Chapter 13

European Middle Ages

500 – 1200 A.D.
Section 1: Charlemagne Unites Germanic Kingdoms
 13.1 Vocabulary
• Middle Ages - Era in European history following the fall of the Roman Empire, lasting

from about 500 to 1500—also called the medieval period.

• Franks - People who settled in the Roman province of Gaul (roughly the area now occupied

by France) and established a great empire during the Middle Ages.

• monastery - Religious community of men (called monks) who have given up their

possessions to devote themselves to a life of prayer and worship.

• secular - concerned with worldly rather than spiritual matters.

a dynasty of Frankish rulers, lasting from

• Carolingian Dynasty - A.D. 751 to 987

Charles the Great, Emperor of the Frankish

• Charlemagne- kingdom from 771 to 814
 Fall of Roman Empire
 Roman Empire divides into East and West in year 395
 East becomes Byzantium
 Justinian becomes Emperor in 527

 Byzantine Empire collapses around 1100 A.D.

 Middle Ages
 500 – 1500 A.D.
 Three Roots of Medieval
Culture
 Classical heritage of Rome
 Beliefs of Roman Catholic
Church
 Customs of Germanic Tribes

What are the effects of multiple

invasions?
 Invasions of Western Europe
 Effects of Invasions:
 Disruption of Trade
 Downfall of Cities
 Population changes
 Decline of Learning
 Loss of Common Language
Germanic Kingdoms
Emerge
 The Roman catholic church survives
invasions
 The concept of government changes
 Family more important
 Smaller communities
 Unwritten rules
 Personal relationships important
 Warriors lived with Kings
 It was a disgrace to outlive him
Clovis Rules the Franks
 Clovis brought Christianity in year 496
 Battle convinced him to convert
 Asked for God’s help
 United Franks into one kingdom
Germans Adopt Christianity
 Church and Franks worked together to spread
Christianity
 Many moved back into Rome

 Church built religious communities : Monasteries

 Monks and Nuns lived there
Monasteries
 An Empire Evolves
 After death of Clovis in 511, Charles Martel takes control
 (Charles the Hammer)
 He was not Emperor
 Gained more power than the King
 Extended the kingdom
 Defeated Muslims
 Became Christian Hero
 An Empire Evolves
 Charles Martel passed power to son Pepin the Short
 Gained title “King by Grace of God”
 Began Carolingian Dynasty in 751 A.D.
Charlemagne Becomes
Emperor
 Pepin died in 768
 Frankish kingdom VERY strong
 Charlemagne took over after Pepin’s son Carloman
mysteriously died 771
Charlemagne Becomes
Emperor
 Charlemagne extends empire
 After helping the pope in Rome, he was crowned
Roman Emperor
 He was not from Rome!
Charlemagne Leads Revival
 Charlemagne managed his Empire very well
 Encouraged learning
 Opened schools
 Encouraged monasteries to open schools for future monks
 Charlemagne dies in 814
 Names only son Louis the Pious (The Fair) as Emperor
 Not very good

 Louis the Pious’ sons fought for power

 Divided empire into 3 parts
 Authority broke down
 Quiz Next Class
13.1 Vocabulary
• Middle Ages - Era in European history following the fall of the Roman Empire, lasting

from about 500 to 1500—also called the medieval period.

• Franks - People who settled in the Roman province of Gaul (roughly the area now occupied

by France) and established a great empire during the Middle Ages.

• monastery - Religious community of men (called monks) who have given up their

possessions to devote themselves to a life of prayer and worship.

• secular - concerned with worldly rather than spiritual matters.

a dynasty of Frankish rulers, lasting from

• Carolingian Dynasty - A.D. 751 to 987

Charles the Great, Emperor of the Frankish

• Charlemagne- kingdom from 771 to 814
 Chapter 13
European Middle Ages
500 – 1200 A.D.
Section 2: Feudalism in Europe
 13.2 Vocabulary
 lord-in feudal Europe, a person who controlled land and could
therefore grant estates to vassals.
 fief- an estate granted to a vassal by a lord under the feudal
system in medieval Europe.
 vassal- in feudal Europe, a person who received a grant of land from a
lord in exchange for a pledge of loyalty and services.
 knight- in medieval Europe, an armored warrior who fought on
horseback.
 serf- a medieval peasant legally bound to live on a lord’s estate.

 manor- a lord’s estate in feudal Europe.

 tithe- a family’s payment of one-tenth of its income to a church.
 Invaders Attack Western
Europe
 Many invaders came from year 800-1000
 Vikings invade from the North
 Also called Northmen or Norsemen
 Worshipped war like gods
 Nicknames like Eric Bloodaxe and
Thorfinn Skullsplitter
Invaders Attack Western
Europe
 Vikings used swords and heavy
wooden shields
 Arrived on huge ships, attack and
leave
 Ships were huge
 Could travel in 3 feet of water

 Vikings stopped attacking after

they accepted Christianity
 warmer weather made farming
easier

 Viking Leif Ericson reached

North America around year 500
Invaders Attack Western
Europe
 Magyars were a nomadic people
 attacked from East
 Rode horses
 Did not settle
 Took captives to sell as slaves
 Muslims attacked from South
 Conquered different areas
 Invaders Attack Western
Europe
 Effectsof invasions
 A lot of disorder and suffering
 Lived in constant fear and danger
 Kings could not effectively defend
 Local rulers gained strength for defeating
invaders
 New Social Order:
Feudalism
 Feudalism: A political and
economic system of Europe based on
the holding of all land in fief or fee
=Vassal … and characterized by homage,
legal and military service of tenants,
and penalty
= Serf
 In exchange for military
protection a lord (land owner)
granted land called fief.
 The Person receiving fief was a
vassal
 New Social Order:
Feudalism
 Social classes were well defined
 You were born into your social
class
=Vassal  Serfs were not slaves
 Could not leave the land
 Could not be bought or sold
= Serf
 Everything they produced
belonged to lord
Manors: The Economic Side
of Feudalism
 Manor = Lord’s Estate
 Manor System:
 Lord provided serfs with housing, farm
land, and protection
 Serfs tended to land, cared for lords
animals, and maintained the estate
 All peasants owed the lord duties
 Certain days of labor or amount of
grain
 Manors: The Economic Side
of Feudalism
 Manors were only a few square miles
 20-30 families lived there
 Self sufficient community
 Manor life was hard
 Peasants paid many taxes
 Including tithe – church tax 10% of income
 A lot of working
 Life expectancy = 35 years old