Western Civilization
Outline #16
Professor Knight

The Foundations of Medieval Europe, 800-1100

Challenges to Western Christendom

I.  The Saracens
	Moslem pirates operate out of North Africa
	Attack Italy, Southern France
	Sacking of Rome, 846
	European Powers build Navies, Fortifications

II.  The Magyars (Hungarians)
 	Horsemen of the Steppe
	Finno-Ugric Language Groups
	Settle in Hungary, Raid Germany
	Battle of Lechfeld, 955:  King Otto I defeats Magyars
	Christianization of Magyars c. 1000

III. The Vikings
	Norwegians
		Invade Northern England, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland
		Lief Erikson establishes settlement in Labrador
	Swedes
		Baltic Sea region
		Varangians (Swedish Vikings) establish Kievan Rus’
	Danes
		Southern England, Northern France
		Normandy
	Reasons for the Viking Invasion
1) Overpopulation
2) Growth of Scandanavian Monarchy
3) Sea power:  The Viking Longboat
4) Vacuum of power in European States
	Vikings raids against England
		Begin in 789
		Raids against Monasteries
		Kingdom of Wessex
	Raids against Continental Europe
		911 Charles the Simple makes alliance with Viking Chief

Responses to Invasions
I.  England
	King Alfred of Wessex (871-899)
		Invasion of Danes
		878—Alfred takes refuge in swamp (Athelney Isle)
		879—Battle of Edington, victory against the Danes
		The Danelaw
		Translation of Classical literature into Anglo-Saxon.
	Second Wave Danish Invasions
		King Ethelred the Unready (978-1016)
		Canute (1017-1035)
		King Edward the Confessor (1042-1066)
		Norman Invasion of England (1066)

II.  France
	Breakup of the Carolingian Empire
		Louis the Pious (814-840)
			Sons—Lothar, Charles the Bald, Louis the German
		Treaty of Verdun (843) splits kingdom into three parts.
	The Rise of “Feudalism”
		Vassals—Perform military service in exchange for protection, loot.
		Benefice—Land given for service
		Fiefs—Benefices granted to Vassals
		Fragmentation of Authority, Decentralization
		Confused relationships—Vassals hold fiefs from different lords.
		Limitations on monarchical power.
	Domestication of the Danish Invaders
		911—Charles the Simple allows Danish chief to establish buffer state in 	
		Normandy.

III.  Germany
	Tribal Duchies:  Saxony, Bavaria, Swabia
	Otto I (936-973)
	Battle of Lechfeld (955) 
		Otto defeats the Magyars
	962—Otto crowned Emperor by the Pope
	Holy Roman Empire
	Role of Church:  Bishops appointed by King, Church aids in administration.