Western+Europe

= Western Europe = =

= =**001:**=
 * **Go to worldology and scroll through the maps starting at 490-600 (The Early Dark Ages) ending at 1240-1350 (Europe's Darkest Days) Take notes on the following**
 * 1) **Impact of Christianity** (490-600)
 * Christian churches (Roman Catholic in west, Eastern Orthodox in east) became "information highway"
 * controlled information, beliefs, attitudes
 * knowledge of world is monopolized by clergy as Europe collapses and there are less interactions w/ world
 * clergy focuses on own doctrine and ignores:
 * worldy knowlege, science, literature, and art outside religion
 * leads to Dark Ages
 * Medieval Europe
 * church is most powerful force
 * Kings that align with church gain politcal advantages
 * allow church to influence geo-polical aspects
 * Christianity:
 * absolute power
 * kings were able to further enforce rule by appearing to be endorsed by church
 * 1) **Reign of Charles Martel & Viking Raids** (600 - 755)
 * Reign of Charles Martel (718-784)
 * founder of Caroligian dynasty
 * expanded Frankish power through of Europe
 * first Frankish leader to consolidate Frankish power
 * most powerful kingdom of Medieval Europe
 * pioneered stirrups that allowed soldiers to more effectively wield their swords w/out falling off
 * concepts of heavy infantry and permanent army to Medieval Europe
 * military advantage
 * paved way for domination of much of Europe
 * Grandfather of Charlemagne
 * **Battle of Tours (732)**
 * Islam was defeated by Franks
 * Christianity was saved by Franks from Muslim rule
 * Viking Raids
 * Warm weather contributed to relative ease for Vikings to travel long distances via ship
 * Scandinavians
 * were not discouraged by culture
 * overpopulation led to:
 * insufficient agriculture to support pop.
 * viking raids
 * decline
 * Around 600:
 * vikings raided coastal lands of Britain and northern mainland
 * attacked monasteries
 * lack of guarding
 * had valuable goods
 * captured slaves for work.
 * 1) **The Rise of the Franks** (755-850)
 * 1) **The Rise of the Franks** (755-850)


 * Military excellence:
 * pioneered use of stirrups to better utilize weapons while in cavalry
 * had close contact w/ Romans than other Germanic tribes
 * technologically influenced
 * created first professional army in Europe since collapse of Rome
 * concept: heavy armored infantry
 * Geo-politics:
 * differed from many Germanic tribes;
 * traveled far distances in search of territories to conquer
 * able to expand from their home territory
 * built upon existing power base
 * more easily accepted by Roman pop. Roman-Gauls
 * converted to Roman Catholicism
 * isolated from threats of the time
 * Muslims and Vikings
 * Politics:
 * in conjunction to conversion to Catholicism in 493, the Franks did not eemply heavy taxation against new subjects like the Roman empire
 * allowed fair amount of local autonomy for their subjects
 * **Centralization:**
 * Frank tradition to split personal possessions equally amongst all children
 * Clovis:
 * murdered all siblings + family members of other tribes in 5th century
 * consolidated rule among large number of tribes, gaining substantial following
 * resulted in single, powerful nation
 * provedto be downfall of Frankish empire, when massive empire would be divided among heirs in the early 9th century
 * Leadership:
 * Franks had successive, highly charasmatic, and capable leaders in Clovis, Martel, and Charlemagne
 * 1) **Feudalism** (840 - 967)
 * pre-843 Frankish Empire
 * unified much of West & Central Europe
 * subdivision of empire in 843 among three sons of Louis I drove Europe into greater backwardness
 * centralized rule devolved into many petty kingdoms throughout continent
 * fragmentation discouraged unification/ urbanization
 * due to rule of law and economy being land based (feudalism)
 * **Feudalism:** a military/ social/ economic order where a monarch grants feudal lords large parcels of land in exchange for military service when needed, and taxes in exchange for unified military protection
 * knights and peasants w/in Lord's realm were given smaller pieces of land and protection
 * in exchange for loyalty and military service when needed
 * feudal lords
 * counts nobles, etc.
 * rule the people on piecemeal basis
 * held their own courts
 * dealt w/ justice as they saw fit
 * peasants
 * property of feudal lords
 * in system of feudalism known as **serfdom**
 * form of slavery which pervaded western and central Europe in some form until French Revolution
 * 1) **Christianity and the High Middle Ages & Expansion of Holy Roman Empire** (967 - 1060)
 * petty kingdoms that were characteristic of Early Middle Ages began to be consolidated into nation-states in High Middle Ages
 * response to barbaric raids throughout Europe during this time
 * Christianity prevailed throughout continent
 * most nations pledged allegiance to papal authority
 * by 10th and 11th centuries, virtually all barbaric peoples in Europe had been Christianized
 * resulting in barbaric people denouncing raids
 * stronger defensive capabilities by nation states
 * Christian Crusades:
 * revive interest in Asia
 * beginning w/ Byzantine conquest of Middle East, aided by Christian crusaders throughout Europe
 * stimulated Asian trade
 * introduced Islamic science/ enlightenment into Europe
 * pop. grew rapidly at this time
 * partially consequence of the fact fthat centuries of invasions had developed professional soldieers
 * sought outlet for skill set
 * Motivation:
 * promises of glory, salvation and potential riches
 * Due to Christian majority in Europe:
 * increase in papal influence
 * sense of commonality among Christians throughout Europe
 * set stage for crusades in later 11th century and into 12th century
 * power of religion transcends nationalism and other loyalties
 * belief that the individual is serving a greater purpose
 * helps Church dominated empires:
 * Byzantine
 * German
 * Holy Roman Empire
 * EXPAND!




 * 1) **Effects of the Crusades, Norman conquest of England and Magna Carta** (1060-1240)
 * Senseless Violence and Wars:
 * Crusader mentality:
 * Christianity must displace Islam/ Judaism at all costs
 * even through violencee
 * persecution of Jews escalated throughout Europe
 * Crusaders' march around Mediterranean:
 * death toll high for Christians and Muslims
 * capture of Jerusalem:
 * Muslim and Jewish residents in city were slaughtered
 * even women
 * Undermining Church Moral Authority:
 * Escapades, ie. slaughter of Jews and Muslims:
 * used as indictment against Roman Catholic Church during Protestant Reformation
 * began in 16th century
 * convinced many that the RCC was not the moral authority it claimed to be throughout Dark Ages
 * Distrust of Christians:
 * as Christians violently persecuted Jews and destroyed Muslims in their path
 * developed reputation as ruthless and exploitive group among these people
 * Opened Way for Future Muslim Conquests of Europe
 * As animosity grew b/t Roman Catholics and Byzantine/ Eastern Orthodox
 * Crusades were compelled to conquer Byzantine capital at Constantinople
 * Byzantine would later recover the capital, but w/ irreversible damage
 * ripened it for destruction by Ottoman turks
 * advanced into Europe
 * once conquered by Ottoman armies
 * much of remainder of Eastern Europe fell to Ottoman empire
 * Asian influence:
 * crusades increased Europes knowledge of Asian world'
 * more advanced than Europe in most aspects
 * helped to bring more cosmopolitan influence to Europe
 * may have played role in eventual Renaissance
 * Increased Anti-Semitism:
 * devotion and loyalty to Church was on rise
 * membership spread throughout all of Europe
 * religious tolerance was low
 * rendered significant Jew pop. in Europe a target
 * Throughout Europe, entire Jewish communities were destroyed
 * Norman Conquest of England:
 * 1066 - Normans from Normandy invade and conquer England
 * become ruling class in England
 * Magna Carta:
 * 1215 - first step towards democracy since Rome
 * Nobles in England reach breaking point w/ failures of the King
 * esp. losses of economically important territories in France
 * along w/ what they perceived to be a major abuse of monarch powers
 * marched into London, subdued King John
 * forced him to agree to document ensuring certain rights
 * 1) **Why the Golden Horde was able to dominate Europe and the Black Death Plague** (1240 - 1350)


 * Forced West:
 * as a nomadic people
 * Mongols were forced west from their central Asian home territory due to unusually dry weather
 * highly dependent on trade
 * due to suffering agriculturein Asia
 * moved west to greener pastures
 * Superior Military Technology:
 * result of exposure to various methods
 * due to nomadic lifestyle
 * superior horsemanship skills and superior bows
 * Strengthening Numbers:
 * effective at increasing ranks as they passed through conquered territories
 * forced defeated people to join and fight with them or die
 * slaughter all defeated peoples that would not join
 * were frightening power by the time they entered gateway to Europe through Southern Russia
 * Rus people were submitted to their rule
 * had fair autonomy
 * steep taxes and tribute were extracted
 * Learned diplomacy:
 * grown to dominate northern trade route from Europe to Asia
 * contributed greatly to their wealth and sophistication
 * became learned in other aspects besides military
 * science
 * government philosophies
 * enhanced their ability to diplomatically appease conquered peoples
 * Europe's Weakened Condition:
 * timing was a factor
 * arrival coincided with Black Death plague
 * severely weakened all of Europe
 * may have been Mongols that actually introduced plague
 * Black Death:
 * Great Famine of 1315-1317
 * decrease in population and lack of food
 * weather led to to crop failures
 * theft
 * cannibalism
 * disease
 * Black Death in Europe:
 * terminates half of population, b.t 1347/ 1351
 * 75 million people
 * higher rate in Italy and Southern France
 * lower in north
 * resulted from rats brought by invading Mongols
 * spread to Southern Europe due to Arab and Mongol interactions
 * led to increased persecution of Jews
 * accused of causing The Plague
 * Peasant revolts
 * stemmed from weaken government and lack of direction
 * Papal Authority Weakens:
 * church was unable to stop plague
 * inability to maintain promise of halting plague
 * led to bewilderment and confusion amongst people about life and world
 * Lower-class leverage and Enlightenment:
 * shortage of labor
 * increase in peasants' wages
 * survivors boasted of survival and sought knowledge

002: Feudalism and Manorialism Mindomo:
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 * Manorialism:**
 * Summary:Manorialism was the economic aspect of the feudal system, based on the landlord- serf relationship.** Serfs were agricultural workers who lived on agricultural estates, known as manors. On manors, serfs produce goods and crops on the plot of land designated by the landlord. In exchange for goods, landlords provide serfs with protection and administration of justice. Serfs were not slaves. They could not be bought or sold and could partake in ownership of their homes. Their life was hard, as they toiled in the fields, and agricultural production was low. Techniques, such as the three-field system, in which 1/3 of the land was left unplanted to retain nutrients, and the moldboard, a plow that allowed deeper turning of soil provided slight ease to their jobs. In some cases, serfs were able to escape landlord control, creating a host of wanderers who added to the disorder of early Middle Ages.

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 * Feudalism:**
 * Summary: Feudalism was a system based on key political and military relationships between landlords who could afford horses and weapons for battle and able to sponsor vassals, who would, in turn, provide them with military service and work.** It was introduced to Europe by William the Conquerer, Duke of Normandy in 1066. Feudalism focused on a landlord, who gained power from vassals. Many were able to form bands of five or ten local vassals and converted them into raiding parties. This stable version was reinforced by Charlemagne, who rewarded most of his military leaders with estates, because he was unable to pay his own bureaucracy. Capetian royal families exploited their positions and kings of France used feudalism to build their own power. They formed feudal links with other great lords of France through marriage ties and brought more territory to their control. In 14th century, in France, a king claimed rights to make the church pay taxes. The king had the authority to mint money and employ some professional soliders apart from feudal armies that did most of the fighting.


 * Documentary "The Dark Ages" Notes:**
 * fall of ancient rome, before rebirth of Renaissance
 * Dark Ages
 * august 24th 410 ad
 * fall of Rome
 * invaded by visogoths
 * first time in 800 years, it was under seige
 * for 3 days, it was ravage by barbarians
 * germanic slaves rose to enslave roman emperors
 * Alorik was in charge, originally fought over northern border
 * used what he learned from Rome to invade
 * profit-making career move
 * desperation
 * starvation
 * strangled city from outside
 * surrounded rome, blocked all grain from entering city
 * cannibalism
 * left for greener pastures after 3 days of raiding
 * "mother of the world", rome, was ill
 * fallen into hands of inept rulers
 * fostered civil war
 * were brutally slaughtered by rebels and subjects
 * small pox entered european pool
 * due to international trade
 * Rome hired mercenary soliders
 * openly hostile towards them
 * originally came as refugees
 * roman officials allowed selling of dog meat for gothic children as slaves
 * Alorik died in 410.
 * goths, vandals, entered to sack roman empire
 * shattered into 1000 pieces
 * each held by military strong man who wanted to collect them all
 * NO MORE EMPIRE
 * Dark Ages
 * widespread disease
 * violence
 * illiteracy
 * sewage system stopped working
 * people start living in shacks
 * Roman structures were taken down for building materials
 * colisseum
 * picked apart
 * landfill
 * place of animals
 * no medicine, health care
 * term "Dark Ages"
 * petrach
 * compared this period to previous period
 * in darkness, in gloom
 * Catholic church
 * Franks
 * renounced pagan routes and became a christian
 * Clovis
 * cemented religion for himself and country
 * united his people
 * feuding was common
 * vendettas
 * Christianity:
 * offered hope of eternal peace -- attractive
 * Constantipe legalized it in 313 ad
 * saw christian symbol in sky
 * god decided to support him
 * flood of converts
 * helped Clovis cement power
 * hard to abide to "thall shalt not kill"
 * new justification for territorial
 * Holy Wars
 * at the age of 15
 * inherited small soldiers from father
 * conquered village
 * elevated to same status as his soliders
 * created his invincible army
 * converted at 30
 * Nervivians
 * bloodline
 * eliminated kinsman
 * captives
 * the ordeal
 * boiling water
 * pebble at bottom of bucket
 * thrown in water
 * float - guilty
 * sink- innocent
 * forged alliance with Roman Catholic church
 * stabilizing force
 * 533 AD
 * Roman empire remained
 * Byzatine capital of Constantinople
 * Justinian
 * wanted to claim empire from barbarians
 * EAST!
 * 527
 * 532
 * revolt
 * thousands destroyed city in chariot race
 * nika riots
 * 538:
 * justinian reconquers west region by region
 * constantinope - builds greatest symbol of Christianity - Hagia Sophia
 * 542
 * domain extended encompasing italy, north africa, turkey, and north palestine
 * bubonic plague
 * killed 25-50% of pop in constantinople
 * sudden fever
 * chills
 * vomiting
 * sensitive to light
 * tumors all over body
 * infected flees in rats
 * fell ill in waterfronts district
 * 4 months
 * infected half of pop
 * Justinian
 * tyrannical
 * paranoid
 * "plague of Justinian"
 * autumn chill ended plague
 * death of justinian
 * end of conquest
 * inability to sustain empire
 * 7th century
 * final withdraw of justinain troops from west
 * divided by barbarian warlords
 * trade shrinked to standstill
 * agriculture and herding
 * roads fell beyond repair along with communication
 * insufficient population
 * untamed wilderness
 * fear
 * fascination
 * ghost stories
 * worked according to seasons
 * drinking
 * harvests
 * half of children died before adolescence
 * 730 AD
 * Beade
 * 5 volume history of england
 * essential link to prechristian text
 * virtually no one outside clery who was literate
 * 500 AD
 * Benedict
 * lived as hermit in countryside
 * powers of sanctity :
 * people sought him out for miracles
 * healing sick
 * raising dead
 * begged my monks to be part of church

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the magna carta showed respect to the king, despite the fact that they did not like him. nominally more rights for women, could remarry with consent from the lord.
 * Summary:** The Magna Carta was a charter established in 1215, that confirmed feudal rights and limited the authority of the monarch over the church. This charter outlined laws for freemen, based on the feudal system. The power of the king was severely limited, in that it was observed by a witness to prevent corruption. It covered land distribution for those who died in battle, in that land would go to their heir, or one who was stated in a will. Those who died with debt do not have their inheritance to their family members. If the heir is underage, a keeper would be assigned to tend to the land. To prevent corruption, this keeper is not to sell this land, nor claim its harvests. The Magna Carta also allowed women to have more rights, such as widows the right to remarry and inhert, although it is evident that man and woman are not equal. The charter serves as a set of grievances to the king and a issue of new rules to be adhered to. It states that if one is unable to pay off their land, it would be confiscated. Magna Carta issued justice for all, in that everyone was entitled to trial. Those convicted were to have their innocence decided by a jury and must have evidence. The Magna Carta serves as a mechanism for the reinforcement of the feudal system, as well as a step towards justice.


 * 004: ESPIRIT Chart on Western Europe: **


 * E || * ** manorialism: **
 * lord-vassal relationship
 * lord provided land for the vassal
 * **vassal** would provide lord with loyalty and army for war
 * landlord- serf relationship:
 * serf would tend to land, produce harvests
 * lord would provide land and protection
 * 900
 * series of develpments began to introduce new sources of strength into western society:
 * new agricultural techniques developed w/ contacts w/ eastern European and Asian raiders into central Europe
 * moldboard plow
 * helped open new lands
 * monasteries provided better agricultural methods
 * three-field system
 * new horse collar
 * prevented horses from choking
 * confirmed military dominance of lords
 * European nobility became defined by land ownership/ military power
 * 10th century:
 * Viking raids:
 * greated regional political stability and improved agriculture promoted population growth
 * encouraged further economic innovation
 * new markets
 * growing trade
 * expansion of towns
 * demand
 * to attract labor to farms:
 * landlords loosened bonds of serfdom and required less outright labor service
 * growth of towns:
 * reflected vigorof agriculture
 * parts of Italy and Low Countries
 * urban pop. soared to 20% of total by 13th century
 * due to urban and trade manufacturing
 * Crusades:
 * 1095- regain Christian Holy lands from Muslims
 * conquered territories would provide for rich land and goods
 * Hanseatic League - commercial alliances developed
 * cities in northern Germany and southern Scandinavia grouped together to encourage trade
 * spearheaded by Italian businesspeople
 * banking was introduced in the West to facilitate long distance exchange of money and goods ||
 * S || * Feudalism:
 * linked military elites, mostly landlords, who could afford the horses and iron weaponry necessary to fight.
 * greater lords provided protection to lesser lords
 * vassals
 * owed their lords military service
 * goods/ payments
 * advice
 * serfdom:
 * serfs had to pay high taxes to lord
 * worked and gained sense of freedom, in ability to own land
 * improvements in agriculture simplified life of serfs
 * deep division b/t those in power and those in control
 * hostility b/t the classes
 * Guilds:
 * grouped people of in the same business or trade in single city, sometimes with loose links to similar guilds in other cities
 * stressed security and mutual control
 * attemped to give members a share in any endeavor
 * tried to limit membership so all members would have work
 * all members gained share of profit
 * Women:
 * remained vital in most families
 * Christian emphasis on equality of all souls
 * practical importance of women's monastic groups in providing an alternative to marriage
 * veneration of Mary
 * gave women real cultural prestige
 * refuted biblical emphasis on Eve as source of human sin
 * women in West had higher status than sisters under Islam
 * less segregated in religious services
 * less confined to household
 * women's voice may have declined in Middle Ages
 * urban women played important roles in local commerce ad even operated some craft guilds
 * found themselves hemmed in male-dominated organizations ||
 * P || Feudalism:
 * linked military elites, mostly landlords, who could afford the horses and iron weaponry necessary to fight.
 * greater lords provided protection to lesser lords
 * vassals
 * owed their lords military service
 * goods/ payments
 * advice
 * lords gained more power as they distributed power amongst vassals
 * serfdom:
 * serfs had to pay high taxes to lord
 * worked and gained sense of freedom, in ability to own land
 * improvements in agriculture simplified life of serfs
 * 496- Clovis
 * converted to Christianity
 * gained greater prestige over Franks
 * converted pagans to Christianity
 * 8th century: Caroligians
 * based in northern France, Belgium, and western Germany
 * Charles Martel
 * defeated Muslims in Battle of Tours in 732
 * preserved Christianity in Europe
 * Charlemagne
 * established substantial empire in France and Germany
 * helped restore some church-based education in western Europe
 * his 3 grandsons, in 814, his death:
 * 3 portions of empire
 * inept rulers
 * Holy Roman emperors:
 * received power from pope
 * had more power than previous emperors
 * papal influence remained superior
 * 1066 - William the Conqueror
 * conquered England
 * introduced feudalism into England
 * used sheriffs, royal officals to help supervise administration of justice throughout kingdom
 * tied lords of England to his royal court by bonds of loyalty
 * Magna Carta:
 * King John abused power/ unjust taxes
 * confirmed feudal rights against monarchial claims
 * limited power of monarch
 * exhibited democratic aspects
 * nominal
 * established court-like system
 * established parliament
 * bodies representing not individual voters but privileged groups such as nobles of church
 * first parliament convened in 1265
 * House of Lords
 * represented nobles and church heirarchy
 * monarchs were to consult w/ vassals
 * represented in three estates:
 * church
 * nobles
 * urban leaders ||
 * I || * Viking Raids:
 * led to more regional political stability
 * promoted pop. growth
 * economic innovation/ new markets
 * contact w/ new countries brought knowlegde of new crops
 * durum wheat (north Africa)
 * vital ingredient for pasta
 * alfalfa (Persia)
 * Hundred Years War:
 * b/t national monarchies of France and England
 * Population growth spurred expansionist impulse, along w/ Rome's lost greatness
 * expansion took place in east central Europe from 11th century on
 * Germanic knights poured into sparsely settled areas in Germany and Poland
 * 1095- Pope Urban II declared Crusades to capture Holy Land
 * 9th- 10th centuries:
 * Charlemagne encouraged establishment of schools
 * first university opened in 11th century
 * Italy offered training in medicine and law
 * from Arab and Hellenistic knowledge
 * Paris opened schools
 * trained people to become part of clergy and theologists
 * Trade in Italy, Germany, Low Countries, France, Britain
 * highly profitable
 * prices were adjusted and correct
 * Europeans valued spices, silks, Asian goods
 * Crusades:
 * 1095- regain Christian Holy lands from Muslims
 * conquered territories would provide for rich land and goods
 * provided salvation for those who died in battle ||
 * R || * Christianity:
 * church was an influential force
 * papal influence
 * limited power of emperor/ monarch
 * Holy Roman emperors had more power than emperors
 * gained power from pope
 * called for Crusades to regain holy land
 * corrupt
 * Catholic church:
 * went through delines and renewals
 * focused on land and political interests
 * wealthy
 * tried to gain more wealth
 * feudalism
 * crusades
 * raided places they conquered
 * Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085)
 * attempted to purify church
 * remove from control of feudal lords
 * re-establish priesthood
 * could not marry
 * separation of church and state
 * excommunicated Henry IV after he stopped practicing investiture
 * Religious Art:
 * medieval art glorified God
 * Christ's birth
 * suffering/ lives of saints
 * used stiff, stlized figures
 * stained glas designs for church ||
 * I || * Religious Art:
 * medieval art glorified God
 * Christ's birth
 * suffering/ lives of saints
 * used stiff, stlized figures
 * stained glass designs for church
 * Theology:


 * Peter Abelard in Paris (12th century)
 * Yes and No
 * showed several logical contradictions in established interpretations of doctrine
 * Bernard of Clairvaux
 * stressed importance of mystical union w/ God
 * Thomas Aquinas:
 * maintained the basic belief that faith came first, but expanded scope given to reason


 * through reason alone, humans could know how much of natural order, moral law, and nature of God

||
 * Scholasticism:
 * scholars debated over amount of angels
 * religion
 * other religion-related things
 * Gothic architecture
 * spoken language/ vernaculars
 * helped developed separate European languages and focused largely on secular themes
 * oral sagas
 * Beowulf
 * The Song of Roland
 * T || * Moldboard
 * simplified agriculture for peasants
 * made it easier to plow land
 * more efficient
 * more fertile land
 * three-fields system:
 * cultivated and planted certain parts of land to retain nutrients
 * cloth made in crafts
 * weaving and textiles
 * yarn
 * iron and mining
 * furnace
 * parts for plows, spades, pitchforks and horseshoes
 * []
 * lack of hygeniene
 * inability to utilize irrigation systems ||

005: The Decline of the Medieval Synthesis :


Major war - 14th and 15th centuries:
 * **Hundred Years' War**
 * sign of weakness in French monarchy
 * new kings reduced reliance on the prancing forces of nobility in favor of paid armies
 * new military methods challenged key monopoly of feudal lords
 * ordinary paid archers learned how to unseat armored knights with powerful bows and arrows with crossbows
 * ended in French victory
 * partly due to **Joan of Arc**
 * antifeudal innovations and innovations encouraged time of change
 * **1300's:**
 * key sources of Wesern vitality threatened to disappear
 * Medieval agriulture could not keep up with pace of population growth
 * readily available lands were no longer available
 * no new technological gains to compensate
 * led to :
 * severe famines
 * decline in pop. levels until the end of the century
 * devastating series of plagues that persisted until the end of the century
 * **Black Death** - 1348
 * social disputes:
 * b/t peasants and landlords
 * artisans and their employees
 * 150- 200 years after 1300:
 * manufacturing and mining technology
 * features of Middle Ages began to blur
 * 14th century:
 * ruling class of medieval society
 * land owning aristocracy
 * began to show signs of confusion
 * for long, had staked its claim to power on its control over land and military prowess
 * growth of professional armies and new weaponry
 * cannon
 * gunpowder
 * fortified castles
 * aristocracy did not disappear
 * emphasized rich ceremonail style of life
 * tournaments
 * competitive games
 * idea of **chivalry**
 * carefully controlled, polite behavior toward women
 * balance b/t church and state
 * aftermath of taxation disputes:
 * French kings wielded great influence on the papacy
 * relocated from Rome to Avignon
 * rival claimants to the papacy confused the issue further
 * ultimately, a single pope was returned to Rome
 * church was indobitably weakened
 * began to lose some of control in Western religious life
 * church leaders were preoccupied with politics that they tended to neglect spiritual side
 * signs of intense popular piety continued to blossom and new religious groups began to form in towns
 * devotion became separated from the institution of the church
 * leaders in England and Bohemia
 * preached against the hierarchical apparatus of the church in favor of direct popular experience of God
 * new series of mystics
 * many women claimed emotional, direct contacts with God
 * breakdown of intellectual and artistic synthesis
 * post Aquinas work:
 * church leaders less tolerant of intellectual daring
 * declared Aquinas writings heretical
 * blend of rationalism and religion no longer seemed feasible
 * turned thinkers away from religion
 * art
 * interest in portrayals of nature
 * shift from medieval artistic standards
 * religious figures less stylized
 * painters grew more interested in human features
 * Italy:
 * new kinds of literature and art took shape that differed from styles and subjects of postclassical centuries
 * Medival period:
 * Middle Ages
 * implies a lull b/t glories of Rome and glitter of more modern Europe
 * period of growing dynamism
 * 900 C.E. gains in populations
 * trade and cities
 * universities and Gothic art
 * distinctive ideas about government
 * building on Christian and feudal traditions
 * special moment in relationship b/t Europe and regions around it
 * Europe gained strength
 * technology
 * trade
 * consumption
 * medieval universities may have had Arab origins
 * imitation unites themes of medieval period
 * relative weakness and dynamism and capacity to make valuable contributiions to later periods in world history
 * divided politcal rule similar to Africa, Japan, Russia
 * Crusades revealed distincitve expansionist spirit
 * Summary of Western Europe: Christianity had an immense impact in Western Europe, leading to pope sponsored conquests and limited monarchy.** Following Rome's fall, the region was captured by Germanic tribes, such as the Visogoths. As this occured, the advanced Roman culture dwindled to nothing. Intellect and learned was no longer available for the masses, and only clergy were educated. Chrisitan churches served as the information highway, controlling beliefs and attitudes. The strength of the church ultimatelty plays a large role in the Dark Ages. In the Dark Ages, emerged the economic and government systems of **feudalism** and **manorialism**. Here, Christianity continued to play an important role. The church consolidated central power, and with papal support, conquests/ holy wars (crusades), such as those conducted by **Clovis** were made possible. The pope was even able to change an emperor into a **Holy Roman Emperor**. **Charles Martel** was able to remove Islamic influence in Europe in the **Battle of Tours (732).** Clovis converted to Christianity, in exchange for the pope's support, and also converted his people to Christianity. He murdered those who opposed him, and his relatives, because he did not want to divide his power. Constantine also converted his people to Christianity, after he believed he received aid from god. Christianity acted as a force that united the people. In **feudalism**, land was given to vassals by the lord, in exchange for military support and loyalty. In **manorialism,** serfs tended to the fields of the lord, in exchange for protection, housing, and possibility of owning land. Serfs used the **moldboard**, which was a type of plow, and the **three-field system**, simplified the task of cultivation. **Chalemagne** converted Europe to Christianity. Learning, brought about by exposure to Muslim culture, flourished from 10th century on, and cities were revived due to commerce. This enabled kingdoms to flourish, such as **William the Conquerer**, who spread feudalism to Europe. Western culture was defined by theology and **scholasticism**, and the emergence of philosophers, such as **Thomas Aquinas,** who questioned religion and god. At this time, a new kind of architecture, **gothic**, also emerged. It was the building of arches and new extensions. Merchant class was also revived at this time, and their interactions heightened contact between Christians and Muslims. The Western empire would enjoy success for about 400 years, until the emergence of the **Black Death**, which decreased population drastically. During this period, there were no technological innovations and people suffered from famine. The Black Death limited the power of the pope, as those who sought aid from the church could not find a definited answer/ solution. Then, the **Hundred Years' War** put an end tothe feudal system and end of the medieval period. As the war dragged on, land was lost and death toll was high. The war was eventually ended by **Joan of Arc**, who led France to victory. Once the war ended, so did the medieval period, but many technological innovations were retained, such as universities, and gothic architecture.
 * Summary of Western Europe: Christianity had an immense impact in Western Europe, leading to pope sponsored conquests and limited monarchy.** Following Rome's fall, the region was captured by Germanic tribes, such as the Visogoths. As this occured, the advanced Roman culture dwindled to nothing. Intellect and learned was no longer available for the masses, and only clergy were educated. Chrisitan churches served as the information highway, controlling beliefs and attitudes. The strength of the church ultimatelty plays a large role in the Dark Ages. In the Dark Ages, emerged the economic and government systems of **feudalism** and **manorialism**. Here, Christianity continued to play an important role. The church consolidated central power, and with papal support, conquests/ holy wars (crusades), such as those conducted by **Clovis** were made possible. The pope was even able to change an emperor into a **Holy Roman Emperor**. **Charles Martel** was able to remove Islamic influence in Europe in the **Battle of Tours (732).** Clovis converted to Christianity, in exchange for the pope's support, and also converted his people to Christianity. He murdered those who opposed him, and his relatives, because he did not want to divide his power. Constantine also converted his people to Christianity, after he believed he received aid from god. Christianity acted as a force that united the people. In **feudalism**, land was given to vassals by the lord, in exchange for military support and loyalty. In **manorialism,** serfs tended to the fields of the lord, in exchange for protection, housing, and possibility of owning land. Serfs used the **moldboard**, which was a type of plow, and the **three-field system**, simplified the task of cultivation. **Chalemagne** converted Europe to Christianity. Learning, brought about by exposure to Muslim culture, flourished from 10th century on, and cities were revived due to commerce. This enabled kingdoms to flourish, such as **William the Conquerer**, who spread feudalism to Europe. Western culture was defined by theology and **scholasticism**, and the emergence of philosophers, such as **Thomas Aquinas,** who questioned religion and god. At this time, a new kind of architecture, **gothic**, also emerged. It was the building of arches and new extensions. Merchant class was also revived at this time, and their interactions heightened contact between Christians and Muslims. The Western empire would enjoy success for about 400 years, until the emergence of the **Black Death**, which decreased population drastically. During this period, there were no technological innovations and people suffered from famine. The Black Death limited the power of the pope, as those who sought aid from the church could not find a definited answer/ solution. Then, the **Hundred Years' War** put an end tothe feudal system and end of the medieval period. As the war dragged on, land was lost and death toll was high. The war was eventually ended by **Joan of Arc**, who led France to victory. Once the war ended, so did the medieval period, but many technological innovations were retained, such as universities, and gothic architecture.