Chapter #17 Notes

Thesis:
Following the fall of Rome, Germanic tribes within western Europe would develop into
kingdoms that would rule as a decentralised feudal system that would lead to agricultural
surpluses, and Roman Catholic institutes that would unite western Europe culturally.
The Quest for Political Order Section
After the fallk of Rome, germanic tribes would take over wetsren Europe, most prominent being
the Franks that would side with Roman Catholic church and lead to Charles Martels bloodline,
the Carolingians, leading until Louis the Pious would lose control along with invasions from
nomadic tribes, leading to England, Germany, and France developing their own kingdoms.
Germanic Succesor States:
Gemanic Kingdoms within western Europe would rise while adopting Christianity, and adapting
roman law, one of these being the Franks who would influence western Europe by overseeing
decentralised institutions and helping Roman Christianity maintain its culture.
The Franks and the Temporary Revival of Empire:
Clovis, the leader of the franks, would ally with the roman catholic chaurch and gain power, with
Charles Martel expanding military power and territory, and Charlemagne who would restore
centralised control within western Europe.
Decline and Dissolution of the Carolingian Empire:
Louis the Pious came into power after his fathers death, but he failed to control local authorities
which led to decentralised rule, and following this, invasions from Vikings and other tribes would
terrorize western Europe.
The Establishment of Regional Authorities:
Due to Invasions and the fall of the Carolingian Empire, England, Germany, and France would
develop their own kingdoms to combat the invaders with King Alfred in England, King Otto in
Germany, and France developing rule in their own interest.
Early Medieval Society Section
Western Europe would rule as a decentralised society where a lord would give a benefice to a
retainer that would control it, normally with manor, and would grow crops within these lands
along with serfs serving a labor workers which would boost agriculture and lead to a surplus.
Organizing a Decentralized Society:
Within the decntralised Society of Western Europe, Lords would give benefic or plots of land to
retainers to watch over and control, this could lead to instability as retainers may want more
power and would overthrow the lord if they went unchecked.
Serfs and Manors:
Serfs, who are semi free people, would be given plots of land from a landlord in exchange for
labor services, while landlords would have manors that would contribute to the agriculture of
western Europe.
The Economy of Early Medieval:
The agriculture found within western Europe would advance, leading to a small surplus that
would feed rural societies, but soon would lead to a growing population.
The Formation of Christian Europe Section
Within western Europe, Christianity would spread through converion of the king, new rules
within monastaries and convents, and monasteries that would serve as a place for education,
medicine, and inns.
The Politics of Conversion:
The Franks would have a deep commitment to the Roman Catholic church due to the fact that
they provided recognition in exchange for the kings spreading Christianity.
The Papacy:
Pope Gregory would spread christianity by converting surrounding kings and by giving power to
Bishops who would keep areas within their reach in check.
Monasticism:
Monasteries would lack the required rules to be effective until St. Benedict would make rules
that one should follow, alongside St. Scolasticas who made rules for women, the monasteries
would serve the community greatly after this and helkped spread Christianity.

Chapter #17 Microsections

Section The Quest for Political Order Microsections:
Germanic Successor States Microsections
Germanic Kingdoms
Within the western part of the Roman empire, Germanic peoples would begin to take over land
while adopting Christianity and adapting Roman law.
The Franks
The Franks would influence many aspects of Western Europe with moving agriculture to France,
oversaw the development of decentralized institutions, and made alliances with western
Christian churches while helping Roman Christianity maintain its culture.
The Franks and the Temporary Revival of Empire Microsections
Clovis
Clovis would rule the Franks and would bring great power to them, and they would start building
new states within western Europe by the time of his death.
Clovis’s Conversion
Clovis rose to power rapidly due to him joining the roman catholic church, which gave him more
priority from the byzantine empire over other frankish tribes due to them being polythiestic.
The Carolingians
After the death of Clovis, the Carolingians ruled by Charles martel would take over and give
immense military power that would help him conquer lands.
Charlemagne
Under the rule of Charles Martel’s son, Charlemagne, western Europe would briefly obtain
centralized rule and would maintain diplomatic relations with neighboring empires.
Charlemagne’s Administration
Charlemagne would establish a court unlike a bureacracy were aristocratic deputies known as
counts would help run local affairs, and would bring the counts under tight control using imperial
officials known as missi dominici.
Charlemagne as Emperor
Charlemagne in the year 800 would be proclaimed as emperor by Pope Leo II, but
Charlemagne was shocked by this and didnt want strained relations with the Byzantine empire.
Decline and Dissolution of the Carolingian Empire Microsections
Louis the Pious
Louis, the only surviving son of Charlemagne, would succeed him but failed to keep control of
the counts and local authorities leading to the empire splitting into three roughly equal portions.
Invasions
Three groups of invaders would pillage Frankish lands, these groups being Muslim Invaders, the
Magyars, and the Vikings.
Norse Expansion
Vikings would expand their territory with well crafted boats and raids that they would launch in
western european lands, this is due to Norse seafarers looking for land to cultivate for personal
or marketable ambitions.
The Vikings
The Vikings would use their seafaring knowledge and good ships to send fleets up rivers to
invade many places, this would lead to them plundering many resources from cities surrounding
the mediterranean.
The Establishment of Regional Authorities Microsections
England
English kingdoms would merge into a larger realm due to them experiencing many invasions
with the ruler being King Alfred who would develop a navy that could combat the vikings.
Germany
With invasions terrorizing Germany, King Otto I of Saxony would take matters into his own
hands and would deal a crushing defeat that would end the Magyar threat, Otto would be
named an emperor by the pope after this victory.
France
Counts and local authorities within France would withdraw their allegiance from the central
government and would rule in their own interest, and vikings would begin settling in northern
France which encouraged the development of decentralized rule.
Section Early Medieval Society Microsections:
Organizing a Decentralized Society Microsections
Lords and Retainers
Lords would give benfice to retainers, which are plots of land that a lord would give to people to
watch over, and would give a foundation for political order within western Europe.
Potential for Instability
Within this decentralized order, retainers may want to gain more land which would lead to this
system being unstable if any retainers were to go against the lord.
Serfs and Manors Microsections
Serfs
Serfs would be semi free people who would gain protection from the lord after pledging their
labor and obedience to a lord.
Serfs’ Obligations
A serf is obligated to perform labor services and to give payments to the landlords, where male
serfs would work 3 days a week, and to provide additional labor services.
Manors
A manor was a large estate made for landlords that would hold specialized jobs and agriculture
that would be used to feed the Landlord and pay the lord.
The Economy of Early Medieval Europe
Agriculture
Agriculture within western Europe would shift from the Mediterranean to the Northern lands
within Europe, and things like plows, water mills, and oxen would be used to advance
agriculture.
A Rural Society
The agricultural surplus wouldnt be enough to support a city, but it would support a rural society
in which things are locally manufactured with a sparse population.
Mediterranean Trade
Westeren Europe would benefit from the trade within the Mediterranean and would gain many
resources, new technology, and crops while engaging within it.
Norse Merchant-Mariners
Norse Mariners would link western Europe with the Islamic world through trade and would gain
many things from each of the surrounding areas.
Population
Western Europe after the fall of the roman empire would experience lowered populations due to
instability, but after factors including trade, new agriculture, and a legal system they were able to
rebuild after 8 centuries and reach the same population during Roman times.
Section The Formation of Christian Europe
The Politics of Conversion Microsections
The Franks and the Church
The Franks would have a deep commitment with the Roman Catholic Church, and be backed by
the popes that would give recognition in exchange if the king were to spread christianity, it also
led to the spread of the bible that increased literacy.
The Spread of Christianity
If a place would not accept christianity baised on its benefits, the king would sometimes spread
Christianity through the use of force, a example being Charlemagne using military to spread
christianity to the Saxons.
The Papacy Microsections
Pope Gregory I
Pope Gregory would face many difficult challenges like ensuring the survival of the city and the
church, and in the process made papal primacy which claimed that the Bishop of Rome was the
ultimate authority in the Christian church.
The Conversion of England
Pope Gregory would aim his efforts in converting the kings of England which was recently
conquered. This would be mainly successful with Christianity being established strongly in
England, and the pope would then extend this to the surrounding areas in western Europe.
Monasticism
Monastic Rules
Monastaries would lack the effective rules to mount effective Christian missions, they only had
specefic and extreme rules that prevented Christianity from being attractive to new converts.
St. Benedict
St. Benedict would establish Rules known as Benedict's Rule would not permit extreme
asceticism but instead required monks to take vows to lead communal, celibate lives, and to
spend their time in prayer, meditation, and work.
St. Scholastica
St. Scholastica, St. Benedict's sister would make an adaptation of the Rule and would provide
guidance to religious lifes of women living in convents, and with monastaries and convents
being strengthened by the Rule, they would accumulate large landholdings which would be
used to rebuild western Europe.
Monastiscism and Society
Monastaries would serve as inns for travelers, orphanages, provided medical treatment for the
ill, and would teach rudimentary education in local regions. Some monastaries even provided
libraries with classical literature, and because of the various roles monasteries played, they
would be effective in the spread of Christianity.