THE MIDDLE AGES476 CE to 1350 CE

The life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. -Thomas Hobbes

In the “Middle” of What?

• Greeks• Romans

Classical

Civilization

• 476 Ce• 1350 Ce

Middle Ages

• 1350• …

Modern Age

500-1000 CE: What happens to Europe? 476ce- Fall of the Roman Empire Mediterranean world splits into 3:

Byzantine Empire

Eastern Roman Empire

Arabic World

Latin-Christian World

Western World

Western Europe in the Middle Ages… Uncivilized and no central authority Communication dies. Europe is virtually

cut off from the East. (Dark Ages) Roman Christian Church remains intact

and under authority throughout Dark Ages

1054- The Great Schism divides Latin-Catholic from the Greek-Orthodox

Philosophy of the Middle Ages Built on theology New ideas were quashed i.e. Johannes Duns Scotus (‘Dunce”)-

accused of sophism (meaning “to be deceptive” at this time, more commonly known to mean “using rhetoric to achieve wisdom”)

William of Ockham ‘Ockham’s Razor’ – is a principle that generally recommends that, from among competing hypotheses, selecting the one that makes the fewest new assumptions. “only faith gives us access to theological truths. The ways of God are not open to reason, for God has freely chosen to create a world and establish a way of salvation within it apart from any necessary laws that

human logic or rationality can uncover.”

Continued... Social structure dictated by

Hierarchical Order…. Serfs run by masters… Men rule women, Church rules people

Punishment of crimes: hanging, mutilation, amputation.

Historiography was dictated by males, often priests or monks… most events explained by the “will of God”.

The Elements of Middle Age Europe:

The Church

Superstition

Feudalism

Disease

Feudalism A basic ruling

system credited to Charlemagne, the First Holy Roman Emperor, crowned by Pope Leo III in 800ce.

Church control The Church used various tools to keep

people in line. Most of these tools kept the population in perpetual fear and confusion. Some examples are:

- All literature was presented in Latin- Selling and granting of indulgences- Period of witchcraft

Gothic Architecture The Gothic

interpretation of this point of view was a monument that seems to dwarf the man who enters it. The space, light, structure and the plastic effects of the masonry are organized to leave the visitor in awe.

Superstition Belief in various superstitions in order to

explain the unexplainable. Witchcraft was blamed for poor crops

and disease. Women were often found to be the culprits.

Thousands perished as the result of false accusations of witchcraft

The Black Death (Bubonic Plague)

Began in Asia... spread with speed due to increasing trade and travel. It peaked in Europe between 1347 and 1350.

Social impact in many cases was panic, to wild debauchery as the end neared.

Church suffered from loss of their flock to death and disillusionment

It is argued that 1 in 3 people died in Europe

Blame ranged from God to Jews to lepers.

Nursery Rhyme with Plague Connections Ring around the rosy

A pocketful of posies"Ashes, Ashes"We all fall down!Ring-a-Ring o'RosiesA Pocket full of Posies"A-tishoo! A-tishoo!"We all fall Down!

The process of change was slow, but it was the desire for answers that brought forth the modern era:

“The essence of the Renaissance lay not in any sudden rediscovery of classical civilization but rather in the use which was made of classical models to test the authority underlying conventional taste and wisdom”

- Europe by Norman Davies

Homework questions:1. HS- Using the criteria provided, prove

the historical significance of the Black Death.

2. E- What information about the Middle Ages is revealed in the nursery rhyme “Ring Around the Rosy”? Analyze each line and collect evidence to make inferences whenever possible.

History's Turning Points - AD 1347 The Black Death