European History Early Middle Ages 476-1000

Early Middle Ages: 476-1000 ● Population grows ● More land cultivated, forests cut down ● Better farming technique- more food grown ● Trade and Navigation - Italian city states trade in Mediterranean ● Growth of cities ● Start using horses and iron plows there was an increase in trade Germany ● Started after the treaty of Verdun ● Independent state after Charlemagne’s grandsons split up the empire ● Ruled by German dukes, who elected one duke as their King Lechfeld- King of the Germans 955, Duke of the Saxons, Pope crowned “Holy Roman Empire” ● Defeats magyars at the Battle of Lechfeld in 955 ○ End of Magyar raid in Western Europe ■ Magyars settle down in Hungary Germany from now on known as the Holy Roman Empire, and its rulers are Holy Roman Emperors Guilds- groups that live together Otto I - First Holy Roman Emperor Timelines: 27 B.C Beginning crowned Roman Emperor (Augustus) 476 A.D Fall of Western Empire 900 A,D Charlemagne crowned Roman Emperor (in spirit) (Franks) 962 A.D Otto the Great (German) crowned Holy Roman Emperor 1453 A.D End of Eastern Roman, capital at Constantinople The Investiture Controversy Investiture= the appointment of bishops Controversy= Popes vs. Emperor over who has the right to appoint Bishops in the Holy Roman Empire Pope eventually wins- bishops must be elected first according to church law 1122- Henry the fifth- concordat of worms - A Emperor can no longer interfere Gregory VIII ● Reformed the Papacy ● Forbids the emperor Henry IV to appoint bishops ● Henry tries to fire him - gets excommunicated in 1076 and tells Henry’s subjects to not follow him ○ The Road to Canossa (1077) - begs for forgiveness barefoot in snow ● Seperation of the Church and State Papal Monarchy - advisors, bureaucracy, lives in papal states ● Cardinals ○ Political contender ■ 2 weapons against monarchs= excommunication, interdict(excommunicate a country= puts pressure on a ruler) ○ Cannon law ■ Law of the church - independent court system in Europe, Church punishes clergy not state People are divided by those who pray (clergy) , fight (nobles), andwork (peasants/farmers) Feudalism = the system by which Medieval Europe is governed, King at top Knight at bottomcomes from no central authority ● Nobility=people with land who can fight - Lords and Vassals ● Lords give land to vassals- vassals fight for Lord ● Peasants- work land owned by nobles for food in return for protection ● Estates- land owned by nobles Fall of Rome ● Barbarian Kings (kingdoms)- land grants take place of taxes ● Roman tax system collapses ○ Kings give land to supporters in exchange for military aid Roman period: - Land owners pay taxes to a central state, which would defend them Anarchy- no ruler Normans- Northmen ● Settle in Normandy ○ Northern France ■ Settle in Sicily ■ Push out Muslims ○ Settle in England on two occasions England- Anglo Saxons invade after the abandonment of Britain (410) ● Anglo Saxon kingdoms ● Raids by the Vikings begin (800’s) ● Alfred the Great, King of Wessex unites the Anglo Saxons, protects against Vikings Britons- (400s and earlier) ● Anglo Saxons united by Alfred the Great Vikings ● Danes- Denmark ● Normans- (Normandy) (France) ○ Sicily ○ Holy Land ○ North Africa ● Both groups end up in England at some point - Christianized by Ireland (509-604) Conquests of England ● 1014 Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark conquers all of England ○ Son is Cnut the Great (1016-1035) ● 1066 Edward the Confessor dies without an heir ○ William, duke of Normandy conquered England Cnut has no heir Anglo saxons ● Edward the Confessor- takes a vow of chastity= no heir= ruled for 24 years 3 prospects for next King (1066) 1. William of Normandy- Vikings 2. Harald Hardrada- Norway 3. Harold II- Anglo-Saxon Harold defeats and kills Harald. William is given the throne - put off by the storm. 1066- Battle of Hastings( Norman Conquests) ● William conquered all of England from harold ○ French becomes the language of the court (legal language) - used in our laws