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CHAPTER
European Middle Ages,
13 500–1200

Chapter Overview

Time Line

MAP SECTION 1 Germanic Kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne

GRAPH SECTION 2 Feudalism in Europe

SECTION 3 The Age of Chivalry

SECTION 4 The Church Wields Power

Visual Summary
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CHAPTER
European Middle Ages,
13 500–1200

Chapter Overview

After Charlemagne’s empire dissolves,

people look to local leaders for protection
from invaders. Feudalism and knighthood
develop as a result of this need for
protection. Later kings fail to revive
Charlemagne’s empire. They struggle with
the Church for power.
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CHAPTER
European Middle Ages,
13 500–1200

Time Line

732 Charles Martel 900s Outside 1190 Holy Roman

stops Muslim invasion. invasions spur growth Empire weakens.
of feudalism.

500 1200

511 Clovis unites 800 Charlemagne 962 Otto the Great

Franks under Christian crowned emperor crowned emperor.
rule. by the pope.
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1 Germanic Kingdoms
Unite Under Charlemagne

MAP

Key Idea
Invasions cause the fall of the Roman Empire,
which is replaced by small kingdoms. The leader
of the Frankish kingdom converts to Christianity.
This religion spreads through western Europe as
the Frankish kingdom expands. Charlemagne
builds the Frankish kingdom into an empire.

Overview Assessment
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1 Germanic Kingdoms
Unite Under Charlemagne

MAP
TERMS & NAMES
Overview • Middle Ages
• Franks
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW • monastery
Many Germanic Charlemagne spread • secular
kingdoms that Christian civilization
succeeded the Roman through northern Europe, • Carolingian Dynasty
Empire were reunited where it had a permanent • Charlemagne
under Charlemagne’s impact.
empire.

Assessment
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1 Germanic Kingdoms
Unite Under Charlemagne

MAP
Section 1 Assessment

1. Look at the graphic to help organize your thoughts.

Summarize how each person listed below helped
spread Christianity.

Method of Spreading Christianity

Clovis Converted himself and his army

Benedict Wrote rule book for monasteries

Gregory I Extended papal power; blended church and government power

Charles Martel Defeated Muslims at Battle of Tours

Charlemagne Spread Christianity through conquests; was crowned emperor by pope

continued . . .
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1 Germanic Kingdoms
Unite Under Charlemagne

MAP
Section 1 Assessment

2. After the fall of the Roman Empire, learning

declined. How was this trend offset during the early
Middle Ages? THINK ABOUT
• the establishment of monasteries
• Charlemagne’s accomplishments

ANSWER

Possible • Monks opened schools, maintained libraries,

Responses: copied books, and wrote scholarly works.
• Charlemagne opened a palace school and
supported learning.
continued . . .
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1 Germanic Kingdoms
Unite Under Charlemagne

MAP
Section 1 Assessment

3. How does Charlemagne’s empire in medieval Europe

compare with the Roman Empire? THINK ABOUT
• the extent of the empire
• the spread of Christianity
• how long each empire endured
ANSWER

Possible • Charlemagne’s empire covered parts of western

Responses: Europe, a much smaller area than the Roman Empire.
• Both empires helped spread Christianity.
• Charlemagne’s empire lasted only 75 years, while the
Roman Empire endured for nearly 600 years.
End of Section 1
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2 Feudalism in Europe

GRAPH

Key Idea
New invasions create chaos in western Europe.
People look to local leaders, rather than to a central
ruler, for protection. The system of feudalism
develops, in which protection is provided in exchange
for land or labor. Social classes become well defined
under this system.

Overview Assessment
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2 Feudalism in Europe

GRAPH
TERMS & NAMES
Overview • lord
• fief
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW • vassal
Europeans developed The rights and duties of feudal • knight
feudalism, a political relationships helped shape
and military system of today’s forms of representative • serf
protective alliances and government. • manor
relationships.
• tithe

Assessment
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2 Feudalism in Europe

GRAPH
Section 2 Assessment

1. Look at the graphic to help organize your

thoughts. Explain the reasons why feudalism
developed, and describe its consequences.
Causes
Magyar, Muslim, and Viking invasions;
decline of centralized government

Rise of Feudalism

Effects
Increased emphasis on warfare and the control of land;
well-defined social classes
continued . . .
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2 Feudalism in Europe

GRAPH
Section 2 Assessment

2. What benefits do you think a medieval manor

provided to the serfs who lived there? What were the
drawbacks? THINK ABOUT
• the duties and rights of serfs
• serfs’ living conditions
ANSWER

Possible Benefits: Fulfilled basic needs for food, shelter, and

Responses: protection; provided security and a sense of
belonging to a community
Drawbacks: Limited freedom; backbreaking labor;
no awareness of the outside world; poor living
conditions
End of Section 2
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3 The Age of Chivalry

Key Idea
Feudal lords create private armies of knights,
who live by a complex set of ideals that guide
behavior. Warfare is brutal, but poems idealize
the life of a knight. In literature and songs,
women are glorified as objects of romantic
love. In reality most women are powerless.

Overview Assessment
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3 The Age of Chivalry

TERMS & NAMES

Overview • chivalry
• tournament
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW • troubadour
The code of chivalry for Chivalry has shaped
knights glorified combat modern ideas of romance
and romantic love. in Western cultures.

Assessment
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3 The Age of Chivalry

Section 3 Assessment

1. Look at the graphic to help organize your thoughts.

List ideas associated with chivalry.

courtly love courage

war games
epic poems
for glory

Chivalry horses as
Christian faith status symbols

loyalty courtesy

women on pedestal
continued . . .
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3 The Age of Chivalry

Section 3 Assessment

2. Do you think the idea of romantic love helped or

hindered women? Why? THINK ABOUT
• pros and cons of placing women on a “pedestal”
• the Church’s view of women
• the lyrics of love songs quoted in the text
ANSWER

Possible Helped women: Showed new respect and admiration; made the
Responses: love between men and women more important; offset Church’s
dim view of women
Hindered women: Fostered unrealistic visions of women;
encouraged a distant admiration of women instead of a respect
for women’s abilities and ideas; valued unrequited love over
relationships or marriage; applied to very few women continued . . .
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3 The Age of Chivalry

Section 3 Assessment

3. What positive effects might the code of chivalry have

had on feudal society? THINK ABOUT
• the ideals of chivalry
• the education of a knight
• the importance of religious faith
• the violence and constant warfare during the Middle Ages
ANSWER

Possible • taught boys about courtesy and honor

Responses:
• softened the brutality of a warlike society
• created guidelines for social behavior
• encouraged the virtues of loyalty, faith, and bravery
• inspired great literature End of Section 3
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4 The Church
Wields Power

Key Idea
German kings’ attempts to revive Charlemagne’s
empire and his alliance with the Church by
invading Italy fail. The Church resents the power
German kings have to appoint church officials.

Overview Assessment
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4 The Church
Wields Power

TERMS & NAMES

Overview • clergy
• sacrament
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW • canon law
Church leaders and Today many religious • Holy Roman Empire
political leaders leaders still voice their
competed for power and opinions on political • lay investiture
authority. issues.

Assessment
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4 The Church
Wields Power

Section 4 Assessment

1. Look at the graphic to help organize your thoughts.

The dates below were significant during the Holy Roman
Empire. Explain the importance of each date shown.

936 1077 1190

Otto I crowned Henry IV’s journey to Frederick I’s empire
king. Canossa breaks up into feudal
(power struggle) states.

962 1122
Otto I crowned Concordat of Worms
emperor. (power struggle)

continued . . .
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4 The Church
Wields Power

Section 4 Assessment

2. Do you think the Concordat of Worms was a fair

compromise for both the emperor and the Church?
Why or why not? THINK ABOUT
• the Church’s authority in spiritual matters
• the emperor’s political power
• the problems that remained unresolved

ANSWER

Possible Yes. It gave the Church the right to appoint bishops.

Responses:
No. The emperor still had ultimate control over the
appointment of bishops.
End of Section 4