Really Old Stuff

600 CE to 1450 CE

The Rise of Islam

• 7th century Islam emerges• Monotheistic• Followers called MUSLIMS• Founded by: MUHAMMAD• Believed Allah (God) transmitted his word to

the faithful through Muhammad and recorded his word in the QURAN (holy book)

Islam cont…

• Salvation can be achieved by following the FIVE PILLARS– Confession of Faith– Prayer 5 times a day– Charity to needy– Fasting during month long Ramadan– PILGRIMAGE to MECCA at least once in a lifetime

Islam cont…

• Also guided by JIHAD…meaning “to struggle”– Struggling with non-believers and being a better

Muslim

• Islam shares a common history with Judaism and Christianity

• Two groups… Sunni and Shiite– Split occurs after disagreement over leadership

succession

Islam takes hold• Mohammad starts out in Mecca which had many

different religions• Conflicted with Meccan Leaders who did not like

monotheism– Polytheism brought in money from pilgramages

• Mohammad was threatened and fled to MEDINA– Called the HIJRA

• In 630 Mohammad returned to Mecca and destroyed all the shrines except for the Ka’aba

• Islam spread across Saudi Arabia

Islam Empire Grows

• In 632, Mohammad dies… ABU BAKR becomes CALIPH (overall leader: both emperor and religious leader)– THEOCRACY

• First four caliphs– Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali• Ali was assassinated

• UMAYYAD DYNASTY established and spreads Islam

Islam cont…

• Umayyads constantly expanded and attacked Constantinople frequently

• Islam spreads but its advancement is stopped as it headed towards Paris by CHARLES MARTELL ensuring it never spreads to most of Europe

• Around this time DOME OF THE ROCK is built on Temple Mount in Jerusalem

SUNNIS vs. SHIITES

• Shiites believe only heredity lines to Mohammad can be rightly guided Caliphs

• Sunnis believe in a broader interpretation• As Shiites rise in power they take down the

Umayyad dynasty and replace it with the ABBASID DYNASTY in 750 CE

•

Abbasid Dynasty

• 750-1258• Built capital in BAGHDAD• Introduced the concept of trade• Tolerant of other religions• Converted many to Islam as well• Destroyed by the MONGOLS in 1258

Women in Islam

• Quran gave women more rights although still subservient to men– Prior to this they were only seen as property

• Men could have four wives… women only one husband

• Women didn’t have property rights• Women had to be veiled• Women’s testimony only given half the weight

of a man’s

Meanwhile… In Europe

• The MIDDLE AGES– 500-1500• After the fall of Rome but before the Renaissance

The Byzantine Empire

• Culturally distinct from the Roman Empire• Adopted ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY– Created in 1054 after the GREAT SCHISM– Led by the Patriarch

• Major leader: JUSTINIAN– 527-565– JUSTINIAN’S CODE

• Codification of Roman Law– HAGIA SOPHIA

• Orthodox Cathedral

Orthodoxy in Russia: Feast in the East

• Russia converted by ST. CYRIL– Also creates the CYRILLIC ALPHABET

• Russian Leader: Vladimir… converted from traditional pagan religion and considered all religions– Some say he chose Orthodoxy because it had the

least amount of food restriction– Aligned with Byzantine Empire…in religion

Meanwhile Out West: Franks vs. Muslims

• Franks were a Germanic tribe– Leader: King Clovis– Built a large kingdom in France and Belgium– Dies and leaves kingdom to sons

• Charles Martell– “the hammer”– 732 defeats advancing Muslim armies– Founds the CAROLINGIAN DYNASTY• Son: Pepin takes over and seeks certification from the

Pope– This links the French to the Roman Catholic Church for

legitimacy

Charlemagne: The Empire Strikes Back

• Charlemagne– “Charles the Great”– Son of Pepin– Empire eventually named the “HOLY ROMAN

EMPIRE” after coronation of Otto the Great in 962– Empire was divided after his death in the TREATY

OF VERDUN

The Vikings: Raiders from the Norse

• Western Europe continued to be attacked– Vikings• Used highly maneuverable boats• In France… Vikings known as NORMANS

– Most famous… William the Conqueror » Conquered England in 1066

– Magyars

• Assimilated to Christianity

European Feudalism: Land Divided• Feudalism– Social, economic, and political system of the middle ages

with a strict hierarchy• Emerges partially out of problems with protection• King at top…Nobles next…Vassals (could divide land)…

subvassals……………..finally Peasants (called SERFS)• FIEFS– Land granted to Vassals– Later known as the Manor

• Utilized the three-field system while trying to be self-sufficient

Feudalism cont…

• The lord of the Manor owed loyalty to the King but was in charge of his own Manor

• Conflicts between lords was common– This is where we get the term FEUD

• CODE OF CHIVALRY– An honor system that emphasized loyalty and

mutual respect• PRIMOGENITURE– Land passed to eldest son

Feudalism cont…

• As serfs became skilled in other trades… they begin trading… leading to less dependence on the manor

Height of the Middle Ages

• Trade emerges… Manors go away and lead to powerful towns nearby

• BURGHERS– Middle-class merchants– Became politically powerful

• Towns allied together– HANSEATIC LEAGUE• Economic alliance

Architecture in Middle Ages

• Cathedrals highlighted advancements• Romanesque vs. Gothic • Gothic utilized FLYING BUTTRESSES– Gave support for large windows and vaulted

ceilings

The Crusades• Military campaigns undertaken by European Christians

in the 11th through the 14th centuries to take over the Holy Land and convert Muslims and others to Christianity

• The First Crusade was in response to the Turks taking Jerusalem

• Eventually people question organized religion which lead to HERESIES – Religious practices or beliefs that do not conform with the

church– Many questioned how wealthy and powerful the church

had become

Crusades cont…• Pope Innocent III issued strict decrees on church doctrine

– Frequently persecuted heretics and Jews– Fourth crusade issued

• Motivated by greed• Pope Gregory IX

– Starts the INQUISITION, a formalized interrogation and persecution process of heretics

• THOMAS AQUINAS– Famous Christian realist changed Christian thought– Wrote SUMMA THEOLOGICA– Said faith and reason can co-exist since they are gifts from God

Emergence of Nation-States: Power Solidifies

• Remember that Europe was only Kingdoms during the Middle ages… NOT COUNTRIES (Nation-States)

• Starts to Countrify at the end of the Middle Ages

England Unifies

• William the Conquerer... 1066– Powerful Monarch

• During Rule of KING JOHN the nobles rebel and force him to sign the MAGNA CARTA– Reinstated feudal law… took power from the King

and extended it to others including the Burghers– Laid foundation for the Parliament• Later divides in two… House of Lord (nobles and clergy)

and House of Commons (Knights and wealthy burghers)

France Forms

• Started 987 with King Hugh Capet– Ruled around Paris– Kingdom expanded for a couple hundred years

• In 12th century, England Started to invade and claim large parts of France– Led to French revolts

Joan of Arc• As a farm girl, heard voices that told her to liberate

France in the 15th century• She somehow convinced people of her divine visions

and they gave her military backing– Significant impact during the HUNDRED YEARS WAR (1337-

1453)– After the Hundred Years War France became centralized

under the Bourbons• Monarchs

• She forced the Brits to retreat • She was seen as a threat eventually and burned at the

stake by the French

Spain Unites

• United by Queen Isabella• Married Ferdinand to unite the Spain under a

single monarchy– It had been split into thirds and was also divided

by religion

• Enlisted the Roman Catholic Church as an ally• Ended Religious Toleration– Marked beginning of SPANISH INQUISITION

Russia Unites• 1242 succumbs to the TATARS (Mongols under

rule of GENGHIS KHAN)– Led for two centuries

• 14th century Mongol rule declined• IVAN III expands Russian rule and establishes

himself a CZAR• Eastern Orthodox Church declares MOSCOW the

third rome• IVAN THE TERRIBLE came into power and

solidifies power

Meanwhile… In Asia…

• China– Tang (618-907)– Song (960-1279)– Ming (1368-1644)

Quick Review of China… the rise and fall and rise and fall and rise

• Tang dynasty begins rule in 618– Expanded territory– Became too big and local lords became powerful and

dynasty falls• Song dynasty begins rule in 960– Falls to the Mongols in 1279

• Mongols establish the Yuan dynasty and driven from China in 1368 by the MING dynasty

• Ming dynasty begins rule in 1368– Restores traditional Chinese rule

The Mongols

• Were mainly nomadic• Superior horsemen and archers• Rivalries prevented them from uniting until…• GENGHIS KHAN (1200s)– United Mongols and led expansion in China in 1234– Split into hordes– GOLDEN HORDE conquered Russia– KUBLAI KHAN ruled China– PAX MONGOLICA… What does PAX mean?

Mongols cont…

• Allowed religious freedom• Genghis Khan started first pony express and

postal system• Its almost too brutal attacks left towns weak

and unable to form great culture• Conquered India under the rule of

TAMERLANE/TIMUR LANG