• 1000 years
• Centered around the Mediterranean 
• 280 AD: Diocletian splits between West & East
• West: capitol at Rome
• East: capitol at Constantinople, Emperor Constantine, Byzantine Empire

Beginnings of Western Europe

Early Middle Ages: 3 blows

476-1095

• 800 AD Charlemagne - Carocingian Empire
• 3 blows:

1. East: Magyars

2. South: Moors, Arabs

3. North: Norse, Vikings

• Recovery with the help of feudalism. Relationships in Castles. 
• Population increases 400% between 1000-1300

Norman Invasion of 1066

& results

• William, Duke of Normandy (French), and his victory over English in the Battle of Hastings
• Removed native ruling class, replaced it with French speakers
• Replaced Old English
• Linked England more closely with Continental Europe rather than Scandinavia 
• Set the stage for Br vs. Fr conflict 

• Feudalism! 
• Relationships in castles = survival 
• Population increases 400% between 1000-1300

• Wind & water power
• Horseshoe, new harness 

Sidenote: Islam

Sunni/Shi'te

• Shi'ite: successor blood relative (modern day Iran)
• Sunni: non blood relative (Arabia) 

High Middle Ages

First Crusade

• 1095 - Pope Urban II's sermon gets people excited to defend the Levant! 
• First Crusade- only successful one 

Results of the Crusades 

(there are 7ish) 

1. Increased power of the Catholic Church in the West because people willed land & assets to church
2. West & East talking! Products- cloth, jewelry, fruit, coffee, cinnamon, damascus plums-apricots
3. Italian cities provided ships & funds to sail to jerusalem. This wealth is the basis of the Renaissance! 

Classic Orders

"Canon Law" 

• Rigid- belong to a category. Created by God, so they must be good. 
• Orders: 

1. Those Who Ruled - Kings (Warriors)

2. Those Who Pray - Clergy

3. Those Who Labored 

• Most influential Pope in Middle Ages- Innocent III
• "Papal Lands" enormous landholdings in Italy & France. All that's left today is The Vatican
• If you are excommunicated- socially dead

• Dominicans- intellectual & logical - St. Dominic, Thomas Aquinus
• Fransiscans- vow of poverty & humility - St. Francisi of Assisi

• Cult of Mary - Mary is on level with Jesus. Depicted woman as ideal. 

• 1250s- France & England becoming societies
• 1300s- Recovery in Population
• Beginnings of impersonal institutions: financial systems, etc. Office is bigger than the person who holds it
• For most of world history, things revolve around leader, Godfather style

• Henry II (1154-1189) "Grand Jury" system. Clergy should be subject to same laws - robbery 
• King John (1199-1216) - Brother of Richard the Lionhearted. Magna Carta (1215) "Great Document." Kings must ask nobles their opinion before making laws
• Edward I (1272-1307) - Founder of House of Commons (US House of Reps) 

The Eucharist becoming the body & blood of Christ

(For Protestants, this is only symbolic) 

Those who Trade

Those who Learn

• The first University in Bologna 
• Literacy is important for buisness contracts & record keeping
• Romantic love! Poetry represents goodness of love and voluntary union
• Harmony in music 

Late Middle Ages

(dark)

(1250-1453) 

Problem #1: Mongols 

Mongols: Genghis Khan's united kingdom's the largest in world history. Not sea power, just land- failed to conquer Japan. 1241- Genghis Khan dies. In 1260, the Mongols are defeated in Syria. Pax Mongolia - 1260-1360. Trade shattered. 

...more problems

*1453*

More problems 

100 Years War 

100 Years War: 

• Between France & England (1337-1453) 
• In 1336, the French King dies and the next in line is the English King. French nobles upset. 
• England wins all important battles 
• Effects: the longbow shoots further distances; no more hand to hand combat, end of chivalry, Devastated France, England becomes England