European History
Classical Civilization
(Beginning of European Civilization 
Roman Empire)
Medieval Europe
(Fall of Rome  Before the Renaissance)
Modern Times
(Renaissance  Today)
Phases of Middle Ages
 Early Middle Ages (400s-900s CE)
 Known as the “Dark Ages”
 Germanic Tribes invasions, declining pop.
 Unified only by the Catholic Church
 High Middle Ages (1000s-1200s CE)
 Germanic invasions end, pop. increases,
 Manorialism, feudalism, the rise of kingdoms, Crusades
 Late Middle Ages (1300s-1400s CE)
 War and famine – the Black Death and Hundred Years War
 Intellectual and military developments – rise of towns
Latin Christendom
 Name for the civilization of
Europe after the fall of Rome
 Combination of Germanic culture,
Roman law, and dominated by
the Catholic Church
 Catholic Church offered the only
constant structure or authority
 Most importantly for the people
of Europe, no matter the social
class, it offered the promise of
salvation
Pope Urban II calls for the Crusades
POLITICAL
 Early

Trying to hold onto Roman
patterns, but with Germanic
chiefs as kings
 Ex: Charlemagne, Holy
Roman Emperor
 High


Feudalism – system based on
loyalty and service
Many small, regional kingdoms
 Late

Centralized states emerge
 Hundred Years’ War creates
idea of being English or
French
 Nationalism – recognizing a
shared culture, history,
language
Knight pledging loyalty to king.
Charlemagne (742-814)
 The Frankish Kingdom
 Made alliance with Rome
to solidify control over
territory
 Charles the Great =
Charlemange, named Holy
Roman Emperor
 Time of relative peace,
advancement
 Empire fell apart under
Charlemagne’s
descendants
Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman
Emperor by the Pope in 800 C.E.
Hundred Years’ War
 Series of conflicts between
England and France, fought
on and off between 13371453
 Causes: Economic, political
competition, English claim
to French throne
 Effects
 Nationalism! (Joan of Arc)
 Use of longbow, canon
Above: Canons being
used at Orleans
Right: Joan of Arc
 Begins decline of feudalism became symbol of
French nationalism
 No English territory on
continental Europe
ECONOMIC
 Early
 Cross-continent trade
declines with Germanic
invasion
 High
 Feudalism combines with
manorial system for local
self-sufficiency
 Late
 Land based economy
continues
 Towns, guilds emerge and
trade networks expand
 Guilds – organizations
that controlled commerce
Peasants working the land.
Manorial System
 Economic system of
Medieval Europe that
values self-sufficiency
 Nobles, or land owners,
paid peasants for their
labor
 Three-field system
develops increasing crop
yields
Representation of serfs at work.
Guilds
 As royal charters created
new towns, guilds
emerged to control
commerce
 Determined membership
 Apprentice (Intern) 
Journeyman (Assistant
to Master)  Master
Craftsman (Shop owner)
 Controlled quality of
product
 Controlled prices
Above: Goldsmith’s
shop
Right: Copper guild’s
crest
 Early
RELIGIOUS
 Christianity continues to
spread, monasticism defined
 Rule of St. Benedict
values poverty, chastity,
obedience
 High
 Catholic Church dominates
and attempts to expand
power with the Crusades
 Crusades – series of
European expeditions to
retake Holy Land from
Islamic Empire, revives
trade
 Late
 Power of Catholic Church
continues, a few religious
scholars begin to question
Church’s authority
Created by monks, these Illuminated
Manuscripts were decorated with
color, even gold and silver.
Monasticism
 “Benedictine Rule” valued
poverty, chastity, and
obedience
 Monasteries became
centers of knowledge –
library, scriptoria, schools
 Monks became
missionaries to
“barbarians” (pagans)
At this time books had to be copied by
hand. Monks took this on as service.
A Day in the Life of a Monk
The Crusades
 Series of European
expeditions to retake the
Christian Holy Land from
the Muslims
 Causes: Pope sought to
expand political power,
kings sought to
demonstrate loyalty to
faith, knights/peasants
sought adventure
 Effects: Revived trade, new
learning
Depiction of fallen Crusaders
SOCIAL
*LEAVE SPACE TO DRAW
HIERARCHY*
 Early
 Unity under Romans
disappears as Germanic
tribes invade
 High
 Feudalism creates
hierarchy
 Latin Christendom based
on Germanic culture,
Roman Law, and Catholic
beliefs
 Late
 Feudal loyalty
 Latin Christendom culture
Chivalry provided the code of conduct,
particularly for the warrior class
(knights).
Feudalism
 The feudal political system
creates the social hierarchy
 Lord – land-owning superior
(aka king or noble)
 Vassal – land holder based
on conditions of allegiance
and service (aka lesser noble
or knight)
 Fief – the land held on
conditions of service
 Serf – a laborer bound to
work the land (aka peasant)
INTELLECTUAL/ARTS
 Early
 Little cultural achievement,
held onto Roman style
 High
 Christian themes in art
 Monks preserve
knowledge
 Late
 Christian themes in art
 Gothic style
 Universities established,
associated with churches
but beginning of secular
education
 Printing press! (see right)
Gutenberg’s printing press around 1440
helps to explain the drastic increase in
output in the 15th century.
Romanesque Architecture
 Characteristics
 Rounded arches
 Barrel vaults
 Thick walls
 Darker, simple
interiors
 Small windows,
near top of wall
Parts of a Medieval Castle
Gothic Architectural Style
 Characteristics
 High, narrow
vaults
 Thinner walls
 Flying buttresses
 Elaborate, ornate,
airier interiors
 Stained-glass
windows
Area/Geography
 Early
 Germanic tribes migrate,
invade
 High
 Population increase, use of
more resources
 Late
 Disease, the Plague,
spreads quickly
 Plague (aka The Black
Death) kills 25-50% of
population
 Rise of Towns
The style of a late Medieval town.
The Black Death
 Cases of bubonic plague
reached Italy in 1348
 Causes: Limited
understanding of disease
 Effects
 25-50% of population
depending on area was
killed,
 Some peasants moved to
towns to find work
 Peasants who remained in
countryside demanded
better conditions
Sixth Century Europe
Land was divided between the Germanic Tribes that conquered the Roman Empire.
Late Medieval Europe
Centralized nation
states, emerge by
the late Middle
Ages
Late Medieval Trade
Where will trade expand to next?