Topics 10 & 11 Test

Gregory the Great

600

Gregory the Great was a very influential pope who considered Rome to still be part of the Byzantine Empire. The power of Gregory did not have a strong military focus, yet prioritized authority through spirituality. He dedicated his ruling to compromising and negotiating with other kings that carried out the Christian expansion, therefore allowing Gregory to gain trust and support through this spiritual authority.

Medieval Christian Beliefs

750

During the time of early Christian advancement throughout the Middle Ages, the overall beliefs that were practiced by the Church and its followers shaped the power of the pope/king greatly. In the eyes of Christian followers, submission is key. Attending ceremonies and participating in Christian worship was much more valued than practical Christian theologies or beliefs. It was seen that participating in such events would cleanse lives, therefore creating elements of religious capitulation.

Charlemagne's Revival

800

Charlemagne restructured the Church with a hierarchy of archbishops, bishops, and priests. This system allowed for strict religious supervision, that then led to more power and stability amongst the grasp of the Church. Interest in ancient literature was brought up during this revival of the Church, as the Bible was corrected and classical learning was purified. These events can be classified as the Carolingian Renaissance.

Holy Roman Empire

800

The idea of the Holy Roman Empire arose following the conquests of Charlemagne, whose missions resulted in sieging loot for his followers and convergent non-Christian Germans. The Holy Roman Empire would be controlled by one powerful entity that worked closely with the pope in Rome, and lasted for nearly exactly 1,000 years before crumbling in the hands of Napoleon in 1806.

Germanic Tribes

1000

Germanic tribes were once considered to be a minority, yet following the dismantling of the western Roman Empire, they grew tremendously. These tribes were suspended upon feudal systems and new beliefs that led to the crumbling of pre-existing Roman ideologies. The Church's power grew tremendously due to the feudal system that was introduced, and became enormously wealthy and influential. Church bishops were lords of their land, and worked hand-in-hand with the Church's movement.

Medieval Scholarship

1050

The ability to read strengthened greatly during the High Middle Ages, which allowed for Christian ideologies to be spread easier. While only one percent of the population could read Latin, most of whom were priests that were very knowledgeable about Christianity, were able to spread the religion to the people. In order to receive an education, one must have been wealthy enough to afford school, and could choose between monasteries and schools associated with cathedrals- both part of the Church.

The Crusades

1095

The Crusades were rather influential in the process of spreading Christian ideologies. The primary goal of these movements were to benefit the power of the people and to unite Christians under the Holy Land by creating Christian territories. Jews and Muslims were sacrificed in the movement of the Crusades, as they were forcibly taken over and had to submit to the Christian Crusaders, therefore increasing resistance amongst the captured, but also increasing the power of the Church.

Lord Overthrow

1100

A multitude of lords were able to gain significant power through the blessings of the Church, and eventually overtook the pre-existing kings of the land. There was not much to do in order to prevent this massive overtake of power that was expressed by powerful lords who were living under the supposed Church values. The Church tried to encourage nobility under Christian values, but were unable to alter the mindset of the powerful.

Developing Technologies

1300

The population of Europe increased by approximately 500% between 600-1300 CE. This was because of new agricultural methods and safety that was provided due to the lack of foreign invasions. New plows were developed that allowed for animals to pull significantly heavier loads, therefore increasing agricultural productivity and sustainability. With this increase in population, the Church gained significantly more power and support due to the growing people and spreading beliefs.

Following the Crusades: Ideologies

1400

Following the Crusades, the mindsets of many were rather direct and passionate. A superiority took place amongst the hearts of Christians, therefore leading to increased confidence- especially in regard to exploration. The spread of Catholicism and other branches of Christianity bloomed with this rush of confidence, therefore increasing the power of the Church widely. Its influence on the people was vast, and praise of the Holy Land and anti-Semitism increased drastically.