As the Slavs were focusing their invasions on the Byzantine Empire, the Vikings were invading Europe.

1
As the Slavs were focusing their invasions on the
Byzantine Empire, the Vikings were invading
Europe.
Go invade Europe!
2
In medieval Scandinavian, to go a-viking
means to fight like a warrior. They traveled in
long deckless ships propelled by oars.
3
These ships were able to travel in shallow rivers
and could be carried around fortified
bridges. What they could not
steal, they burned.
4
With names like Eric Bloodaxe and Harald
Bluetooth, they fought hard and settled all
along the coast of Europe.
5
The Vikings worshiped many gods, listing their
deeds in poems called Eddas. Their history was
all spoken history until the 1100s when
they became Christian and used the
Roman alphabet.
6
They had a mythology surrounding the Green Man.
This was an environmentalist diety that
was in all nature.
7
What the Vikings did to Europe 1. Isolated
communities. 2. Economic
decline. 3. Local rulers take over the
defense of each little region. 4. Weakened
central authority. (and, of course, violence,
death, and other Viking-like activity)
8
This created a new system in Western Europe
called Feudalism.
Is the new dirt here?
9
As local rulers took over around the
900s, the common people experienced more
stability (no dynasties, empires or
kingdoms to rise and fall!)
Im so happy...
10
Feudalism was a decentralized political
system based on giving land to
nobles in return for military aid.
It stressed alliances for mutual protection.
Ill give you land if you kill all the Muslims.
11
Charles Martel saw that the Muslims were using
stirrups. He wanted a new cavalry army to do the
same, but the cost was too high.
stirrup
12
So that each man could support his own costs,
Martel granted them each a fief (estate with
peasants to work the land.)
13
The king allowed these local nobles to take over
traditional govt jobs like raising armies,
dispensing justice, and minting coins.
14
In return, the nobles took an oath of loyalty and
pledged military support to the king. In theory,
this system was a pyramid.
King
Lords
Knights
Dirty Peasants
15
Some lords could be vassals (workers) for several
different kings. Some knights could be vassals
for several different lords. This was all based
on personal loyalty and things could change.
It could get pretty confusing.
16
When a vassal swore service to his lord (homage),
he promised (1) 40-60 days of military service
per year, (2) food and lodging if the lord
visited, and (3) to pay ransom if the lord were
captured in battle. In return, the Lord
provided Nobless Oblige (the Nobles obligations.)