1. Chapter 17
The Foundations of Christian Society in
Western Europe
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2. The Germanic Successor States, c. 500 CE
 Last Roman emperor deposed by Germanic
Odoacer, 476 CE
 Administrative apparatus still in place, but cities
lose population
 Germanic successor states:
 Spain: Visigoths
 Italy: Ostrogoths
 Gaul: Burgundians, Franks
 Britian: Angles, Saxons
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3. Successor States to the Roman Empire c.
500
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4. The Franks
 Heavy influence on European development
 Strong agricultural base
 Shifts center of economic gravity to Europe
 Firm alliance with western Christian church
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5. Clovis (ruled 481-511)
 Major Frankish leader
 Destroyed last vestiges of Roman rule in Gaul
 Dominated other Germanic peoples
 Franks establish themselves as preeminent
Germanic people
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6. Clovis’ Conversion to Christianity
 Paganism, Arian Christianity popular among
Franks
 Clovis and army chooses Roman Catholicism
 Influence of wife Clotilda
 Political implications:
 Alliance with western church
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7. The Carolingians
 Charles “The Hammer” Martel begins
Carolingian dynasty
 Defeats Spanish Muslims at Battle of Tours (732)
 Halts Islamic advance into western Europe
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8. The Carolingian Empire
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9. Charlemagne (r. 768-814)
 Grandson of Charles Martel
 Centralized imperial rule
 Functional illiterate, but sponsored extensive
scholarship
 Major military achievements
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10. Charlemagne’s Administration
 Capital at Aachen, Germany
 Yet constant travel throughout empire
 Imperial officials: missi dominici (“envoys of the
lord ruler)
 Continued yearly circuit travel
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11. Charlemagne as Emperor
 Hesitated to challenge Byzantines by taking title
“emperor”
 Yet ruled in fact
 Pope Leo III crowns him as emperor in 800
 Planned in advance?
 Challenge to Byzantium
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12. Louis the Pious (r. 814-840)
 Son of Charlemagne
 Lost control of courts, local authorities
 Civil war erupts between three sons
 Empire divided in 843
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13. Invasions
 South: Muslims
 East: Magyars
 North: Vikings
 Norse expansion begins c. 800 CE
 Driven by population pressure, hostility to spread of
Christianity
 Superior seafaring technology
 Sailed to eastern Canada, northeastern US
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14. Dissolution of the Carolingian Empire
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15. The Vikings
 From village of Vik, Norway (hence “Viking”)
 Boats with shallow drafts, capable of river travel as well
as open seas
 Attacked villages, cities from 9th century
 Constantinople sacked three times
 Carolingians had no navy, dependent on local defenses
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16. England
 Viking invasions force consolidation of Angles,
Saxons and other Germanic peoples under King
Alfred (r. 871-899)
 Built navy
 Fortified cities against attack
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17. Germany and France
 King Otto of Saxony (r. 936-973) defeats
Magyars, 955
 Proclaimed emperor by Pope in 962
 Establishment of Holy Roman Empire
 France endures heavy Viking settlement
 Loss of local autonomy
17
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18. Early Medieval Society
 Concept of Feudalism
 Lords and vassals
 Increasingly inadequate model for describing complex
society
 Ad hoc arrangements in absence of strong central
authorities
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19. Organizing in a Decentralized Society
 Local nobles take over administration from weak
central government
 Nominal allegiances, esp. to Carolingian kings
 But increasing independence
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20. Lords and Retainers
 Formation of small private armies
 Incentives: land grants, income from mills, cash
payments
 Formation of hereditary class of military retainers
 Development of other functions
 Justice, social welfare
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21. Potential for Instability
 Complex interrelationship of lord-retainer
relations
 Rebellion always a possibility
 Nevertheless, viable large states developed
(Germany, France, England)
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22. Origins of Serfdom
 Slaves, free peasants in both Roman and
Germanic societies
 Heavy intermarriage
 Appeals to lords, special relationships
 Mid-7th century: recognition of serf class
 Midway between slave and free peasant
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23. Serfs’ Rights and Obligations
 Right to pass on land to heirs
 Obligation to provide labor, payments in kind to
lord
 Unable to move from land
 Fees charged for marrying serfs of another lord
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24. Manors
 Large, diverse estates
 Lord provides governance, police, justice services
 Serfs provide labor, income
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25. The Economy of Early Medieval Europe
 Agricultural center moves north from
Mediterranean
 8th century iron-tipped plow introduced in Europe
 Draft animals breeded
 Water mill technology
 Agricultural output insufficient to support growth
of cities
 Strong Mediterranean trade despite Muslim
domination of sea
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26. Norse Merchant Mariners
 Commerce or plunder as convenient
 Link with the Islamic world for trade
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27. Population Growth of Europe, 200-1000 CE
40
35
30
25
20
Millions
15
10
5
0
200 400 600 800 900 1000
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28. The Formation of Christian Europe
 Clovis’ conversion forms strong alliance with
Roman Christianity
 Church supplies Clovis with class of literate
information workers:
 Scribes
 secretaries
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29. The Franks and the Church
 Protectors of the Papacy
 Charlemagne destroys Lombards, who threatened
Pope, Rome
 Spreads Christianity in northern areas
 Support of scholarship, scribal activity
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30. The Spread of Christianity
 Charlemagne fights pagan Saxons (772-804)
 Saxons later adopt Christianity
 Scandinavia, other pockets of paganism until c.
1000 CE
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31. Pope Gregory I (590-604 CE)
 “Gregory the Great”
 Asserted papal primacy
 Prominent theologian
 Sacrament of penance
 Major missionary activity, especially in England
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32. Monasticism
 Egyptian origins, 2nd-3rd centuries
 Monastic lifestyle expands 4th century
 Large variety of monastic rules
 Range from extremely ascetic to very lax
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33. St. Benedict (480-547)
 Established consistent rule for monasteries
 Poverty
 Chastity
 Obedience
 St. Scholastica (482-543)
 Sister of St. Benedict
 Adapts Benedictine Rule for convents
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34. Monasticism and Society
 Accumulation of large landholdings, serfs
 Social welfare projects
 Esp. labor contributions
 Expansion of literacy
 Inns, orphanages, hospitals
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