Western+Europe

1. Impact of Christianity (490 - 600) Christian Churches: Roman Catholic in the West and Eastern Orthodox in the East (Byzantine), controlled the flow of information. Europe became more fragmented with uneducated tribal peoples ruling large area and little cultural interactions. World knowledge of science, literature, and art was supressed by the educated **clergy**, who primarily focused on their religious doctrine. This supression strengthened the grip that the **Dark Ages** would have on East and West Europe for years to come. The Church became the most influential force in **Medieval** Europe and kings that aligned with the Church gained political advantage.

2. Reign of Charles Martel & Viking Raids (600 - 755) The **Vikings** did not have enough farming land to sustain themselves and the temperature was warm enough for long sea fairing trips, making raids on the riches and slaves of monasteries and other often defenseless settlements easy.
 * Charles Martel** was the grandfather of **Charlemagne** and would create the Frankish Dynasty of the **Carolingians**. He would expand Frankish borders and would create a **stirrup** (holster/sheath) that would allow soldiers to effectively take out their swords without falling off.

3. The Rise of the Franks (755-850) The military might and the political leadership of the **Franks** would aid them in conquering lands that were to come from their surroundings. Leaders like Charlemagne effectively taxed their people without making them feel as if they were under foreign rule.

4. Feudalism (840 - 967) __**Fuedalism** was an economic system.__
 * The king would tax the aristocrats who were awarded large plots of land.
 * Aristocrats would subdivide their land and give it to **knights** (warrior class, military leaders).
 * Knights would have **serfs** and **peasants** work the land for and pay their taxes in the form of the crops.
 * The peasants were of very low social standings.
 * **Social mobility** was nonexistent in Feudal Europe.

5. Christianity and the High Middle Ages & Expansion of Holy Roman Empire (967 - 1060) __Christianity aided in civilizing the barbaric **Germanic tribes** through conversion (no more raids)__ Allowed these skilled soldiers to use their talents through their. **The Crusades** gave them promises of glory and richness.

6. Effects of the Crusades, Norman conquest of England and **Magna Carta** (1060 - 1240) The **Normans** (Normandy) invaded England and became the leading class. About two hundred years after the invasion, the nobles believed the king to be abusing his power and forced him to sign a document that gave certain expected rights to citizens. The Magna Carta become a model for many constitutions to come. The loyalty to and consolidation with the Church disrupted peaceful relations with the regions Jews and the Muslims. Crusades weakened the Byzantine Empire which opened up Eastern Europe to the conquering of the **Ottoman Turks**.

7. Why the Golden Horde was able to dominate Europe and the Black Death Plague (1240 - 1350) The Mongols were called the **Golden Horde** due to the rumors that their miles of tents were golden. They eventually had the means to conquer Eastern Europe and with military dominance.
 * Bubonic plague** is said to have followed the Golden Horde through the fleas on rats, but in the end, may or may not have been introduced by them.
 * Famine would strike along with the **Black Death** plague.
 * Approximately half the population of Europe (75 million people) died as a result.
 * Papal power faded and in turn lead to an **Enlightenment** movement.

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 * __The Dark Ages, Western Europe; Video Notes__**
 * Centuries of knowledge and history were lost along with the fall of Rome
 * Europe suffered a period of famine, disease, illiteracy and a state of war that was rarely interrupted
 * The Visigoths, under Aleric III, besieged Rome and sacked it in order to save themselves from starvation
 * Diseases traveled to Rome along with goods traded and imported from around the world.
 * Clovis united the Franks by converting to Catholicism, which, in a sense, converted all the people and created a Christian nation.
 * killed his kin-folk to stay in power
 * Founder of the Caroligians
 * 25 - 50% of the European people were wiped out by the bubonic plague
 * Bubonic plague was carried to Constantinople through fleas on rats
 * In 548 A.D Theodora died of cancer
 * Justinian died 17 year after Theodora
 * Trade and industry devolved until Europe's economy became dependant on an agricultural economy, as it had 1000 years ago

Western Europe
 * E || * **Feudalism** - Relationship between lords and vassals
 * **Manorialism** - Relationship between lords and their serfs
 * **Vassals** rented land from the **lords** to then split into smaller portions for lesser vassals to use. They'd recieve a payment which they'd pay up the chain to the highest lord, usually a monarch.
 * At the same time the **serfs** who did all the grunt work would complain up the chain.
 * Guilds were formed between specific worksman to distribute work evenly between artisans. Nobody could get all the business.
 * Saladin's Truce of Heaven: Temporary truce between Muslims and Christians which promoted trade. ||
 * S || * Feudal society with few large cities (unlike China)
 * Largely Catholic region, surrounded by Islamic Empires
 * Serfs were oppressed until the late Middle Ages when a more independent peasant class arose.
 * Improved agruicultural tools allowed peasants to work more efficiently.
 * Troubadours - bards; musical poets who sang epics in popular languages.
 * Merchants had a larger presence in this period, being supported by government.
 * Women higher status in the household and politically as well.
 * Individual nations within Western Europe had different cultures and languages, but were united by Christianity. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 65pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">P || <span style="background: yellow; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Dissatisfaction with the treatment of serfs and even nobles and church officials instigated the uprising that forced the signing of Magna Carta.
 * Local Manorialism system, between landlords and their vassals; peasants, or, serfs.
 * Roman pope was top authority in European **Christendom**, followed by regional churches/ bishops, and then local priests.
 * Political leader Clovis converted to Christianity, giving him a vague dominion over Franks.
 * Capetians were the royal family of France
 * Nation-states developed democratic principles like parliaments.
 * 6th century, feudalism developed with military elitessecuring armies by, providing protection to lesser lords (vassals).
 * Leaders like Charlemagne extended their control with feudalism.
 * William the Conqueror used feudalism to affirm his place as the central governing figure in England.
 * In 1215, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta to limit the power of the monarchy; lead to the formation of parliament
 * 1st English parliament in 1265, monarchs consulted with vassals to decide whether taxs should be changed and were represented in the 3 Estates: Church, Nobles, and Urban Leaders.
 * Divine Kingship - claiming that they were put in power by God
 * Balance of power began to shift towards state; Seperation of Church and State ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 65pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I || Through the middle ages there were many invasion, feuds and wars for land between regional monarchies. After the wars, epidemic further losses population.
 * England and Scandinavia invaded by **Vikings**
 * In the 8th century, the **Carolingians** took over northern France, Belgium, and Western Germany.
 * **Charles Martel** defeated the Muslims in the **Battle of Tours** in 732 and extended Carolingian strength.
 * **Charlemagne** established a substantial empire in France and Germany in 800
 * When he died in 814, the empire divided into three portions Europe consisted of regional monarchies competed for land.
 * In the 10th century, the Germanic and northern Italian emperors declared themselves "**Holy Roman emperors**"
 * Contacts between countries brought knowledge of new crops; Ended the lack of market econmy; less strict feudalism
 * William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066; united his new territoy by introducing Feudalsim.
 * **Hundred Years war**; conflicts between the French and English over territoy in modern France
 * Pope Urban called for the first crusade in 1095.
 * The Christian crusades had more lasting impact on Europe than on the Muslims. Adapted cultural discoveries in the Holy Land.
 * **Mongolian** invasion with **Golden Horde**.
 * The **Black Death** epidemic caused the poulation of Europe to be sliced in half. (1348) ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 65pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">R || After the fall of Roman Empire, Christianity spread throughout Europe.
 * People turned to Christianity for its promise of salvation and safety during the hopeless, dark times
 * There were many extensive missionary activities, religion was brought to northern and eastern Germany, beyond the borders of the previous Roman Empire and to Scandinavia by 1000 CE.
 * Pope Gregory VII tried to purify the Church by removing the influence of feudal lords.
 * Monastic Movements: **Benedict of Nursia** and the **Benedictine Monastery System**.
 * Veneration of New Saints, starting in the 12th century
 * It directly competed with Orthodox missionaries.
 * Christianity became central authority. Rulers, like **Clovis** (in 496 CE), converted to Christianity and renounced Pagan beliefs to gain power.
 * Charlemagne restored church-based education
 * Church gave people a national identity, despite differences in culture and languages
 * Urban interest created new forms of religious life; **cathedrals**
 * The Catholic church went through several periods of decline followed by revival.
 * Pagan practices endured in Christian society, evident in some Christian holidays today. (Xmas) ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 65pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I || <span style="background: yellow; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Scholasticism - the idea that you can apply logic to beliefs
 * Debates flourished in the universities, encouraging intellectual thought and investigation/experimentation
 * Oldest universities (Cambridge and Oxford) were founded on theology
 * **Peter Abelard's - "Yes and No"**
 * Medieval philosophy did encouraged scientific endeavor
 * Adopted **Hellenistic,** Roman, and Muslim knowledge**,** (acquired through contact during crusades)
 * Literacy spread in the urban areas, new popular languages such as **English** emerged.
 * **Bernard of Calirvaux -** monk that is the equivalent of the Muslim **ulama**
 * **Thomas Aquinas** - Italian monk, attempted to **//Summas//** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 65pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">T || * Many buildings, such as churches, began adopting **Gothic** architectural ideas like arched windows.
 * **Moldboard** plow turned the thicker Germanic soils more efficiently and aided peasants. ||


 * __The Decline of Medieval Synthesis Notes__**
 * **Hundred Years War -** power of feudal lords deteriorated when the French monarchy hired mercenary soldiers (archers), devastating enemies.
 * **Joan of Arc** helped the French prevail
 * The **Great Famine** was caused by increased population and stagnant (agricultural) production
 * **Black Death** severly damaged European social structure, 1/2 the population lost, but economy increased
 * Feudal power from castle defenses and cavalry might was bested by the development of **gunpowder**, pernament armies, and **cannons.**
 * Rise of **chilvary** amongst nobles/knights
 * divided the social classes
 * led to polite behavior; courtesy toward women
 * Decisive shifts in the balance of church and state characterizing medieval life. French kings greatly influenced papacy after several decades in taxation disputes in 14th century. They relocated from Rome to Avignon. (French territory)
 * Scholasticism faded as the church became more intolerant
 * Mystics- women who claimed to be emotionally connected to God
 * Ideas of Thomas Aquinas caused religious leaders to go against his work; many philosophers/thinkers turnred away from religion
 * Art started having more realistic and natural portrayals; shifted away from medieval artistic standards.
 * Religious figures were less stylized, painters were more interested in human features.
 * New literature and art shaped from styles and subjects of postclassical centuries in Italy.
 * Unversities and Gothic art enduredlegacy to western society.
 * ***The expansionist spirit of Europe (Western and Eastern) is evidenced by the Crusades; a more aggressive interest in the wider world than other emerging societies demonstrated.

Summary:

Western Europe became a seperate region once the majority of the lands were dominantly Christian. This common feature led to a richer culture, along with a system of socioeconomic growth, known as **feudalism** (and **manorialism**). These systems gave structure to the masses of tribal and loosely-knit governments during the **Dark Ages**. The **Hundred Years War** slowly deteriorated the power Feudal lords had over Midievel Europe. **Clovis** converted France to **Orthodox Christianity** giving him a vague dominion over the Franks and adding territory to his kingdom. He ruled with an iron fist and murdered those who spoke out against him. The Crusades were the major interaction between the Middle East and Europe; although it affected Europe much more than it affected the Arabs. The **"Holy Wars"** over the **Holy Land** illustrates the tension between the **Kingdom of Islam** and the **Christian World**. The Europeans experiences in the Holy Land introduced them to lots of new cultures and innovations and ideas that were adapted into Western Europe later on. In England, the creation and (forced) signing of the **Magna Carta** revolutionized people's rights and law.