The+High+MIddle+Ages

=Chapter 9 The High Middle Ages=

World History: Connections to Today (online textbook)

=The High Middle Ages=
 * 1) The Growth of Royal Power
 * 2) The Holy Roman Empire and the Church
 * 3) Europeans Look Outward
 * 4) Learning, Literature and the Arts
 * 5) A Time of Crisis

**Territory of Europe**
Otto I and his empire had the potential to become the most powerful monarchy in Europe. They controlled much of the central and eastern portions of Europe as well as much of what we now know as France and Italy. Otto did not hesitate to send troops to reinforce the Pope during a rebellion in Italy. This did not mean there was no conflict and in fact power conflicts occurred often over who had what role when it came to appointing clergy and what role "secular" leaders would play. You can find additional information in the textbook in Chapter 9.

I guess you might want to know why we are starting at this particular time period in history. Actually there are two reasons: One, I have been directed to by others who felt it was necessary. Two, it is a turning point in the culture of Western Europe as the remnants of the Roman Empire begin to fall away, and the rise of ancient thought from ancient Greece (Hellas) and Rome reemerge and combine with current intellectual thought.

In the attachments below I will have documents or other items related to what we are discussing. There will also be assignments related to the reading assignments that will require your participation. There may also be links provided from time to time that will be related to topics we are discussing.

Textbook assignments will also occasionally be given that will require reading and probably some kind of written response.

First we have to see how William the Conqueror rose to power. A little bit of back story is in order to accomplish this. Read the articles using these links to provide some of the background. The Anglo-Saxon King of England, Edward the Confessor, died without a clear heir to the throne. Edward's brother-in-law was appointed King by a council of nobles. @http://britishhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_path_to_hastings__1066

William the Bastard challenges Harold for the right to the throne.@http://britishhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/william_the_conqueror

Domesday Book is the oldest government record held in The National Archives. In fact there are two Domesday Books - Little Domesday and Great Domesday which together contain a great deal of information about England in the 11th century. In 1086, King William I (the Conqueror) wanted to find out about all the land in his new kingdom: who owned which property, who else lived there, how much the land was worth and therefore how much tax he could charge, so he sent official government inspectors around England to ask questions in local courts. Fixed questions were asked, such as what the place was called, who owned it, how many men lived there, how many cows were there and so on. For each property, the questions were asked three times to see what changes had happened over time so that the king would know about the lands in Edward the Confessor's time (before1066), who William I had given it to and what it was worth then, and finally what the situation was in 1086 at the time of the survey. All the results of these questions were handwritten into the Domesday Book by scribes.

IN PRESTETUNE HUND.

Ipse Wills ten PICEHA in dnio. Herald tenuit. T.R.E. Tc se desd p LX. hid. m p. XL. Tra. e qt XX. car. In dnio. VIII. car. CXLX.III. uilli XL.V. bord cu qt XX II. car. Ibi aeccla .VI. serui. X. berquarij. Ibi qt XX IIII. ac pti. silua. c. porc.

In Lewes. XXVI. hagae. de. XIII. solid. De hac tra ten Ricoard VII. hid. miles ej. I. hid dim. In dnio hnt .II. car. cu. II. bord. T.R.E.ualeb tot. c .lib. post. L. lib .m. qt XX. lib.

In PRESTON HundredWilliam holds PATCHAM himself, in lordship. Earl Harold held it before 1066. Then it answered for 60 hides; now for 40. Land for 80 ploughs. In lordship 8 ploughs; 163 villagers and 45 smallholders with 82 ploughs; A church; 6 slaves; 10 shepherds; meadow, 84 acres; woodland, 100 pigs; 26 sites in Lewes at 13s.

Richard holds 7 hides of this land; and a man-at-arms of his 1/2 hides. In lordship they have 2 ploughs, with 2 smallholders. Total value before 1066 £100; later £50; now £80.

After William becomes king and establishes the Domesday Book as the official record of holdings he establishes a code of laws, in consort with other ruling nobility. Take a few minutes to review the laws as established by William. @http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/will1-lawsb.html How was William viewed by others? @http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1186ASChron-William1.html

Successor to William, **Henry II**, attempted to strengthen royal power by taking what had been custom and codifying it into law. English Common Law, based on custom and court decisions (precedent) that created a more predictable and fair system. The jury system was one outgrowth of this fundamental change in jurisprudence. Juries are a collected group of "free men" sworn to "speak the truth".

He further tried to extend royal power by trying to hold clergy legally accountable by the royal courts. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury opposed his friend Henry and was very vocal about his opposition. Henry voice his frustration to some people and four knights took it upon themselves to carry out his wishes. Read the following link: @http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/becket.htm The tension between the English monarch, nobles and the Church continued. King John, Henry's son, throughout his reign had conflicts with King Philip II of France, Pope Innocent III and with the English Nobles. He lost to each at various points. The loss to the Nobles culminated in the signing of the Magna Carta or Great Charter which provided the foundation for the constitutional monarchy in England.

Philip was the grandson of Louis IX - the king known as the most saintly king. Louis is the most faithful of kings of the time and was devoted to the Catholic Church. He expanded royal courts, outlawed private wars and ended serfdom in the lands he controlled. Philip on the other hand wanted to control the Pope and so sent warriors to eliminate Pope Boniface VIII. The Pope was injured in the clash but did escape. == = William of Hundlehy // : The Outrage at Anagni, 1303: Read the letter that gives the account of the attack on Pope Boniface  // =
 * Philip IV of France**

Boniface died a short time later and Philip arranged for a Frenchman to become Pope and moved the Papal Court to Avignon France, ensuring French control over the Catholic Church. In addition he convinced the French Pope that the Knights Templar were a perverted sect with designs of control over the world. On October 13th 1307 he had secret orders carried out designed to eliminate the Knights Templar. This too was to solidify his power. The moving of the Vatican Court to Avignon was not well received by everyone.

Read this poem related to the forced move of the Pope. In addition read this letter from Petrarch regarding the moving of the Papacy.

**The Holy Roman Empire**

 * Here is one place where some back story is important. The Holy Roman Empire was first established in the year 800 on December 25th, when Charlemagne (Charles the Great) was crowned by Pope Leo III. Charlemagne was Charles Martel one of two brothers who controlled much of what was knows as the Frankish Kingdom. A few years after the two shared the kingdom the brother of Charles suddenly died. No one knows what the cause of death was, nor can anyone say that Charles was behind the death, but it could be that he (Charles) seized power. By the year 800 Charlemagne controlled the territory below.**[[image:http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/maps/800eur.jpg align="left" link="http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/maps/800eur.jpg"]]

**After Charlemagne's death the Holy Roman Empire failed to recover and never achieved its glory. The Vikings began to invade from the North and throughout much of Europe the Dark Ages reemerged. The territory that will later become modern day Germany dissolved from a relatively unified territory to a group of warring states.**

**Duke Otto I of Saxony declared himself King of Germany and was later crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962. "Holy" because he was crowned by the Pope and Roman because they viewed themselves as heirs to what was Rome.****Here is a map of Europe at or around the time that Otto was crowned Emperor.**

**As you can see on the map the province of Saxony is in the northern portion of Germany in the area of where the capital city of Berlin is located currently. By the way, this close association with Rome will present itself again in the future.** **Emperors and Popes conflicted primarily over who had the power to make appointments to positions within the Church. Pope Gregory's attempts to control secular leaders cause a good deal of controversy during his tenure as head of the Church.** **Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV argued that bishops held their lands as royal fiefs. In Medieval feudalism a fief was a vassal's source of income, granted to him by his lord in exchange for his services. The fief usually consisted of land and the labor of peasants who were bound to cultivate it. The battle continued until 1076 when the Pope "excommunicated" Henry. This in effect freed Henry's people from his control and put Henry out of a job. In 1077 Henry begged forgiveness and was forgiven by Gregrory and restored to his throne. The nobles in Germany that had begun an uprising against Henry were quickly subdued by Henry and his army. Later the Pope paid a steep price for his actions when Henry led an army against the Pope in Rome and forced him into exile. **

 **To avoid future conflicts of a similar nature and to reduce tension between the Church and the secular rulers a treaty was worked out in 1122, and both sides agreed to the terms. The treaty is known as the [|Concordat of Worms.]**