The Middle Ages day 2

• Charlemagne was the greatest Medieval king he created an organized empire – The Holy Roman Empire (First Reich)

• He spread Christianity – Missi Dominici 

• He created schools to train future priests 

• He valued learning & built schools in his empire 

• He expanded the Frankish Empire

• After Charlemagne’s death in 814, his Frankish Empire was divided & lost power… 

• He was the last opportunity to provide unity in medieval Europe

• From 800 to 1000, a 2^nd major wave of invasions struck Europe led by Vikings, Muslims & Magyars

• These invasions caused widespread fear & suffering

• Kings could not defend against invasion

After Charlemagne’s death in 814, his Frankish Empire was divided and lost power, marking the end of ____________ in medieval Europe.

What was one of Charlemagne's significant achievements as a medieval king?

A) Establishing the Silk Road

B) Building the Great Wall of China

C) Creating the Holy Roman Empire (First Reich)

D) Discovering America

• Feudalism began in Europe as a way to offer protection

• Feudalism is based on land & loyalty

• Land-owning lords offer land (called a fief) to knights in exchange for their loyalty & promise to protect the lord’s land

• Feudalism came to England with the Norman Invasion in 1066

• Kings had land but very little power

• Lords (also called Nobles) were the upper-class landowners; they had inherited titles (“Duke,” “Earl,” “Sir”)

• Knights were specially trained soldiers who protected the lords & peasants – vassals took an oath of fealty (loyalty)

• Some peasants were serfs & could not leave the lord’s estate

During the Middle Ages, the manorial system was the way in which people survived:

• The lord’s land was called a manor

• The lord provided peasants with housing, farmland, & protection

• In exchange, peasants repaid the lord by working his land & providing a portion of the food they produced

• Manors were self-sufficient communities; Everything that was needed was produced on the manor

Peasant life was hard: They paid taxes to use the lord’s mill, had to get permission to get married, & life expectancy was about 35 years old