The Worlds of European

Christendom

Chapter 9

After the Roman Empire

By the 4th Century the Roman

Empire gets divided

Christian Europe is two parts:

1. Eastern half = The Byzantine

Empire

2. Western half = Latin

Christendom

The Byzantine Empire Mostly located in the Eastern Mediterranean basin

Capital = Constantinople

Gradually evolved into a distinctive civilization

Eastern Orthodox Christianity

The Byzantines looked to Rome as a source of inspiration

Continued the Roman practices of:

Road building

Tax systems

Military structures

Centralized government

Laws

Christian church

As an empire it was MUCH smaller than Rome

In Byzantium the

emperor was the head

of the Empire as well

as head of the church

Known as

caesaropapism

Emperor was God’s

representative on

earth and the

absolute ruler

Byzantium and the World Often at war with the Persians

“Greek Fire” – sort of like a flamethrower

Helped them hold off the Islamic empires

Major trade center during this period

Commercial links to China, Western Europe, Russia, and

Central Asia

The empire also produced luxury goods such as silk and

jewelry

Culturally significant

Preserved and spread ancient Greek learning to Islamic and

European lands

The Conversion of Russia

Kievan Rus – culturally diverse

region

Becomes an important region

due to trade between the

Byzantine Empire and Scandinavia

In the 10th Century Prince

Vladimir of Kiev decided to

affiliate himself the Orthodox

church

Made the decision freely after

considering Islam, Judaism, and

Catholicism

Orthodox Vs. Catholicism

Both believed in:

Jesus

The Bible

Sacraments

Church Hierarchy (bishops, priests, etc)

Intolerance towards other religions

Icons – Greek for picture or likeness

1. What does this icon

portray about the

spiritual journey?

2. What sources of

help are available for

the monks on the

ladder?

3. What message might

the monks have

taken from this

image?

Western Christendom

Politics and Society 500-1000

War and disease reduced the population of Europe by 25%

Cities in particular declined people move back to the

country

Rome goes from 1,000,000 citizens to 10,000 by 900 C.E.

Politically, Europe was a collection of regional kingdoms

Feudalism emerges

Independent, self-sufficient and isolated estates owned by warrior elites

Peasants called SERFS lived on these estates

NOT slaves but they exchanged labor/services with the lord of the estate for

protection/safety

In the absence of Roman authority it was the only source of security available to

many people

Ties to family, estate, and lord were the primary source of loyalty

The West from 1000-1300

From 500-1000 western

Europe was under

constant threat of invasion

Muslims in Spain,

Hungarians (Magyars),

Vikings

By 1000 the invasions had

stopped

Stability = Positive Change

Also the climate of Europe

warmed so agricultural

output increased

Population

doubled from

1000 – 1350

Also increased

long distance trade

which had almost

disappeared with

the fall of the

Roman Empire

Two major trading

networks

1. Northern Europe to

the Baltic Coast

Wood, furs, wheat,

salt, cloth, wine

2. Northern Italy

Florence, Genoa, and

Venice traded with

Islamic and Byzantine

civilizations

Politics 1000-1300

Minor monarchs in Europe began to

consolidate their authority

France

England

Spain

Scandinavia

Italian city-states also became rich and

powerful

German princes remained loyal to the Holy

Roman Empire

The Crusades As populations increased

Europeans began to look

outward at the world

The Crusades reflected the

new expansiveness and

religious passion of Europe

after 1000

First one in 1095

Religious wars

NOT just Islam – also

sacked Constantinople in

1204

Western Europe Byzantine Empire

Language of the Church Greek

Priests Celibate

God’s Representative on

Earth

Pope

Political Organization Empire/Strong Central

Gov’t

Social Organization

Major Trade Routes

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For the back of a page

1. What replaced the Roman Order in

Western Europe?

2. In what ways did European

civilization change after 1000CE?

3. How did the historical development

of the European West differ from

that of Byzantium in the post

classical era?