Why did the Middle Ages Turn to Feudalism?

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Why did the Middle Ages Turn to Feudalism?

• What happened before, to set the stage for
  feudalistic life?

2
How The Middle Ages Began

• Rome fell leaving Europe in disunity, conflict,
  and poverty and in the hands of invaders
• A new European civilization would have to develop
  and a blended culture emerged Greco-Roman,
  German, and Christian
• Role of Geography?
• Why do you think this time frame is called the
  middle ages?

3
Groups Who Shaped Europe

• The Franks/French strongest German kingdom to
  emerge in W. Europe allied with the powerful
  ally of the Christian Church of Rome
• Muslim World Overran Christian lands and took
  control of Spain
• Led to the Battle of Tours in 732-the Christians
  wanted to push them out

4
Charlemagne/Charles the Great

• Built a united empire across France, Germany, and
  part of Italy
• Crowned Emperor of the Romans by the Pope Leo III
  after helping crush a rebellion of Nobles in
  Rome.
• Very significant b/c a Christian pope crowned a
  Germanic King as successor to Rome.
• By doing this there was revival of the Christian
  community and laid ground for future power
  struggles between Rome and Germany
• This widened the split between W. and E.
  Christian worlds.

5
After Charlemagne

• When he died his empire soon fell too
• This was followed by 30 years of power struggles
• His grandson soon divided the region into 3 parts
• C left a legacy of a strong and united Christian
  kingdom
• Wave of invasions ensued-all seeking to pillage
  W. Europe Muslims Magyars and Vikings

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Map
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The Church and Medieval Life

• Christian rituals and faith were part of everyday
  life
• The Church was the social center as well as a
  place to worship
• They took pride in it and tithed (gave 10 of
  income to the church-Biblical) to keep it
  beautiful.
• 1 objective was the Church and the parish or
  priest was the only contact people had with the
  church.
• He would practice sacraments-sacred rites of the
  church major role in Catholic salvation

8
Monks and Nuns

• Monks and nuns were those men and women who
  withdrew from worldly life to devote their life
  to God within monasteries and convents
• Benedict monk in 530 who organized the Monte
  Cassino Monastery in S. Italy. He also drew up a
  set of rules to regulate monastic life
  Benedictine Rule
• This law included 3 main vows
• Obedience to the abbot/abbess
• Poverty
• Chastity/Purity

9
The Power of the Church Grows

• The church controlled spiritual life and soon
  dominated secular life
• Concept of Papal Supremacy developed (primarily
  the Catholic faith) Pope considered
  representative of Christ and therefore has
  authority over all secular rulers.
• Moreover, this soon led to papal states-lands
  belonging to the pope.
• Church and state were one.

10
Religious Authority

• Canon Law Laws and courts belonging to the
  medieval church disobedience led to a range of
  penalties.
• The most severe penalty was excommunication not
  receiving sacraments or a Christian burial
• When nobles opposed the church they received an
  interdict an order excluding an entire town,
  region, or kingdom

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Reforms

• As the Churchs wealth and power grew-its
  discipline weakened
• Throughout the middle ages there became an
  evident need for reform
• Francis of Assisi set up friars-monks who did not
  live in monasteries but traveledWhy did this
  help?
• Cluniac Reforms initiated by Abbot Berno of
  Cluny
• Revived Benedictine rule
• Nobles could no longer interfere with monastic
  affairs
• Brought devoted men into the ministry
• 1073 Pope Gregory VII applied the reforms to
  the entire church as a whole. He then outlawed
  marriage for priests and simony (the selling of
  church offices)

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Jews in Europe

• Jewish communities existed across
  Europe-especially in Spain due to its Islamic
  dominance.
• Many Jews migrated to Germany
• Persecution of Jews developed b/c many felt they
  were directly linked with the death of Jesus
• Soon anti-Semitism, prejudice against Jews,
  developed