Chapter 9 - Christianity in Europe

     When Charlemagne took over as king of the Franks in Europe, he expanded his empire to all of Gaul and parts of Germany and Italy. This brought an intellectual revival in the conquered areas, which were known collectively as the Carolingian Empire.
     In the East, the Byzantine Empire was in control. They converted the empire to Christianity, infusing Roman law in with church doctrines. Arab armies soon tried to take over, with almost two-thirds of the Christians converting to Islam to escape persecution. At the same time, the religious leaders began to disagree with the Pope, eventually leading to the split between the Orthodox church and the Latin church, known as the Schism of 104. Women's status declined (except for during the brief period between 1028 & 1056 when they were allowed to rule beside their husbands), and the economy was one that followed Diocletian's Roman design. In Constantinople, the Hagia Sophia, a renowned cathedral, was constructed as a testament to the empire's mastery of architecture. It still stands today. Byzantine missionaries went east to spread their religion (and language) into other parts of Europe.

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey

     The Carolingian empire (aka the Frankish - French - empire) was militarily effective, but when Charlemagne's son died in 843, the Treaty of Verdun split it into three parts (France, Burgundy and Germany). 
     Attacks on Great Britain and France were perpetrated by the Vikings from Scandinavia. William the Conqueror, a descendant of Vikings that had landed in Normandy, invaded England in 1066 and ended Anglo-Saxon domination there.
     European lands were split up into manors, self sufficient farming estates that were owned and run by a lord. The lord ruled over many serfs, who were agricultural workers bound to him by law. Land was often given to lords because of their military service and support. (This practice was known as feudalism). A parcel of this land was known as a fief, and the landowner was called a vassal. Women were allowed to own land and sometimes worked alongside men during this time.
     The papacy, or the Pope's office, set up canons (laws) governing the church and those affiliated with it. The papacy faced many challenges, especially when it came to controlling all of Europe's religions and eventually trying to spread Christianity throughout the continent. (Yes, Europe is one continent. I will be sticking with the normal seven continents, instead of the "big geography" ones covered in class). The Pope crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor in 962 to provide a secular guardian of Christian interests and spread power.
     The crowning of a Holy Roman (HR) Emperor created problems, however. The Investiture Controversy was a major dispute between the Popes and HR Emperors over who controlled bishops and imperial lands. This was solved by the Concordat of Worms, when HR Emperor Henry V gave the authority over bishops to the Pope. Loyalty to the Church still caused problems, however, most notably the burning of Thomas Becket by knights in the Canterbury Cathedral (now a popular pilgrimage site) for his loyalty to the Church over the crown.

Canterbury Cathedral

     Monasticism, living in a religious community set apart from the rest of the world (monks and nuns) was started by Benedict of Nursia in Europe. Along with studying religious texts, monks would copy and illuminate manuscripts, work in their gardens, and earn money that was donated to the community or the Church.

An illuminated manuscript

     In Kiev, the Rus people (Russians) were taken over by Varangian (Viking) raiders whom they had previously traded with. Their ruler Vladimir I adopted Orthodox Christianity and converted the area that he ruled.
     After 1000, population growth began in Western Europe. Cities grew independent with better plows and horse collars (efficient harnesses) to use in agriculture, thus reviving their economies. Northern Italy and Flanders became maritime trading centers, and gold coins eventually made a reappearance after a few hundred years of being out of use. The Crusades began around this time. The Crusades were essentially armed pilgrimages to the Holy Land (Israel) to take it back from the Muslims. This ended Europe's isolation and brought trade opportunities in as new cities were conquered.
     Pipe Urban II initiated the Crusades, which soon captured Jerusalem and split it into four parts. Though the Muslims counterattacked, they were not too successful. While the Crusaders viciously took over, they still observed times of truce according to Christian teachings - Lent (the 40 days before Easter) and Sundays. This was known as the Truce of G-d.
     Eleanor of Aquitaine, the mother of Richard the Lion-Hearted, was a prominent woman in the french court of the time. She ruled while her sons went on the Crusades (her husband had died), and was the most powerful woman in Europe at the time. The Islamic ideas that her sons brought back when they returned forever changed European society.

     *I have put a link to Mrs. Senecal's (the previous AP World teacher) website on the links page. Check it out - it has a whole lot of good information.*