Western Europe

Impact of Christianity (490-600)

• Roman Catholic in the west and Eastern Orthodox in Byzantine were Christian churches that became the Information Highway
• The Information Highway controlled info, beliefs, and attitudes
• Knowledge of the world is monopolized as cultural interaction decreases
• clergy focuses on their own religious doctrine
• By ignoring the world science, literature, and art the Dark Ages start
• The church becomes the most influential force in Miedieval Europe
• Kings get political advantage-church recieves land, wealth, and influence

Reign of Charles Martel & Viking Raids (600 - 755)

• Warm weather made it easier to travel
• Scandinavians were not inhibited by a culture that discouraged pillaging
• Vikings from Scandinavia began to raid coastal Britain in 600
• Monasteries were invaded since they were usually undefended and had valuable things inside
• Slaves were captured
• Charles Martel reigned from 718-741 C.E. and was the founder of the Great Carolingian Dynasty
• He created the most powerful kingdom in Miedieval Europe
• Grandfather of Charlemagne

The Rise of the Franks (755-850)

• Military

- advanced stirrups for better control of swords/ weapons
-learned of Romans' military techonology
-first permanent, professional army in Europe since collapse of Rome
-heavily armoured infantry

• Geo-Politics

-expanded home territory
-easily accepted to Roman populations and converted to Roman catholicism
-well insulated from getting threats from Muslims and Vikings
-no heavy taxes

• Politics

-converted to Roman Catholicism in 493, the Franks did not imploy heavy taxation like other Romans
-fair amount of local automny=soverignty

• Centralization

-split personal possessions equally amongst children
-Clovis would murder all his siblings to consildate rule among tribes
-Led to a very powerful nation
-proved to be the downfall in the 9th century

• Leadership

-successful, charistimistic, capable leaders such as Charlemagne, Clovis, and Martel
Feudalism (840 - 967)

• sub division of the empire grew backwardness
• strong, centralized rule dissolved into petty kingdoms throughout the kingdom
• discouraged unification and urbanization
• feudalism is a military/economic/social order where the monarch grants feudal lorders large pieces of land
• in exchange, military service and taxes for military protection
• the feudal lords ruled and dealt justice when needed

Christianity and the High Middle Ages & Expansion of Holy Roman Empire (967 - 1060)

• the petty kingdoms began to be consolidated into nation-states in the High MIddle Ages
• Christianity contintued to dminate the continent
• by the 10th and 11th centuries barbaric eople in Europe were Christianized

• Christian Crusades revived interest in Asia and stimulated trade
• Population in Europe grew rapidly expanding settlemens
• increase in Papal influence
• power of religion transcends nationalism

Effects of the Crusades, Norman conquest of England and Magna Carta (1060-1240)

• in 1066, Normans from Normandy invaded Europe and become the ruling class of England
• in 1215, first step in democracy since fall of Rome
• Nobles of England reach breaking point with failures of king
• abuse of monarch powers
• senseless violence and wars

-Christian mentality: Christianity must replace Islam/Judaism even through violence
-persecutions of Jews throughout Europe
-death toll was high for Christians and Muslims
-short lived Christian kingdom in the Middle East was unsustainable

• Undermining Church Moral Authority

-slaughter of Jews and Muslims were indictment again the Roman Catholic Church

• Distrust of Christians

-Christians violently persecutued JEws and Muslims in their path to Middle East
-bad reputation as ruthless and exploitive group

• Opened way for Future Muslim conquests of Europe

-Crusaders compelled to conquer Byantine capital of Constantinople
-Byzantine conquered Ottoman armies, remainder of Eastern Europe fell to the Ottoman Empire

• Asian influence

-crusades increased Europe's knowledge of the Asian world
-Asian world was more advanced than Europe

• Increased anti-semitism

-devotion and loyalty to the Church rose throughout Europe
-religious tolerance was low, left Jew populaton in EUrope as a target
-Jewish communities were destroyed

Why the Golden Horde was able to dominate Europe and the Black Death Plague (1240 - 1350)

• forced west: Mongols were forced wst from central Asian home due to dry weather
• superiror military technology: exposure to methods thanks to nomadic lifestyle (superior horsemanship skills and bows)
• sterngthening numbers: increased ranks as they passed through conquered territoties. slaughter all defeated peoples unless they would go along with them. The Rus people sbmitted to their rules
• learned diplomacy: grown to dominate northern trade route from Europe to Asia, which contributed to their wealth and sophistication
• Europe's weakended condition: timing was fortunate- arrival coincided with the Black Death Plague, weakened all of Europe
• bad weather in 1315 resulted in mass crop failures throughout Europe- caused the death of several million, and also resulted in high levels of criminal activity, murder, disease, cannibalism
• 1347 hit Europe- killed 75 million: it was caused by a bacterum found n rats in Central Asia
• spread because of invasians and interaction and trade through Arabs and Mongols
• resulted in dense population with weak immune systems

The Magna Carta was between the government and religion.
Manorialism was a system of political and economic relationship between landlords and surfs.
Feudalism was the overall system of military relationships between lords and vassals. (politics and military)
-Feudalism linked many landlords and military elites.
-Kings could coin money

E	· Manorialism was the system of economic and political relations between landlords and peasants · Three-field system improved the limited productivity of serfs- only 1/3 of the land was left unplanted each year · Europe’s economic surge helped feed cultural life · Merchant capitalism gained power in western Europe · Trade- the west became a commercial zone in the 10th century · Lords were tempted to press serfs for higher rents and taxes · Tension produced recurrent series of peasant-landlord battles · Banking was introduced to the West to facilitate the long-distance exchange of money and goods · Use of money spread · Largest trading and banking operations were capitalistic · Hanseatic League encouraged trade- established by Scandinavia · Guilds grouped people in the same business/trade in a city · Guilds stressed security and control
S	· Serfs were the peasants who lived on self-sufficient agricultural estates called manors · Serfs received protection and justice from landlords in return of giving part of their goods and to remain on the land · Serfs led difficult lives- limited agricultural equipment, low production · Kings could use feudalism to build their own power · The duke of Normandy William the Conqueror extended his feudal system to his kingdom – tied lords of England to his royal court · Three estates: church, nobles, and urban leaders (parliaments) · Crusades offered a passing episode; not so successful · Investiture- practice of state appointment
P	· B/w Rome’s fall and 10th century, effective political organization was local · Manorialism was the system of economic and political relations between landlords and peasants · Manorialism was strengthened by decline of trade and lack of larger political structures · Carolingian family took over the monarchy (royal house of the Franks) · Charlemagne (another Carolingian ruler) established an empire in France and Germany around the year 800 · He helped restore church-based education in western Europe · When Charlemagne died in 814 the empire didn’t last · From that point onward- western Europe contained regional monarchies; a durable empire was impossible, given competing loyalties and absence of a strong bureaucracy · Rulers called Holy Roman emperors merged Christian and classical claims- they gained visibility after Charlemagne’s death
I	· Invasions prolonged the West’s weakness and led to difficulty in developing solid government and economic forms · Vikings from Scandinavia disrupted life from Ireland to Sicily · Charles Martel was responsible for defeating Muslims in battle of Tours in 732 · Defeat helped confine Muslims to Spain and preserved Europe for Christianity · Feudalism relationships linked military elites- landlords and vassals. Vassals owed lords military service while lords provided protection and some aid · Urban II called for first crusade in 1095- against the Muslim control of the Holy land · Crusaders were promised forgiveness of sins if they died in battle and could go to heaven
R	· Rome was the center of the growing Catholic Church from 550 to 900 C.E. · Church copied the government of the Roman Empire to administer Christendom · Regional churches were headed by bishops who owed allegiance to church’s central authority while in return they appointed and supervised priests · Popes regulated doctrine · Papal missionaries converted the English to Christianity · Warrior chieftain Clovis converted to Christianity in 496 C.E. to gain greater prestige over local rivals who were pagan · in return, the author game him dominion over the Franks (Germanic tribe in present day France) · Catholic church went through periods of decline and renewal as the medieval society was established · Church officials became preoccupied with their land holdings and political interests and less focused on the church · Saint Claire of Assisi showed his spirit of purity and dedicated to the church (woman) · Gregory VII purified the church and freed it from interference by feudal lords · Reformers stated all priests remained unmarried · Series of clerics stressed the significance of faith in God’s word but believed that human reason could move toward an understanding of religion and nature also (from 1000 onward) · Peter Abelard in Paris wrote a treatise called Yes and No to show logical contradictions in doctrine · A monk named Bernard of Clairvauc challenged Abelard- he stressed importance of mystical union with God · He believed that the reason was dangerous and God’s truth must be received through faith · Christian devotion ran deep- however, individuals were unaware of how their actions might contradict Christian morality · Raoul de Cambrai, hero of a French epic, set fire to a convent filled with nuns and asks a servant to bring him some food- he is reminded it is Lent and Raoul denies his action was unjust because the nuns insulted his knights
I	· Weak rulers and discontinuation agriculture- intellectual activity declined · Few who read and wrote were concentrated in the hierarchy and monasteries of the Catholic church · Copied older manuscripts · 9th and 10th centuries, schools formed around cathedrals and trained children who were destined for careers in the church · Demand for educated personnel to sustain universities · Trained in medicine and law · Combining philosophy and Christian faith was the theme in the postclassical West · Formed problems- it explained the intellectual vitality of emerging universities · Higher education benefited students through job opportunities · Universities were not tied into a single bureaucratic system · Art and architecture were intended to serve God · Painted on wooden panels- painted birth and suffering of Christ, lives of saints, used figures · New style- Gothic architects built church spires and tall arched windows- showed the towers that led up to the heavens · Medieval literature and music reflected religion- philosophy, law, political theory
T	· Moldboard was invented in the 9th century- a better plow that allowed deeper turning of the soil to help serfs on their land and production · New agricultural techniques were established from contacts with eastern Europe and Asian raiders into central Europe · Three field system was a crucial gain to improvement · New horse collar that allowed horses to be pulled without choking them · Gothic architects showed technical skills growing- huge monuments and construction production

ESPIRIT on Aztecs

E	-Aztecs were a group of 10,000 people who migrated to the shores of Lake Texcoco in the central valley of Mexico. - Increased or decreased tributes depending if the area surrendered to the Aztecs or fought them - Gov't distributed tributes from surrounding areas to people - Less tributes to peasants and more to nobles - Gold and cacao beans were used for currency -Trade
S	- Rulers and warrior nobles took lands and tribute from conquered towns - Pochteca was a merchant class that brought luxury items to Aztecs - Aztecs were seperated into calpulli = clans - Heads of households, labor gangs, military unite - Social mobility was possible - nobles were for the most part born into the class. - Nobles controlled the priesthood and the military leadership. - Social distinctions were seen based on appearance: clothing, accessories, insignias. - Healers, scribes, artisans, peasants, slaves. - Women cooked, took care of the children and wove (weave?) - not all families were equal - Nobility practiced polygamy -commoners were monogamous.
P	- fought among each other for power and alliance over the Lake Texcoco area -governed by councils of family heads - organized into city-states. - based on military power and the Toltec culture. - rule under the Great Speaker. - Rule was controlled by the ruler and prime minister
I	- Alliances were established with two other city-states to help dominate the area - they were the dominant group controlling the area
R	- Legend of Topiltzin/ Quetzalcoatl - Offered human sacrifices for gods - human sacrifice worked together with the political institution of Aztecs - duality, multiple sides to a god - traditional gods of water, wind, corn - gods focused on agriculture, gods focused on warfare, and lastly gods focused on creation - Monotheism under king Nezhualcoyotl- not very successful
I	- Religious art and poetry focused on specific images (even human hearts and blooD) -Birds -Flowers
T	- They used medates, stone boards, to prepare food - Used animal/water powered mills to transform wheat into food -Temple and schools