Why did the Middle Ages Turn to Feudalism?

1
Why did the Middle Ages Turn to Feudalism?

• What happened before, to set the stage for
  feudalistic life?

2
How The Middle Ages Began

• Rome fell leaving Europe in disunity, conflict,
  and poverty and in the hands of invaders
• A new European civilization would have to develop
  and a blended culture emerged Greco-Roman,
  German, and Christian

3
Groups Who Shaped Europe

• The Franks(French) strongest Germanic kingdom
  to emerge in Western Europe allied with the
  powerful Christian Church of Rome
• Muslim World Overran Christian lands and took
  control of Spain
• Led to the Battle of Tours in A.D. 732-the
  Christians wanted to push them out

4
Charlemagne/Charles the Great

• Built a united empire across France, Germany, and
  part of Italy
• Crowned Emperor of the Romans by the Pope Leo III
  after helping crush a rebellion of Nobles in
  Rome.
• Very significant b/c a Christian pope crowned a
  Germanic King as successor to Rome.
• This laid the ground for future power struggles
  between Rome and Germany

5
After Charlemagne

• When he died his empire soon fell, too
• This was followed by 30 years of power struggles
• His grandson soon divided the region into 3 parts
• Charlemagne left a legacy of a strong and united
  Christian kingdom
• Wave of invasions ensued-all seeking to pillage
  Western Europe Muslims Magyars (Hungary) and
  Vikings (Scandinavia Denmark, Norway, and
  Sweden)

6
The Church and Medieval Life

• Christian rituals and faith were part of everyday
  life
• The Church was the social center as well as a
  place to worship
• They took pride in it and tithed (gave 10 of
  income to the church-Biblical) to keep it
  beautiful.

7
Monks and Nuns

• Monks (men) and nuns (women) were those who
  withdrew from worldly life to devote their life
  to God within monasteries and convents.
• http//www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/peopl
  e/monks.htm!

8

• Saint Benedict monk in A.D. 530 who drew up a
  set of rules to regulate monastic life
  Benedictine Rule
• This law included 3
• main vows
• Obedience to the
• abbot/abbess
• Poverty
• Chastity/Purity

9
The Power of the Church Grows

• The church controlled spiritual life and soon
  dominated secular life
• Concept of Papal Supremacy developed (primarily
  the Catholic faith) Pope considered
  representative of Christ and therefore has
  authority over all secular rulers.
• Moreover, this soon led to Papal States-lands
  belonging to the pope.
• Church and state were one.

10
Religious Authority

• Canon Law Laws and courts belonging to the
  medieval church disobedience led to a range of
  penalties.
• The most severe penalty was excommunication not
  receiving sacraments or a Christian burial

11
Reforms

• As the Churchs wealth and power grew-its
  discipline weakened
• Throughout the Middle Ages there became an
  evident need for reform
• Francis of Assisi set up friars-monks who did not
  live in monasteries but traveledWhy did this
  help?
• Cluniac Reforms initiated by Abbot Berno of
  Cluny
• Revived Benedictine rule
• Nobles could no longer interfere with monastic
  affairs
• Brought devoted men into the ministry
• A.D. 1073 Pope Gregory VII applied the reforms
  to the entire church as a whole. He then
  outlawed marriage for priests and simony (the
  selling of church offices and buying pardons for
  sins)