PATTERNS OF MEDIEVAL LIFE

SUCCESSOR KINGDOMS TO ROME IN EUR.

Western half of the Roman empire fractured Different tribes ruled in each area Could result in conflict in even more conflict Often a combination of Germanic, Roman, and Christian cultures emerged
King Arthur???

GERMANIC CULTURE
Political structures centered around clans No strong central government Barter economy Values strength, agility, bravery, and honor Collective responsibility
Beowulf Great deal of feuding in both clans and between individuals Courts and wergild Enough united to form tribes

CHARLEMAGNE (R. 768-814)

aggressive, ambitious, determined and very ruthless Used military to expand his territory
dominated the bulk of Western Europe Pope recognized reunification of Roman world through coronation as Holy Rom. Emp.
Question who was more powerful?

Promoted the Catholic church as well

Pope Leo III crowning Charlemagne

END OF THE CAROLINGIAN EMPIRE

Treaty of Verdun (843) split the empire among Charlemagnes grandsons
Kingdom of Louis the German (Ger) Kingdom of Charles the Bald (French) Kingdom of Lothair in the middle

External invasions mid 9th C on the Frankish kingdom under siege By 1000 move to more feudal society

MEDIEVAL SOCIETY
3 estates - not defined by wealth or income, but societal functions
1st estate clergy 2nd estate knights/nobles 3rd estate everyone else (peasants, serfs, townspeople, etc.)

Some possibility for social mobility

FEUDALISM
Replaced the state as main source of govt
many knights realized benefits of connecting with a stronger lord Kings often couldnt control their subordinates (vassals)

Conditional subordination Mutual obligations

Fief for service (investiture)

CASE OF ENGLAND
Norman Conquest (1066) William the Conqueror
Bestowed huge chunks of land to his followers Made himself feudal lord of the country

Consolidation of power continued under his descendants

John (1199-1216) forced to sign the Magna Carta
Led to the eventual establishment of Parliament first example of a representative govt. in the early modern west

NORMAN CONQUEST

MEDIEVAL MANORS
Controlled by the local lord
Produced own goods Handled their own justice

Centered around a system of services and obligations owed

Majority of the land worked by serfs

Production aimed at direct consumption rather than trade

SERFS PAYING DUES

GROWTH OF VERNACULAR HIGH CULTURE

In local languages rather than in Latin Typically sponsored by wealthy nobles Troubadours lyric poets Courtly love and chivalry
When I behold the lark (p. 90)