The Middle Ages

Part I
Society

RANDOM TRIVIA

Why do they call the Middle Ages the Dark Ages?

Because of all the knights!

Background for the Middle

Ages
Rome fell due to Germanic invasion
The empire collapsed
People got scared because it used to be
safe to travel
People rarely leave the house
because it is no longer safe
Church becomes powerful and the
law

Background

Romes system of roads falls into

disrepair
Roman military was no longer
patrolling the streets
Rome was no longer trading all over
Europe

IT WAS TOUGH IN THESE

STREETS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Y0E62fiv6mk

Christianity spreads
German invaders
began to convert to
Christianity.
The church begins to
build a safe society
for everyone.
Monks taught humility &
obedience
These communities also
became Europes besteducated.

Charlemagne

742 CE
King of Franks
Charlemagne was a
Warrior Christian
who united most of
Western Europe
Wanted another
society like Rome.
His grandsons,
however eventually let
the empire fall.

Invasions spark Feudalism

In fear of more
attacks, a system of
feudalism was
adopted.
This system basically
granted land to
people who would
provide protection.

King
Nobl
es
Knights
Peasan
ts
(serfs)

Feudal System
Based on loyalty
King at the top
Provides land
Provides protection
Demands obedience in return

Feudal System
Below the king, were Nobles
Just below the king
Owned land
Merchants
Provided king with money in exchange
for protection of their wealth and future.

Feudal System
Knights
Military of the Middle Ages
These were the tanks of their day
Continuously trained for battle
Offered services of protection to king in
exchange for land and money
Lived according to Chivalry

Feudal System
Chivalry
Code of Honor for military to live by

Respect for your king

Respect for women
Defend the church
Defend the weak
Do that which is Right and Good ALWAYS

Jousting
Jousting began in the early 1200's to
the late 1400's
Knights jousted for several
reasons but the main reason was
for a woman (chivalry)
All you needed was a horse,
lance and a brave man.

What was it and why do it?

2 people charged at
each other
The result was a
"melee" of shattered
lances.
The earliest melee
was in 1066 A.D.

Jousting helped
keep fighting skills
in tact in peaceful
times.
Great money-maker!
Winner would
sometimes hold the
losers for ransom.

Do people still joust today?

OF COURSE THEY DO!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWVZgpeQG8

WHENEVER THERE ARE DUMB IDEAS,

THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THERE TO
STILL TRY IT OUT!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Bh5Y_tX-E8U

The Problems
Although it was popular,
many deaths resulted
from jousting.
Popes and kings wanted to
ban jousting tournaments.
Some people were
eventually
excommunicated (kicked
out of the church)

Feudal System
Peasants (Serfs)
Mostly farmers
Uneducated
No chance of moving up
Worked land in return for protection
Were not free to move from kingdom to
kingdom

Castles
Castles have been built for protection
Now they become self-sufficient states
People dont want to have to leave the
protection of the castle
Castle and surrounding manor should have
everything needed for people to survive
Raise food
Provide protection
Make clothes
Etc.

Castles
Characteristics
Defense

Moat
Towers
Soldiers
Gates
Walls

Castles
Characteristics
Food

Farms
Orchards
Fields for grazing (cattle, sheep)
Animals
River (or some source of water)

STOP!!
NO MORE NOTES
FOR THE DAY

THE CRUSADES
Mr. McCaskill

Medieval Church
Catholic Church
Claim to come direct from Jesus
through Peter
Ruled by the pope
Exercised absolute authority in the
Middle Ages
Priests held authority in the cities
where they lived

Medieval Church
No opposing viewpoint
If you were Christian, you were
Catholic
If you werent a Christian, you
were usually persecuted (torture,
burning, death, etc.)
Church had their own soldiers
Kings and church would
sometimes go to war

Crusades
Church wants to unite people
against a common enemy (so
theyll stop fighting the church)
Looks to Muslims
Calls on people to set off on a
Holy Crusade to retake
Jerusalem from the Muslims

VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Upx2cy6ZIjA

Crusades
Series of Wars fought between
Christian Europe and Muslim
Middle East
First one 1096
Last one 1272
Christians won some battles and
lost some battles

First Crusades
Pope Urban II
Fight Muslims in
holy land
Soldiers were
marked with a
cross
Tough journey
1099 took
Jerusalem

VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=vCv6f
T7fIfI

2nd Crusades
After 2yrs
Christians fail to
hold the city
Christians are
slaughtered and
Muslims retake
Jerusalem in the
2nd Crusade!

3rd Crusades
Richard the Lion
Heart of England,
Phillip Augustus
of France, and
Frederick
Barbossa of
Rome all came
together to fight.
Europeans still
couldnt win

VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Dv_Gussoya8

Effects of Crusades
Introduced Europe to advanced
thinking of Middle East
Math
Sciences
Health care
Classical Greek and Roman thinkers
banned by the Catholic church