CHAPTER 9-2: “MEDIEVAL EUROPE”
Introduction
When the Roman Empire disappeared, a new age that we call theMiddle Ages began. Medieval comes from a Latin word for “Middle Ages.” The word describes the 1000-year period between Classical and Moderntimes. Medieval Europe combined characteristics of the Roman Empirewith the newer ways of Christianity and the Germans.
The Rise of Christianity
During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church was the primary form of Christianity. The Catholic Church became a political powerin western Europe. Church leaders called bishops oversaw Christian communities. By the A.D. 500s, the bishops of Rome had become the mostpowerful of these Church leaders. These bishops, known as popes, controlledthe Catholic Church.
In eastern Europe, Christianity was known as Eastern Orthodoxy. The popes in Rome did not control this segment of Christianity. Instead the emperors in Constantinople led the church and the government.
The early popes sent missionaries, teachers of Christianity, to every part of Europe. The missionaries started schools to help people learn. Inthe 1100s, the Church started the first universities.
The Crusades began in the A.D. 1000s and lasted for about four centuries. The Church supported these holy wars. On some Crusades,the Church sent armies to capture Jerusalem from its Islamic caliphs, orrulers. It also sent crusaders into northern and eastern Europe to spreadChristianity.
The Holy Roman Empire
The German common law consisted of many unwritten laws based on local customs. The Germans combined their common law with theRoman law. The German people formed many kingdoms that controlledlarge parts of Europe. Christianity was the main religion in many of thesekingdoms. At first, nobles and knights elected the king. Each time a kingdied, the nobles and knights chose a new king. Some kings grew powerfuland decided to pass their crowns to their heirs, usually to their firstbornsons. The nobles and knights lost power, as the kings grew morepowerful.
The Franks were an important German kingdom. By the A.D. 700s, they ruled much of the area that is known as France and Germany today. Charlemagne became king of the Franks in 771. After his election, he expanded the territory of the Franks. He extended the kingdom to controlparts of Spain and Italy and more of Germany. He even controlled Romeand the Roman Catholic Church. Charlemagne promised to protect theRoman Catholic Church. The empire he created was known as the HolyRoman Empire.
Charlemagne’s sons and grandsons inherited his empire. They broke it into several kingdoms. The modern countries of Germany, Italy, France, andSpain grew from these kingdoms. At about the same time, several groupsof Germanic peoples formed a kingdom in England. These groups includedthe Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Danes. The name “England” comes from oneof the kingdom’s early names, “Angle land.”
Medieval Society
Most people during the Middle Ages were farmers. They lived undera political and social system called feudalism. The system was based onagriculture.
During the Middle Ages, a few people, known as lords, controlled the land in Europe. Lords gave land to nobles and knights. In return, thenobles and knights became vassals who were loyal to the lord. The noblesand knights governed and defended their land.
Nobles and knights ran feudal estates known as manors. They needed many people to farm the land, to build the buildings, and to run themanor. Most of the population of Europe lived and worked on the feudalestates. Some farmers were tenants who rented the land they farmed. They could choose what crops to grow and had many freedoms. Most ofthe farmers, however, were serfs. They were too poor to rent land. Theyworked directly for the lord of the manor. The lord provided serfs food,protection, and a place to live. In return, serfs performed all the jobsdemanded by their lord. In addition to working the land, serfs built roadsand walls, milled flour, and made tools and weapons.
Manors provided most of the goods and services the people needed. People did not often leave the safety of the manor. People with special skills did travel from estate to estate. For example, tinkers traveled from estateto estate to fix metal tools and objects. Entertainers known as minstrelsand troubadours also traveled from estate to estate to perform.
The Growth of Cities
Some towns existed during the Middle Ages. The feudal lords did not control the towns. People traveled to towns to trade. A small amount ofmanufacturing also took place in these towns. During the Crusades, townsbecame more important. As armies traveled, they stopped in towns forsupplies.
Manufacturing workers were organized into guilds. Each guild had power over an industry. Common industries included brewing, clothmaking, and boat building. Young workers began as apprentices to learna trade. As they became more experienced, apprentices became journeymenand joined the guild. With enough experience and skill, some workersbecame master craftsmen.
Some towns grew into cities and became political and religious centers.Kings and religious leaders built great cathedrals in many cities. Kings sometimes had to share power with the feudal lords. To become more powerful, kings created charters that granted residents privileges andfreedoms. In return, the townspeople paid taxes to the king. Kingsdepended on the loyalty of the townspeople in times of war.