209.

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Magna Carta, 1215

• King John I
• Great Charter
• Monarchs were not above the law.
• Kings had to consult a council of
  advisors.
• Kings could not tax arbitrarily.

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The Medieval Church

• Reform
• Church wealth influence
• Some clergy corrupted
• Reformers
• Nuns Monks
• Set up housing, hospitals, schools
• Missionaries Preservation of learning

• Everyday Life
• Christians attend village churches
• Priests run village churches
• All Christians pay tithe
• Power of the Church
• Pope leads
• Canon Law
• Excommunication/ interdict