Key Developments in Medieval Europe

Sep 4, 2024

Unit One: Europe from 1200 to 1450

Introduction

  • Overview of Europe's developments from 1200-1450.
  • Main themes include religion, political fragmentation, and feudalism.

Religion

Christianity

  • Roman Empire Era

    • Christianity became the official state religion under Emperor Constantine.
    • United Romans until the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE.
  • Byzantine Empire

    • Eastern half of the Roman Empire, known as the Byzantine Empire, continued for a millennium.
    • Practiced Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
    • Highly centralized power structure.
    • Impacted by Islamic powers by 1200, losing territories but maintained influence until 1453.
  • Fall of Byzantine Empire

    • In 1453, Ottoman Empire captured Constantinople, renamed it Istanbul.
    • End of the Byzantine Empire.
    • Eastern Orthodox Christianity adopted by Kievan Rus', who became the main embodiment.

Western Christianity

  • Roman Catholicism
    • Maintained presence across fragmented Western Europe.
    • Church hierarchy provided common structure.
    • Initiated Crusades, connecting Europe to larger trade networks.

Minority Religions

  • Islam and Judaism
    • Islam had significant presence in the Iberian Peninsula.
    • Jews were scattered throughout Europe but faced persecution and marginalization.

Political Structure

General State

  • No large empires in Europe around 1200.
  • Decentralization and political fragmentation were prevalent.

Feudalism

  • System of allegiances between powerful lords and monarchs.
  • Land exchanged for loyalty.
  • Manorialism
    • Economic system where peasants (serfs) were bound to the land.
    • Serfs worked in exchange for protection.

Shift in Power

  • Monarchs began centralizing power by forming large militaries and bureaucracies.
  • Nobility's power decreased as monarchs centralized authority.
  • Increased competition and wars for influence and territory.

Conclusion

  • Overview of key developments in Europe from 1200-1450.
  • Introduction to topics that will be covered in future units.