The Middle Ages in Europe (Medieval Europe)

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The Middle Ages in Europe(Medieval Europe)
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The Dark Ages500 A.D. 800 A.D.

• Germanic barbarians destroyed Rome and the Roman
  way of life which led to fall of the Roman
  Empire.
• During this time civilization declined in Europe.

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Early Middle Ages

• The Germanic people who conquered the Romans
  divided themselves into the following tribes
• 1. Visigoths
• 2. The Franks
• 3. Anglo-Saxons

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Early Middle Ages

• The Great European Plain
• This plain stretches across most of Northern
• Europe. Farmers during this time learned to
• farm the plains by clearing forests, inventing
• a heavy iron plow, and by using oxen to pull
• their plows. Farmers were able to raise a
• surplus of food.

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Early Middle Ages

• Charlemagne
• Son of Pepin the Short, he ruled most of
• Western Europe by 800. He built the largest
• empire in Europe since the time of Rome.
• His name means Charles the Great. His
• empire did not last long after his death in 814
• because his grandsons fought over who would rule.

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Early Middle Ages

• Alfred the Great
• Was the ruler of Wessex (a kingdom in Southern
• England).
• He raised an army to defeat the Danish (people
  from Denmark) and invaded their kindgdom.
• He worked hard to strengthen his kingdom and
  improve learning.

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The Church in the Middle Ages

• By 1000 A.D., most of Europe was Christian.
• In every town or village there was a church and
  daily life was centered around the church bells.
• The priest was an important part of village life.

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Monks and Nuns

• Monks men who lived in monasteries who devoted
  their lives to God.
• Nuns women who lived in convents who devoted
  their lives to God.
• Monks Nuns lived by strict rules. They spent
  most of their time in work, prayer, and study.
  These two groups made up what is known as the
  clergy.

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Monks Nuns

• During the middle ages, they converted most of
  Europe to Christianity.
• In most towns, only monks nuns could read and
  write. They helped people learn.

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The Crusades

• Series of holy wars fought between many
  Christians in Europe (known as the Crusaders) who
  wanted to fight for the Christian way of life
  against the Muslims.
• They drove the Muslims out for some time but they
  eventually returned.

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How did the Crusades change Europe?

• The Crusaders found that Muslim leaders could be
  civilized and well educated.
• Seasoning of food with spices developed so trade
  increased.
• Desire for silk clothing
• Since trade flourished, it helped cities to grow
  develop.

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The Power of the Church

• If people broke the rules of the church, they
  were excommunicated (cut off from the church).
  This was terrible for these people because all
  hope of going to heaven was now gone.
• There was a struggle for power between the pope
  and the king during the middle ages.

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Feudalism

• The system of government/social organization
  developed during the middle ages.
• The king had most of the power.
• Under the king, was the noble class which went
  lords, knights, and vassals.
• Under the noble class were the church officials.
• At the bottom was the townspeople and serfs and
  peasants.

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Feudal System

• Lord land owner, a king or powerful noble
• Vassal promised to serve obey the lord. Many
  knights were vassals.
• Church officials priests, bishops, etc.
• Townspeople merchants, farmers, craftsmen, etc.
• Serfs/Peasants poorest class, farmers who lived
  worked on the land

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The rise of nations in Europe

• Later in the Middle Ages, feudalism began to die
  out and kings began to build modern nations
  (countries).
• Some of these modern nations that began were
  England, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany,
  Denmark, Norway, sweden.
• England was the first country to unite under a
  strong monarchy (a govt. headed by a king or
  queen).

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The Magna Carta

• During the reign of King John in England in the
  early 13th century, the nobles rebelled against
  him and forced him to sign a charter (an
  agreement that gives you certain rights).
• This charter became know as the Magna Carta or
  the Great Charter.

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What did the Magna Carta say?

• The king could not collect taxes unless agreed
  upon by a council.
• Gave the accused the right to a fair trial.
• Most importantly, it put limits on the kings
  power.

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The Parliament

• Began in England in 1265.
• Was a council that included representatives of
  small landowners townspeople.
• At first the parliament had little power, but
  later they gained power to pass laws in England.

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The Bubonic Plague (Black Death)

• This widespread illness spread through Europe in
  the late 1340s.
• The plague killed so many people that the
  population in Europe was almost cut in half!!
• http//www.themiddleages.net/plague.html

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The Hundred Years War

• War between France England in the late Middle
  Ages that lasted 100 years.
• The reason for the war was mainly over land.
• While the English won many important battles, the
  French eventually drove the English out and won
  the war.

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Joan of Arc

• In 1429, this 17-year-old peasant girl asked to
  see the king of France. She told him she had been
  hearing voices from heaven that she had been
  ordered to save France.
• The king put her at the head of the army which
  gave them hope.
• Joan was captured burned to death by the
  English. This angered the people of France and
  united them together.

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Joan of Arc
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• Change the development of new ideas provided
  the people with a chance of growth while the time
  of the Middle Ages came to an end.

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Questions to Ponder

• What is feudalism and how did it affect the
  people of the Middle Ages?
• What made Charlemagne so successful?
• How were the people of the Middle Ages influenced
  by the Church?
• Why was the Magna Carta so important?
• What replaced feudalism as the main form of
  government?