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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.
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