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Western Civilization I page. |
I. BACKGROUND/NEW COMMUNITY OF PEOPLES
MOST HISTORIANS TODAY DIVIDE THE WESTERN EUROPEAN MIDDLE AGES AS FOLLOWS:
- EARLY MIDDLE AGES 500 - 1000 A.D.
- CENTRAL MIDDLE AGES 1000 - 1350 A.D.
- LATE MIDDLE AGES 1300 - 1500 A.D.
EARLY MIDDLE AGES IN WESTERN EUROPE (EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE) FOUNDED UPON
- FORMER PEOPLES OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
- "BARBARIANS" BEYOND THE EMPIRES' BORDERS
GREAT MIGRATIONS OF "BARBARIANS"
- CELTIC TRIBES FOUND IN NORTHERN SCOTLAND AND IRELAND WERE CALLED PICTS AND SCOTS.
- THEY HAD ESCAPED ROMAN DOMINATION.
- GERMANS - MORE NUMEROUS THAN THE CELTS.
- SETTLED IN GREAT ARC FROM SCANDINAVIA TO BLACK SEA AND RIMMED THE ROMAN FRONTIER.
- THEY WERE AMONG THE MOST ADVANCED OF THE BARBARIAN PEOPLES.
- THEY HAD CONTINUALLY CHALLENGED THE FRONTIER OF THE EMPIRE AS THEY WERE ATTRACTED TO WEALTH OF THE EMPIRE. GERMANIC TRIBES INCLUDED:
GOTHS FRANKS
VISIGOTHS FRISIANS
VANDALS ANGLES
LOMBARDS JUTES
BURGUNDIANS SAXONS
- IN THE 4TH CENTURY, GERMANIC TRIBES MOVED TO FIND PROTECTION FROM OTHER BARBARIAN TRIBES.
- HUNS (NON-GERMANIC TRIBE) - PROBABLY OF MONGOLIAN ORIGIN.
- AFTER DEFEATING THE OSTROGOTHS IN WHAT IS NOW THE UKRAINE AND THE VISIGOTHS ALONG THE DNIESTER RIVER, THEY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES ON THE PLAIN OF THE MIDDLE DANUBE.
- LEFT THEIR ASIAN HOMELAND FOR REASONS STILL NOT CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD.
- UNDER THEIR CHIEF ATTILA ("THE SCOURGE OF GOD") THEY LED RAIDS ON ITALY AND GAUL.
- AFTER ATTILA'S DEATH IN 453 A.D., THE HUNNIC EMPIRE DISSOLVED.
- IT WAS THE HUNS WHO HAD GIVEN A STRONG IMPETUS FOR OTHER TRIBES TO RELOCATE.
- VISIGOTHS (A GERMANIC TRIBE) WERE THE FIRST OF THESE TRIBES TO BE DISLOGED BY THE HUNS. INITIALLY ACCEPTED BY THE EMPIRE, THEY FOUGHT A CLASSIC BATTLE AT ADRIANOPLE IN 378 A.D. WHEN THEY REVOLTED AGAINST THE HIGH PRICES DEMANDED OF THEM BY ROMAN OFFICIALS. THEIR CALVARY SUCCESSFULLY DEFEATED THE ROMAN LEGIONS AT ADRIANOPLE.
- THIS BATTLE MARKED THE END OF THE ROMANS' MILITARY ADVANTAGE OVER THE BARBARIANS.
- IT ALSO SHOWED THE SUPERIORITY OF THE MOUNTED WARRIOR OVER THE FOOT SOLDIER.
- 410 A.D. THEY SACKED ROME AND CROSSED THE ALPS INTO GAUL.
- VANDALS (A GERMANIC TRIBE) ALSO WERE DISPLACED BY THE HUNS, PUSHED INTO SPAIN AND THEN ESTABLISHED A KINGDOM IN NORTH AFRICA IN 429 A.D.
- 455 A.D. - THEY TOO SACKED ROME.
- THIS RAID OF PLUNDER EARNED THE VANDALS A REPUTATION FOR SENSELESS VIOLENCE WHICH THE MODERN WORD "VANDAL" STILL REFLECTS.
- BURGUNDIANS (A GERMANIC TRIBE) SETTLED AN AREA IN THE UPPER RHONE AND SAONE RIVERS OF GAUL (MODERN BURGUNDY AREA OF FRANCE).
- OSTROGOTHS (NON-GERMANIC TRIBE) PENETRATED FIRST THE ROMAN FRONTIERS IN THE EAST.
- BESIEGED BUT DID NOT CAPTURE CONSTANTINOPLE IN 487 A.D.).
- 493 A.D. - MOVED WEST AND ESTABLISHED OSTROGOTHIC KINGDOM IN ITALY.
- DURING 3RD AND 4TH CENTURIES, GERMANIC TRIBES ALONG THE RHINE VALLEY FORMED 2 LARGE FEDERATIONS
1. ALEMANNI - IN UPPER VALLEY
2. FRANKS - IN LOWER VALLEY
- ALEMANNI PUSHED INTO MIDDLE OF GAUL.
- FRANKS PENETRATED NORTHERN GAUL (EXCEPT BRITTANY).
- A FRANKISH KINGDOM WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER CLOVIS (481-511 A.D.) WHO POLITICALLY UNIFIED MOST OF GAUL AFTER CONQUERING GALLO - ROMANS, ALEMANNI AND VISIGOTHS.
- THE FRANKS BECAME THE FIRST BARBARIANS TO ACCEPT ROMAN CHRISTIANITY RATHER THAN ARIAN CHRISTIANITY.
INVASIONS OF BRITAIN
- UNLIKE THE CONTINENT, GERMANIC TRIBES DID NOT INVADE AS MASS FEDERATIONS OR NATIONS BUT RATHER IN SMALL BANDS UNDER WARLORDS.
- PRINCIPAL GERMANIC INVADERS INCLUDED ANGLES, SAXONS, AND JUTES WHO DID NOT ASSIMILATE WITH NATIVE BRITAINS BUT RATHER PUSHED THEM WESTWARD INTO WALES OR CORNWALL.
- SOME NATIVE BRITAINS CROSSED THE CHANNEL INTO MODERN DAY BRITTANY (LITTLE BRITAIN).
SLAVIC MIGRATIONS:
1) ANCESTORS OF MODERN WEST SLAVS:
- POLES
- CZECHS
- SLOVAKS
- PUSHED SETTLEMENTS AS FAR WEST AS THE ELBE RIVER IN THE 5TH AND 6TH CENTURIES.
2) DURING THIS TIME, OTHER SLAVIC TRIBES PUSHED INTO THE BALKANS AND GREECE AND WERE THE ANCESTORS OF THE MODERN SOUTH SLAVS:
SERBS BULGARIANS
CROATS MACEDONIANS
3) WHILE OTHER TRIBES MOVED EAST AND WERE THE ANCESTORS OF THE MODERN EAST SLAVS:
RUSSIANS BYELO - OR WHITE RUSSIANS
UKRAINIANS
- NO OTHER INDO-EUROPEAN PEOPLES CAME TO OCCUPY SO EXTENSIVE A GEOGRAPHIC AREA AS THE SLAVS.
GERMANIC SOCIETY
- THOSE LIVING NEAR THE BORDERS OF THE EMPIRE GRADUALLY ASSIMILATED WITH THOSE OF THE EMPIRE.
- INTERMARRIAGE WAS NOT UNCOMMON.
- GERMANIC TRIBES WERE RELUCTANT TO SETTLE IN CITIES.
- THUS THE CENTER OF ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE SHIFTED TO THE COUNTRYSIDE AFTER THE FALL OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE.
- GERMANIC WOMEN
- USUALLY MARRIED AT SIMILAR AGE TO THEIR HUSBANDS (IN THE EMPIRE, WOMEN MARRIED MEN APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS OLDER THAN THEY).
- GROOM PAID DOWRY TO BRIDE'S FAMILY (IN THE EMPIRE, BRIDE PAID DOWRY TO THE HUSBAND'S FAMILIES).
- WOMEN IN GENERAL WERE MORE VALUED AMONG GERMANIC TRIBES THAN WOMEN HAD BEEN IN THE EMPIRE.
- GERMANIC CHILDREN
- GERMANIC TRIBES REARED MORE CHILDREN PER FAMILY THAN ROMANS.
- GERMANIC TRIBES DID NOT FORMALLY EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN.
- GERMANIC TRIBES DID NOT PRACTICE INFANTICIDE (AS DID THE ROMANS) BUT RATHER RAISED THEIR CHILDREN WITH BENIGN NEGLECT.
GERMANIC SOCIAL STRUCTURE
- FREEDMAN OWNED THEIR OWN LAND.
- THEY HAD NO SLAVES (AS DID THE EMPIRE).
- SOCIAL TIE BETWEEN CHIEF (WARLORD) AND HIS FOLLOWERS RESEMBLED LORD AND VASSAL RELATIONSHIP OF FEUDAL SOCIETY.
- LAWS WERE NOT WRITTEN BUT RATHER RELIED ON ORAL TRADITION. BECAUSE OF THIS, THERE WAS HEAVY RELIANCE ON LARGE COUNCILS OR ASSEMBLIES FOR MAKING DECISIONS.
- KINGS NEVER MADE DECISIONS ALONE.
GERMANIC CULTURE
- LITERATURE PRESERVED BY ORAL TRADITION.
- POETRY WAS THE FAVORED FORM OF LITERARY EXPRESSION.
- MILITARY VALUES WERE A DOMINANT THEME IN BARBARIAN LITERATURE, e.g., BEOWULF - THE GREAT ANGLO - SAXON EPIC.
- THE PERIOD AFTER THE INVASIONS WITNESSED A NEAR TRIUMPH OF VULGAR (NON-LATIN), NONLITERATE CULTURE OVER LITERATE, URBAN CULTURE OF THE ROMAN ARISTOCRACY.
- RELIGION - HIGH GODS LIVED IN THE SKY AND TOOK LITTLE INTEREST IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN.
WODEN (ODIN) - CHIEF GOD
FRIG - WODEN'S WIFE
THOR - GOD OF THUNDER
TI (TYR) - GOD OF WAR
- THESE GODS GAVE THEIR NAMES TO DAYS OF THE WEEK IN GERMANIC LANGUAGES (INCLUDING ENGLISH).
- ART - NO MONUMENTAL ART DEVELOPED AMONG GERMANIC TRIBES, i.e., NO TEMPLES, PALACES, ETC., BECAUSE OF CONSTANT MOVEMENT OF TRIBES.
- ARTISTIC EXPRESSION WAS SEEN IN THE MAKING OF JEWELRY FROM PREVIOUS MEDALS WHICH DEMONSTRATE THE ANIMAL STYLE (FORMS OF ANIMALS DESIGNED INTO THE JEWELRY).
LETTERS AND LEARNING
- GREAT MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE IN 4TH AND 5TH CENTURIES NEARLY EXTINGUISHED IN THE WEST THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD:
1. URBAN CULTURE
2. LITERATE CULTURE
3. ARISTOCRATIC CULTURE
- TRADITION OF CLASSICAL LEARNING DID NOT COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR AS IT WAS PRESERVED BY THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. WHILE THE CHURCH WRITERS OFTEN CONDEMNED CLASSICAL LITERATURE AS SINFUL, THEY PRESERVED IT IN TEXTBOOKS AND THROUGH TRANSLATIONS - ANCIENT GREEK WORKS TRANSLATED INTO LATIN.
ISODORE, BISHOP OF SEVILLE, WROTE HIS ETYMOLOGIES WHICH WAS A VAST ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ANCIENT LEARNING IN 20 BOOKS COVERING MANY TOPICS.
- SCHOLARS, MANY OF THEM MONKS, ALSO CREATED MANY ORIGINAL WORKS.
- EXEGESIS, COMMENT AND INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE, WAS A PRIMARY CONCERN OF THESE SCHOLARS.
- MIRACLES AND SALVATION WERE OFTEN WRITTEN ABOUT IN MEDIEVAL LITERATURE.
- IRELAND - GREATEST CENTER OF MEDIEVAL SCHOLARSHIP IN THE 7TH CENTURY.
- ENGLAND - GREATEST CENTER OF MEDIEVAL SCHOLARSHIP IN EARLY 8TH CENTURY.
- BOTH COUNTRIES SUPPORTED STRONG MONASTIC SYSTEMS.
- BEDE THE VENERABLE (673? - 735 A.D.) WAS THE GREATEST ENGLISH SCHOLAR OF THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE WAS HIS CLASSICAL WORK.
- THIS WORK DEALT WITH CONVERSION OF ENGLISH TO CHRISTIANITY AND GROWTH OF THE CHURCH IN ENGLAND.
II. EARLY MIDDLE AGE ECONOMY
- SINGLE-FAMILY FARM BECOMES THE BASIC UNIT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.
- DEVELOPMENT OF HEAVY PLOW AROUND THE 6TH CENTURY MAKES FARMING POSSIBLE IN THE REGIONS NORTH OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA.
- GRADUALLY HORSES WERE UTILIZED WITH GREAT EFFICIENCY.
- THREE FIELD SYSTEM OF CROP ROTATION WAS IMPLEMENTED IN NORTHERN EUROPE BY AROUND 750 A.D, i.e.,
1) WINTER - WHEAT
2) SPRING - OATS OR BARLEY OR PEAS OR CORN
3) THEN FALLOW FOR ONE YEAR.
- 2/3 OF THE SOIL REMAINED UNDER CROPS WHILE 1/3 LAY FALLOW.
- THE MANOR
- LARGE ESTATES CHARACTERISTIC OF SOUTHEAST ENGLAND, NORTHERN FRANCE, WESTERN GERMANY AND THE RHONE AND PO VALLEYS.
- WAS THE FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATION IN THESE AREAS.
- LAND WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO EQUAL PARTS:
1. SMALL FARMS (MANSI) BELONGING TO PEASANTS.
2. LARGE DEMESNE THAT THE PEASANTS WORKED FOR THE LORD.
- THE LORD WAS THE CHIEF POLICE OFFICER, CHIEF MILITARY OFFICER, CHIEF MANAGER OF THE BUSINESSES, e.g., BAKERY BREWERY, MILL, WINE PRESS.
- MOST PEASANTS OF THE MANOR WERE SERFS AND THEY AND THEIR CHILDREN COULD NOT LEAVE THE LAND. MEN USUALLY OBLIGATED TO WORK THE LORD'S DEMESNE THREE DAYS A WEEK AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL SERVICE USUALLY AT HARVEST TIME. WOMEN ALSO OBLIGATED TO THE LORD TO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE WORKSHOPS PRODUCING CLOTH.
- DESPITE HARSH LIFE, SERFS HAD BETTER LIFE THAN ROMAN SLAVES HAD EXPERIENCED BECAUSE SERFS HAD A MORAL RIGHT TO THEIR LAND AND OBLIGATIONS WERE FIXED AND NOT RAISED.
- A SMALL NUMBER OF FREE PEASANTS (NOT SERFS) WORKED ON THE MANOR. THEY PAID A YEARLY RENT FOR LAND BUT WERE NOT SUBJECT TO THE LABOR OBLIGATIONS OF SERFS.
- MANOR OFFERED PROTECTION TO ITS MEMBERS.
- MANORS SUPPORTED BEST AND MOST PROGRESSIVE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS.
- COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE
- THE GIFT ECONOMY WHICH PLACED AN OBLIGATION UPON THE RECIPIENT TO RECIPROCATE THROUGH A RETURN GIFT OR THROUGH RETURN SERVICE.
- GIFT ECONOMY ESTABLISHED ENDURING SOCIAL BOND BETWEEN DONOR AND RECIPIENT AND REPLACED MARKET ECONOMY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
- COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE WITH OTHER REGIONS IN THE GIFT ECONOMY WAS GREATLY REDUCED.
III. THE CHURCH
- UNRIVALED LEADERSHIP
- KEPT ALIVE CLASSICAL TRADITION OF LITERACY, RHETORIC AND LOGIC.
- PAPACY (BISHOP OF ROME AS CHIEF LEADER OF THE CHURCH) CONTINUED TO RISE IN STATURE DURING THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES.
- POPE DAMASUS I - 375 A.D. - CLAIMED THE BISHOP OF ROME HELD SUPREME TEACHING AUTHORITY IN CHRISTENDOM - THE PETRINE DOCTRINE.
- POPE GREGORY THE GREAT - (590 - 604 A.D.) - HE GREATLY STRENGTHENED THE CHURCH'S ADMINISTRATION THROUGH ROLE OF THE POPE AND ALSO RULED AS SECULAR HEAD OF ROME AND SURROUNDING AREAS IN DEALING WITH THE LOMBARDS WHO THREATENED TO DESTROY THE CITY.
- HE SENT MISSIONARIES TO CONVERT ANGLO-SAXONS OF ENGLAND AND VISIGOTHS OF SPAIN TO ROMAN CHRISTIANITY.
- WAS THE GREATEST WRITER OF THE CHURCH AFTER ST. AUGUSTINE.
- WROTE EXTENSIVELY ON EXEGESIS.
- AMONG HIS GREATEST WORKS WAS HIS DIALOGUES ABOUT THE LIVES AND MIRACLES OF THE HOLY MEN OF ITALY.
- OBTAINED A POSITION AS ONE OF THE FOUR CHURCH FATHERS ALONG WITH JEROME, AMBROSE AND AUGUSTINE.
MONASTICISM
- BEGAN IN 3RD CENTURY IN EGYPT.
- ST. BENEDICT (480? - 543?) OF ITALY ESTABLISHED BASIS OF WESTERN MONASTICISM.
- HE CREATED BENEDICTINE "RULE" WHICH WAS GUIDE FOR A MONK'S DAILY LIFE. MONASTICISM BECOME FIRST SOCIAL GROUP OF EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE TO POSSESS A WRITTEN CONSTITUTION. MONKS VOWED TO FOLLOW A LEADER - THE ABBOT. MONKS FOLLOWED A DAILY SCHEDULE DOMINATED BY SAYING OF PRAYERS BUT ALSO MANUAL LABOR. THIS MANUAL LABOR INHERITED A DIGNITY DENIED BY THE EMPIRE.
- MONASTIC IDEAS EVOKED A VERY STRONG RESPONSE AMONG THE IRISH.
- THEY PREACHED THE IDEAS OF MONASTICISM SUCCESSFULLY NOT ONLY IN THEIR HOMELANDS BUT ALSO ON THE CONTINENT AS WELL.
- ROLE OF THE MONK
- MOST SUCCESSFUL AGRICULTURALISTS OF THE AGE.
- MONASTERIES, WHERE MONKS LIVED TOGETHER, PLAYED MAJOR ROLE IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY.
- POWERFUL FAMILIES ESTABLISHED MONASTERIES ON THEIR LANDS AND KINGS RELIED ON MONASTIC FARMS TO SUPPLY FOOD FOR THEIR ADMINISTRATION AND ARMIES.
- MONKS WERE AMONG THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO WERE LITERATE AND LEARNED.
- THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GREAT SURVIVING LATIN LITERARY WORKS OF PAGAN AND CHRISTIAN ANTIQUITY AS THEY WROTE AND PRESERVED COPIES OF THESE WORKS IN THEIR MONASTERIES.
- MONKS REJECTED THE CLASSICAL AND BARBARIAN SYSTEMS OF VALUES THUS UPROOTING THE:
1. CLASSICAL AVERSION TO PHYSICAL LABOR
2. BARBARIAN LOVE OF VIOLENCE
IV. THE FRANKISH EMPIRE
A STRONG FRANKISH KINGDOM HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN GAUL BY CLOVIS ABOUT 500 A.D. BUT HIS MEROVINGIAN SUCCESSORS "DO-NOTHING KINGS" WERE VERY WEAK.
751 A.D. - CHARLES MARTEL'S SON, PEPIN THE SHORT, ENDED THE MEROVINGIAN RULE AND WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE NEW FRANKISH KING.
- PEPIN THE SHORT ALLIED HIMSELF WITH THE PAPACY AND DEFEATED LOMBARDS HARASSING PAPAL LANDS (LATER KNOWN AS DONATION OF PEPIN IN ESTABLISHING THE PAPAL STATES).
CHARLEMAGNE (CHARLES THE GREAT) (768-814 A.D.) - SON OF PEPIN THE SHORT.
- WAGED LONG WARS IN SPREADING CHRISTIANITY AND FRANKISH AUTHORITY AMONG OTHER GERMANIC TRIBES AS WELL AS OTHER PAGAN GROUPS. FOUGHT VICTORIOUSLY AGAINST LOMBARDS, BAVARIANS, ANGLO-SAXONS, DANES, SLAVS AND SARACENS.
- 800 A.D. - POPE LEO III CROWNED HIM EMPEROR OF THE ROMANS WHICH CONFIRMED ALLIANCE OF THE PAPACY AND FRANKISH MONARCHY.
- THIS CORONATION MARKS THE BIRTH OF WESTERN EUROPE AS POLITICALLY AND CULTURALLY AUTONOMOUS FROM THE EASTERN EMPIRE.
- THIS CORONATION ADDED NO NEW POWER TO CHARLEMAGNE BUT DID ADD MUCH DIGNITY.
- AIX-LA-CHAPELLE (AACHEN) WAS THE CAPITAL OF THE EMPIRE.
- FUNDAMENTAL ADMINISTRATION UNIT WAS THE COUNTY (WHICH WERE LIKE ROMAN PROVINCES).
- HE USED THREE DEVICES TO CONTROL LOCAL OFFICIALS:
1. HE TRAVELED WIDELY TO VISIT HIS VARIOUS COUNTIES.
2. HE APPOINTED SPECIAL TRAVELING INSPECTORS THAT ACTED LIKE SURROGATE EMPERORS.
3. HE REQUIRED BOTH LAYMAN AND ECCLESIASTICAL LEADERS TO ATTEND AN ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
- CHARLEMAGNE STANDARDIZED WEIGHTS, MEASURES AND MONEY THROUGHOUT HIS EMPIRE. MONEY WAS BASED ON A SINGLE MINTED COIN - THE DENARIUS OR PENNY.
CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE
- DIFFERENT STYLES OF WRITING HAD BEEN DEVELOPING SINCE THE FALL OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE (NATIONAL HANDS) AND EVEN THE LATIN GRAMMAR USED BY SCHOLARS ABSORBED REGIONAL PECULIARITIES. VARIATIONS IN RELIGIOUS RITUALS WAS GROWING WHICH WEAKENED THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH.
- PEPIN AND CHARLAMAGNE INVITED SCHOLARS TO COURT FROM ALL OVER EUROPE.
- AN EDUCATIONAL REVIVAL WAS PROMOTED AND FROM THE REVIVAL CAME:
1. REFORM IN HANDWRITING KNOWN AS CAROLINGIAN MINUSCULE BASED ON WRITING TEXTS IN LOWER CASE LETTERS FOR EASIER READING.
2. DEVELOPMENT OF COMMON SCHOLARLY LANGUAGE KNOWN AS MEDIEVAL LATIN WHICH RETAINED GRAMMATICAL RULES OF CLASSICAL LATIN BUT WHICH WAS OPEN TO MANY NEW VOCABULARY WORDS.
- MEDIEVAL LATIN MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR TRAVELERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND SCHOLARS TO COMMUNICATE EASILY WITH EACH OTHER. LATIN WAS THUS RETAINED AS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE FOR EUROPE.
DECLINE OF CHARLEMAGNE'S EMPIRE
- CHARLEMAGNE PASSED ON HIS STRONG EMPIRE TO HIS ONLY SURVIVING SON - LOUIS THE PIOUS.
- HE WAS WEAK AND AFTER HIS DEATH HIS 3 SONS DIVIDED THE EMPIRE INTO THREE KINGDOMS IN 843 A.D. AT THE TREATY OF VERDUN. THIS DATE IS CONSIDERED AS THE BEGINNINGS OF THE SEPARATE NATIONAL HISTORIES OF FRANCE, GERMANY AND ITALY.
V. RENEWED INVASIONS - 9TH AND 10TH CENTURIES
BORDERS OF CHARLEMAGNE'S EMPIRE HAD REMAINED INTACT UNDER HIM, BUT UNDER WEAK SUCCESSORS, INVASIONS OF HIS EMPIRE BEGAN. INVADERS INCLUDED:
1. SARACENS - FROM THE SOUTH IN NORTH AFRICA. ATTACKED THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA AND THREATENED WESTERN SHIPS. THEY RAIDED ROME IN 846 A.D.
2. MAGYARS - FROM THE EAST. ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES IN DANUBE VALLEY AROUND 895 A.D. AND CONTINUALLY RAIDED FOR 50 YEARS INTO GERMANY, FRANCE AND ITALY.
3. VIKINGS - FROM THE NORTH. THESE WERE THE LAST PHASE OF THE GERMANIC INVASIONS THAT HAD BEGUN IN THE 4TH CENTURY.
- REASONS FOR VIKING INVASIONS INCLUDE:
- HARSH NORTHERN CLIMATE NOT SUITABLE TO SUPPORT GROWING TRIBES.
- AWARENESS OF WEALTH, THROUGH COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE, TO THE SOUTH.
- SKILLED AND VERSATILE SEAMEN. THEY EXPLORED AS FAR WEST AS THE NORTH AMERICA CONTINENT. THEY SETTLED ICELAND. THEY RAIDED AND EVENTUALLY ESTABLISHED COLONIES IN ENGLAND. THEY SAILED THE RUSSIAN RIVER SYSTEM ALL THE WAY TO CONSTANTINOPLE WHICH THEY RAIDED BEGINNING IN 866 A.D. IN 911 THEY OCCUPIED THE AREA OF WHAT WOULD BECOME NORMANDY.
- WHILE THESE NEW INVASIONS WERE NOT AS DISRUPTIVE AS THE GREAT MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE OF THE 4TH AND 5TH CENTURIES, THEY DID BRING A NEW DARK AGE, i.e., MORE VIOLENCE AND BARBARIC CUSTOMS.
- THE CHURCH WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENT IN CONVERTING MAGYARS, VIKINGS AND OTHER BARBARIC TRIBES (NOT SARACENS) TO A CIVILIZED EXISTENCE IN THE COMMUNITY OF WESTERN PEOPLE.
- GRADUALLY THE CHURCH CHRISTIANIZED THE MAGYARS, VIKINGS, AND WESTERN SLAVS.
- AFTER 1013 A.D. - NEITHER MAGYARS, VIKINGS NOR WESTERN SLAVS REPRESENTED A THREAT TO THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE.
ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND
- ENGLAND ACHIEVED RELIGIOUS UNITY (ROMAN CATHOLICISM) BEFORE POLITICAL UNITY.
- POPE GREGORY'S ENVOYS, FRANKS AND IRISH ALL HELPED TO CONVERT ENGLAND TO CHRISTIANITY.
- POLITICAL UNITY BEGAN WHEN NUMEROUS DYNASTIES COALESCED INTO 7 KINGDOMS - THE HEPTARCHY:
1. NORTHUMBRIA 4. ESSEX 6. SUSSEX
2. MERCIA 5. KENT 7. WESSEX
3. EAST ANGLIA
- GRADUALLY WESSEX GAINED CONTROL. THE GREATEST OF WESSEX KINGS WAS ALFRED THE GREAT (871-899 A.D.)
- ALFRED FOUGHT SUCCESSFULLY AGAINST THE DANES WHO WERE CONFINED TO THE NORTH AND EAST. THE AREA BECAME KNOWN AS THE DANELAW WHERE LAWS DIFFERED FROM ENGLISH LAW.
- ALFRED BECAME THE FIRST KING TO RULE OVER THE ENTIRE ENGLISH PEOPLE.
- INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITY RENEWED UNDER ALFRED THE GREAT.
- ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE (UNKNOWN AUTHOR) - HISTORY OF ENGLAND WRITTEN DURING REIGN OF ALFRED THE GREAT. THE CHRONICLE WAS CONTINUED AFTERWARDS BY VARIOUS AUTHORS.
- WESSEX KINGS REMAINED IN POWER IN ENGLAND FOR ALMOST A CENTURY.
- 991 A.D. - KING ETHELRED (A WESSEX KING) UNABLE TO STOP RENEWED DANISH ADVANCES AND THEREFORE AGREED TO PAY TRIBUTE.
- IMPOSED TAXES ON ENGLISH PEOPLE TO MEET DANISH TRIBUTE - WHICH WAS KNOWN AS THE DANEGELD.
- 1013 A.D. - FINAL VIKING INVASION OF ENGLAND UNDER DANISH KING SWEIN.
- SUCCESSFULLY CONQUERED ENGLAND AND SWEIN'S SON, CANUTE, RULED DENMARK, NORWAY AND ENGLAND.