Religion and Society in Medieval Europe

THE POST-ROMAN WEST and THE CRUSADING MOVEMENT HIST 1301 | History Religion and Society in Medieval Europe Despite the fact that Christianity originated in hostility towards the Roman government, by the fifth century the church had taken on the role of guardian of ancient Greek and Roman law, literature, and intellectual concepts. The eastern and western churches had distinct linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and their doctrinal and political relationships deteriorated in the ninth century. One point of contention concerned the use of pictures in Christian worship, which some emperors condemned but the popes approved of. Additionally, the popes had been constructing a case for their authority over the church, partially grounded in tradition and partially in scripture. Popes from the early Middle Ages, such as Leo I, established the foundation for the Rome-based Bishops' authority, which the Eastern churches mainly disregarded or rejected. But, the popes turned their attention to western Europe after forging an alliance with the Frankish monarchs in order to secure the church's future. In the early Middle Ages, a range of Christian beliefs and practices were formed by regional customs and requirements, not only the pope. The church contributed to the change from the ancient to the modern Roman world in three different ways. First, the institutional church attempted to convert the Germanic peoples to Christianity, sometimes with the help of the popes. Second, it contributed to the classical tradition's preservation. Ultimately, it assisted the new leaders in establishing legitimacy for their reign and converting the populace to Christianity. Men and women committed to Christianity who wanted to integrate new peoples into the societies of Christian nations went out on missions. Pope Gregory, often called Gregory the Great, sent Augustine of Canterbury and other Italian monks to convert the Anglo-Saxons. Monks are males who abstain from marriage, frequently live in communities, and dedicate their life to serving God. Nuns are the name given to their female equivalents.) The wives of monarchs had a particularly strong influence in encouraging the general conversion of people to Christianity. The laity, or nonclergy, frequently participated in missionary activities. The effectiveness of Clothilde's efforts to convert her husband, King Clovis, was seen by her contemporaries. Similarly, Bertha, the wife of King Ethelbert of Kent, supported her husband's conversion. Augustine of Canterbury, a missionary who subsequently became a bishop, had the backing of both. In order to spread Catholic Christianity throughout new lands, missionaries frequently collaborated closely with Christian kings, whose conversion may be crucial. The lifestyle and social structures of monks originated in the Mediterranean region and reached its zenith among religious individuals in western Europe. Benedict of Nursia was the most prominent monastic leader. He wrote a manual, or "rule," for monastic life that emphasised moderation, striking a balance between prayer and productive activity, community self-sufficiency, and providing monks with enough education to copy out texts in Latin. Numerous settlements were "double monasteries," with separate areas for men and women that were frequently governed by an abbess. Because of monasticism, women were granted a position in society that was not determined by their status as a husband or father. As abbesses, some of these women had significant power. After her husband killed her brother, the Frankish queen Radegund left the court. She rose to fame as the creator and abbess of the Holy Cross Monastery in Poitiers, and upon her passing, she was largely regarded as a saint. For other women, like Radegund, the whims of a violent husband and the intrigues of the court were not worth the convent life. In the post-Roman era, monastic institutions were frequently essential to the preservation of knowledge. Monks there copied books out by hand in order to support missionary activity and preserve historic information they deemed valuable. In addition to acting as safe havens during emergencies, monasteries might develop into important administrative hubs and communication links. They were typically the only locations where priests could get training to assist recently converted populations. Even while bishops—especially the pope, the bishop of Rome—were the ultimate authority, monasticism played an equally important role in the spread of Christianity and in missionary efforts. And lastly, Christianity contributed to the legitimacy of new kings. Once Germanic monarchs adopted the Catholic faith that their subjects followed, they were better able to blend in with their Roman subjects. The new elite might receive their education in monasteries, where bishops could also act as administrators. However, one topic that Charlemagne's career brought up was the connection between emperors and the pope. Charlemagne had been crowned by Leo III, and when a monarch was bestowed with official emblems, the church would often conduct an anointing ritual. Apart from the conflict between the churches in the east and west, there was also a significant non-Christian faith in the shape of Judaism, which the Romans tolerated because of its age. Nevertheless, Jewish communities had fresh difficulties after the fall of Rome and the expansion of Catholic Christianity, when rulers and clergy imposed limitations on their behaviour. Regardless of how long a Jewish person may have lived in a certain location, Christians frequently saw Jews as outsiders. Rumours that Jews intended to kill Christians arose from the false notion that they were to responsible for Jesus' death. In many instances, such as in Visigothic Spain, Jews living there were threatened with deportation from the realm or forced to become Christians. But antipathy was never absolute, and Jewish people enjoyed significant liberties under monarchs like as Louis the Pious. Because of their ties—particularly commercial ones—to other communities across the Mediterranean, rulers may also feel obliged to defend Jewish communities. Nonetheless, Jewish communities' standing was frequently unstable during the Middle Ages.