The Cultural Background of the Dark and Middle Ages in Europe

providing a basis for the Renaissance to come

By and large, these are my lecture notes with links to related web sites.

BYZANTIUM

Roman Empire partitioned into East and West in 395 CE

A map of the partition of the Roman Empire into east and west: http://www.doser.org/his9/ancient_rome_pics/4.jpg

Western Roman Empire fell by 500 CE

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) based in Constantinople thrived -- with Greek influence

One of the weapons developed in the “Greek” Byzantine Empire to ward off invaders by sea was “Greek Fire.” For a brief description see: http://www.greece.org/Romiosini/greek_fire.html

Justinian (527-565)

Emperor of Byzantine Empire

Unsuccessful attempt to regain Western empire

Commissioned summary of Roman Law: The Corpus Juris

A description of Justinian’s Corpus Juris: http://www.britannica.com/seo/c/code-of-justinian/

Byzantine Empire successfully defended until 1453 when attacked by Ottoman Turks using guns

EUROPE IN THE DARK AGES (500 - 1000)

Charlemagne -- crowned Emperor in 800

A web page on Charlemagne: http://www2.lucidcafe.com/lucidcafe/library/96apr/Charlemagne.html

Founded schools across Europe

-- taught in Latin

n Curriculum based on the 7 Liberal Arts

Technology

heavy plough A site on the heavy plough: http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/~tekpages/heavyplow.html

stirrup, harness

A site on the horse harness: http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/~tekpages/harness.html and on the stirrup: http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/~tekpages/stirrups.html

crop rotation

introduction of 3-field system in VIII

vast population increase

THE RISE OF ISLAM

Before Mohammed

Arab culture disorganized

nomadic, polytheistic

centered in Mecca

Mohammed

born 570 in Mecca

at age of 40 had revelation, became prophet

fled Mecca in 622 (traditional date for start of Islam)

Mohammed's revelations = the Koran

Spread of Islam

One God, one Prophet, one Book

In 100 years (630-730) Islam spread from Arabia to India in the East and to Spain in the West

Capital: Baghdad

Preserved and advanced Greek science (especialy mathematics)

Maps on the spread of Islam: http://www.sociology.auburn.edu/u101gophertop/islammaps.html

EUROPE IN THE MIDDLE AGES (1000 - 1500)

The XII Renaissance

Greek and Islamic science discovered by Europe

The Great Translation Project

Toledo, Spain over 150 years

Italy became the centre of learning

An overview of the revival of learning in Europe in which the Great Translation Project of Toledo was pivotal: http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/0/0,5716,117480+11,00.html

The Black Death

1348, a date to remember

eliminated 1/3 to 1/2 of population of Europe

labour became scarce

labour-saving devices became more valuable

A brief overview of the Black Death: http://bvsd.k12.co.us/schools/cent/Newspaper/nov-dec96/black.html