WesternEurope

= = = = = = = = =Worldology Notes:=

__**Impact of Christianity: Political Power of the Church (490-600)**__ The two churches were the Roman Catholic in the West and the Eastern Orthodox in the Byzantine. These churches controled information, beliefs, and attitudes. As Europe is ruled by the uneducated such as the Germanics, the only knowledge available is through the clergy. This made the church the most influential force in Midieval Europe. Kings that sided with the church gained a political advantage such as the Franks who became Roman Catholics. The kings would then give back lands, wealth, and influence over the kingdom to the church. In Christianity there is an absolute authority, which kings used through the pope, making it easier for people to accept the kings "absolute authority"

__**Reign of Charles Martel & Viking Raids (600-755)**__ The Viking Raids continued to affect the British Isles & Frankish Empire. They continue untill Scandinavian people (the Vikings) convert to Christianity in the 11th century, causing trade rather than fighting.

__**The Rise of the Franks (755-850)**__ 1. Military Excellence: Made cavalry easy. Were closer to the Romans than other Germanic tribes, closely learning their military technology. Created first permanent, proffesional army in Europe since the fall of Rome. Introduced heavily-armored infaltry. 2. Geo-Politics: The Franks expanded their territories from home, building on their power base instead of searching the distance for land to conquer. More easily accepted by their Roman populations (Roman Gauls - A Romanized Celtic people) and they converted to Roman Catholicism. They were also isolated from the great threats of the time such as the Muslims and the Vikings. 3. Politics: Other than converting to Roman Catholicism in 493 (which pleased their people) The Franks didnt impose heavy taxation on their people as the Romans had done. 4. Centralization: They split things evenly among their children. Clovis murdered all of his siblings and other families in the 5th century, resulting in a single powerful nation. However this was their downfall when the massive empire had to be divided among the heirs in the 9th century. 5. Leadership: The Franks had great and powerful leaders such as Clovis, Martel, and Charlemagne.

__**Feudalism (840-967)**__ The pre-843 Frankish Empire united much of West & Central Europe. The division of the empire in 843 between 3 sons drove Europe backwards, as strong centralized rule turned into small weak kingdoms throughout the continent. Feudalism is a "military/economic/social order where a monarch grants feudal lords large parcel of land in exchange for military service when needed, and taxes, in exchange for unified military protection". Peasents were the property of the feudal lords, in a system within feudalism known as **serfdom**, which was a from of slavery which remained in western and ventral Europe (former Frankish Kingdoms) untill the French Revolution in the 18th century.

**__Christianity and the High Middle Ages & Expansion of Holy Roman Empire (967-1060)__**
The small kingdoms from the middle ages started to become nation-states. Christianity still dominated Europe in the high middle ages and the barbaric ruler almost all became chrstian, lessening the number of raids.Crusades showed intrest in Asia in places such as the Byzantines. While this was known as the "dark ages" of Europe, Islam was in its "Golden Age" adopting some of its science/enlightment. Crusades were due to a history of invader and motivation consisted of glory, salvation, and potential riches.

__**Effects of the Crusades, Norman conquest of England and Magna Carta (1060-1240)**__ In the Crusades mind, Chrsitaianity must get rid of Islam/Judism at all costs, even if it means violence. They prosecuted the jews, Christian and Muslim deaths were high when Jerusalem was caputured. These slaughters against Muslims and Jews were later used against the RCC in the 16th century. Christians gained reputation as ruthless. Other religious tolerance was low in Europe.

__**Why the Golden Horde was able to dominate Europe and the Black Death Plague (1240 - 1350)**__ The Great Famine happened in 1315-1317 because of unusually bad weather causing crops to die and killing millions of people. People wre literly starving and sometimes even refered to canabalism. This increased crime, murder, and disease. In 1347 Europe is hit with the Black Plague (Bubonic Plague). This plague killed about HALF of Europes population! (around 75m). This was caused because of a bacterium found in rats in Central Asia. Introduced to Arab and European worlds through invading mongols. People blamed and prosecuted the Jews because they couldnt explain the Plague. Because the government couldnt solve the plague, peasent revolts became common. The church couldnt cure the plague either and since humanity lacked the knowledge to understand the plague and viruses, they thought of it as a curse. Post plague survivors led to enlightment and the Renaissance.

=** Western Europe Movie Notes: **=

The dark Ages: · 410 AD Rome falls under the vizigates. First time in 800 years · Architecture is burned down · Aldarick is leader, in the take down of Rome · They win because of desperation, the need of food its either that or death · Canibalism took place, because of starvation · After 3 days no one found food in rome so they moved on   · The mother of the world had died · Relied too much on foreign defense. · Alerik died in 410 of fever · The glory of rome was gone and the dark ages began in the 5th century. · Even the colloseum became nothing · Called the dark ages compared to the classical period of a literly brillian bright society · The new emperor was jesus christ. · Europe begins to become christian · Cloveus, the barbarian king became christian · At age of 15 clovous led an entire army to france · By 30 he had control of most of france · He killed the rest of his family outside his imidiate bloodline · Cruel punishment to his prisoners. · He died in 511 AD of an unknown cause · Formed the Franks in France · 533 AD the empire strikess back in order to take bak the fallen empire of Rome (west) · In 3rd century Rome was divided into Greek east and Latin West · Because of his greed the empire revolted against him. Nicka riots (nicka=conquer) · Theodora meet justinian as a dancer · He built the greatest symbol of Christianity in the ancient world. The Hagia Sophia church · The meditarinian was once again a Roman lake · 25-50% died because of the ___ plague · No treatment · Fleas in the fur of rats is how it happened. Origin is unknown · Justinian got hit with the plaugue, survived but never again the same · Some blamed Theodora for the plague as a punishment of her sexual ways · Took hundreds of years to restore population · In 538 theodora died of canser he outlived her by 17 years · After his death dreams of a glorious rome died and unable to sustain overseas fund byzantine empire pulled back and lost some of its conquest · Middle Age monks wrote most of history pre christianity that we know of today · Monks were the guardians of literature · Saint Benedick spread as a man with extraordinary powers, from healing to future telling and even raising the dead · Monks tried twice to poison him twice · 732 AD Chirstian Franks vs. Muslim Moors · Charles “The Hammer” Martel commander and chief of Franks HAD to win to keep Islam out of Europe · Used the church for money to keep a big army · Charles was credited as the savior of Christianity in Europe · Sharlamaine the grandson of Chrarles was the greatest emperor during the dark ages · New emperor most powerfull king in rome since classical Rome King of the Franks

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