34 - Overview of Medieval Europe

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Overview of Medieval Europe
The West after Rome. Charlemagnetemporary revival of empire. Th C li i R i The Carolingian Renaissance, a renaissance of i i f letters. Medieval society after the Carolingians. A Look at Romanesque. Economic and Urban Revival in the High Middle Ages. Universities, the Seven Liberal Arts, Peter Abelard. Thomas Aquinas and Scholasticism. A Look at Gothic.
The West after Rome

Decline and preservation of Roman civilization
Widespread collapse of commerce and urban centers Life essentially agrarian Church preserved what was left of literary and cultural civilizationthey were the Romans!
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34. Overview of Medieval Europe
33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe
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Europe after Rome: the Germanic Kingdoms and the Byzantine Empire
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The Role of the Church

Western bishops accepted the authority of the bishop of Rome, the pope The Church was the only international organization international catholic or universal
Its administrative structure continued to use the provincial and diocese structure of the old empire Its authority extended across political boundaries
This Roman Catholic Church preserved Latin language, learning language learning, and literature
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A New Emperor
A.D. 771 Charles became sole king of the Franks
Defends his kingdomand all of Western Europefrom the kingdom and Europe from invading Arabs
Conquered northern Italy from Lombards, saves Pope Christmas Day A.D. 800: Pope Leo II crowns Charlemagne emperor of the Romans
First emperor in the west since A.D. 476 One Ruler, One Empire, One Church Hellenistic dream of the unity of the civilized world
Establishment of the Holy Roman Empire Holy Empire

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The Carolingian World
Spanish Muslims
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Saxons
Lombards
Avars and Slavs

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A New Capital: Charlemagnes Aachen
Churches and Palaces intended to match the Roman model Palace and cathedral at Aachen
Byzantine models, especially San Vit l in S Vitale i Ravenna
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The Cathedral Church at Aachen
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Classical columns and arches from Aachen
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A Renaissance of Letters
Alcuin and the revival of learning
Charlemagne needed bureaucrats to administer his empire Alcuin, a student of Bede, came from England to establish Charlemagnes palace school (A.D. 78296) Promising students were brought to Aachen, Charlemagnes capital, and taught Latin and secular as well as religious topics
learning h d b l i had been th province of th Ch h t th t point the i f the Church to that i t
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Decline of the Carolingians
After the reign of Charlemagnes son, the Empire divided into three, although one grandson is technically emperor Invasions of ninth and tenth centuries Emergence of France and Germany
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Early Medieval Society
Feudalism a military and political system based on personal loyalty

vassals and lieges decentralization
Manorialism economic system based upon limited land ownership and forced labor (serfs)
self-sufficient, local economies
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Romanesque Architecture
Use of ancient Roman architecture as a model
Roman-like, features elements of Roman building and style t l basilica plan round arches Massive stone walls and vaulted ceilings
Revived Roman elements

Allowed for a clerestory (high wall of windows)
columns for support and decoration
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Layout of a Romanesque Cathedral
Note nave, columned aisles, transepts, crossing, choir, apse, and ambulatory
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Romanesque Interiors
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Economic and Urban Revival

Between A.D. 10001300 the population of Europe almost doubles Crusades encourage trade (opening of trade routes, desire for eastern luxuries) and new ideas Towns become a magnet for those seeking social, economic, and political opportunities from feudal society

establishment of communes with town charters the importance of guilds, associations to protect special interests
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Development of the University
Complexities of urban life require an revival in literacy and other learning Cathedral schools and then the universities
Originally guilds for students and then their teachers as wellall subjects taught together under the same organization The role of Latin
The University of Paris
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Rise of Feudal Monarchies
France feudalism subordinated

A.D. 987 Hugh Capet starts expanding the powers of the king over French vassals Capetians make France a relatively centralized state England unifies but not under the sole authority of the kings Norman conquest in A.D. 1066. William the Conqueror imposes a Norman aristocracy over Saxon populace Magna Carta in A.D. 1215, King John forced to give privileges to nobles, forerunner of the British House of Lords Parliament (French parler) established by Henry III (12161272) to raise money; permanently limits monarchy and establishes the House of Commons New empire formed by the Saxon Dynasty central power rapidly lost and remains feudal until the time of Napoleon feudal Emperor become elective and vassal states become effectively independent the pope is a temporal ruler in Italy and tries to exercise secular power throughout much of Western Europe
England feudalism synthesizes

Holy Roman Empire feudalism intensifying

Papal States
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Learning and the Medieval Church
By the Twelfth Century cathedral schools reach their height
Paris and Bologna based on Roman education and preceded by Alcuins curriculum Classical Tradition survives and elements of it flourish in a Christian context trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and dialectic) and quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy)
Seven Liberal arts
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Peter Abelard
Author of Sic et Non
Here follow some of the sentences from the writings of the saints that seem to contradict each other. Because of these contradictions, this compilation is called Sic et Non (see packet, 125/182)
Clear distinction between reason and faith

As regards quotations from the Scriptures, it follows that the greater authority of the Bible will incite the reader to investigate the truth. (packet, 125/182) Reconciles conflicting passages in biblical passages and the writings of the Church fathers Hierarchy of authority: Scripture cannot be wrong, Church Fathers can be F th b Some possible problems in the writings of the Fathers: misattribution, ideas later retracted, context, unfamiliar ways of speaking (idiom, metaphor, etc.)
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Scholasticism

Application of dialectic (logic) to theology and philosophy Characteristics of Scholasticism

Appeal to authority Manifestation = division and subdivision into parts to bring understandingesp. in tripartite divisions Reconciliation (compare to the distinction between faith and reason in in Abelards Sic et Non) Totality: summa, encyclopedias, etc.good Aristotelian collecting, collecting categorizing and comparing! Lightillumination; reason as light Mary as sedes sapientiae (seat of wisdom); patroness of liberal arts
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Tympanum west faade, Chartres
Mary as Sedes Sapientiae Aristotle, lower left, di i l ft dipping pen in ink Seven Liberal Arts personified among the figures represented in the archivolt (outer arch)
Dialect personified over Aristotle
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Thomas Aquinas

Author of Summa Theologica Thomism
Tried to harmonize reason (Aristotle and other authorities) and e e at o / a t ( ,C yg y), p osop y revelation/faith (Bible, Christianity generally), philosophy and theology Came to terms with the pessimistic thought of Augustine

Augustine thought that reason was dependent upon human will that had lost its freedom because of the fall Thomas Aquinas believed that the will was free and that reason, though spoiled by sin, could tell much about the world
Like Aristotle, Thomas was a (moderate) empiricist knowledge, even of things beyond the senses, starts with the senses
Aristotelian systematization results in great collections of knowledge and thought
Summa Theologica included 512 questions, 2669 articles, and 10,000 objections
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Example from the Summa Theologica

Can We Know God from Natural Reason? (packet, 126/183)
It seems that (videtur quod): We cannot know God by natural reason

Boethius says that reason cannot grasp simple (i.e. perfect) forms Aristotle says that the soul understands nothing by reason without images; god is incorporeal so cannot be known to us by simple reason Natural Reason is common to good and bad, but Augustine says that knowledge of God belongs only to the good On the contrary (sed contra): We read in Romans 1:19 What may be known about god is manifest to them, i.e., what can be known about him by natural reason I answer that (respondeo dicendum): knowledge that is natural to us has its origin in the senses. Our knowledge cannot reach to the divine essence, but we can at least be led to know that God exists by our senses.

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Development of Gothic
Gothic, a term coined by Renaissance scholars who preferred Greco-Roman
Gothic architecture, by comparison, was barbaric
Conceptual models

Hagia Sophia light Temple of Solomon loyalty to God
Abbot Suger and the church of St. Denishe wanted a high and expansive church full of light

Dionysius the Areopagite = St. Denis Neoplatonism and th Hi N l t i d the Hierarchy of Li ht h f Light Mysticism
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St. Denis

Rebuilt by Abbot Suger Choir, apse, and ambulatory done i a d in new style Height, light, and upward motion
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Ribbed Vaulting
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Gothic Example: Chartres
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11/30/2009

Overview of Medieval Europe

The West after Rome

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

The Role of the Church

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

A.D. 771 Charles became sole king of the Franks

Establishment of the Holy Roman Empire Holy Empire

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

The Carolingian World

Avars and Slavs

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

A New Capital: Charlemagnes Aachen

Byzantine models, especially San Vit l in S Vitale i Ravenna

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

The Cathedral Church at Aachen

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

Classical columns and arches from Aachen

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

learning h d b l i had been th province of th Ch h t th t point the i f the Church to that i t

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

Decline of the Carolingians

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

Early Medieval Society

Feudalism a military and political system based on personal loyalty

vassals and lieges decentralization

self-sufficient, local economies

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

Use of ancient Roman architecture as a model

Revived Roman elements

Allowed for a clerestory (high wall of windows)

columns for support and decoration

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

Layout of a Romanesque Cathedral

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

Economic and Urban Revival

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

Development of the University

The University of Paris

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

Rise of Feudal Monarchies

France feudalism subordinated

England feudalism synthesizes

Holy Roman Empire feudalism intensifying

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

33a. Heirs of Classicism: Germanic Europe

Learning and the Medieval Church

By the Twelfth Century cathedral schools reach their height

Seven Liberal arts

34. Overview of Medieval Europe

Author of Sic et Non

Clear distinction between reason and faith

34. Overview of Medieval Europe