As we established in class, the key tenets of civilizations are a written and spoken language, city-state with a government, and a code of law. In particular, following the collapse of the Roman Empire in West 476 AD, we saw these developments in three important civilizations: Byzantine, Muslim, and the Frankish Kingdoms.
The Byzantine Empire was the first of Rome's great heirs to civilization. In many ways, Byzantium was a continuance of Rome, as it was founded by the great emperor Constantine in 324 AD. When Rome finally fell to persistent barbarian attacks in the fifth century, Constantinople assumed the full responsibility of the Roman Empire. In that regard, Byzantium was a true heir to Roman Civilization.
In the sixth century another great emperor assumed the throne in Constantinople--Justinian. Most of Justinian's successes came second-handedly, which illustrates how effective he was a at being a skilled delegator. During his tenure, he recruited a stupendous banker, John the Cappadocian to rework the Empire's finances. He also negotiated military expeditions with his Herculean general Belisarius, who reconquered most of the land around the Mediterranean that was lost when Rome fell in the West. Additionally, Justinian shrewdly sought the council of a skilled lawyer, Tribonian, who revised the corpus juris civilis-- the body of civil law that would established a remarkable government. Finally, his choice of Theodora as a wife was a also a calculable and rewarding delegation, as she helped promote his career immensely. In short, although Byzantium was a direct descendant from Rome, its path to civilization was shaped by the brilliance of a remarkable leader.
The Byzantine Empire was the first of Rome's great heirs to civilization. In many ways, Byzantium was a continuance of Rome, as it was founded by the great emperor Constantine in 324 AD. When Rome finally fell to persistent barbarian attacks in the fifth century, Constantinople assumed the full responsibility of the Roman Empire. In that regard, Byzantium was a true heir to Roman Civilization.
In the sixth century another great emperor assumed the throne in Constantinople--Justinian. Most of Justinian's successes came second-handedly, which illustrates how effective he was a at being a skilled delegator. During his tenure, he recruited a stupendous banker, John the Cappadocian to rework the Empire's finances. He also negotiated military expeditions with his Herculean general Belisarius, who reconquered most of the land around the Mediterranean that was lost when Rome fell in the West. Additionally, Justinian shrewdly sought the council of a skilled lawyer, Tribonian, who revised the corpus juris civilis-- the body of civil law that would established a remarkable government. Finally, his choice of Theodora as a wife was a also a calculable and rewarding delegation, as she helped promote his career immensely. In short, although Byzantium was a direct descendant from Rome, its path to civilization was shaped by the brilliance of a remarkable leader.
The second heir of Roman Civilization to emerge in the Early Middle Ages was also an heir to the religion of Judaism--Islam. In 610, when Mohammed, a Bedouin trader from Mecca, went to the desert to meditate he was visited by the angel Gabriel, who told him to: "Proclaim! In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, who created man out of a mere clot of congealed blood. Proclaim! And thy Lord is most bountiful. He who taught the pen, taught man that which he knew not." It was at that point that Mohammed began his mission and submitted his will to the will of Allah.
At first Mohammed found resistance in the Bedouin tradesman of Mecca, and in 622 AD he retreated with a small band of followers to the city of Medina. This migration became known as the hijrah because he attracted many devoted followers there to which he used for his jihad back to Mecca in 630 AD. On his return to the ancient city of Mecca, Mohammed quickly converted the pagan tradespeople this time and established a stronghold of Muslim Civilization through customary and religious laws. The first source of authority is the holy book of Muslims--Qur'an, which were the recitations of the Angel Gabriel to the prophet Mohammed. The Qur'an is considered to be the Word of Allah, and it states His will. The Sunna or simply the custom of following Mohammed's example in life was another example of authority or law to the Muslim community. Finally there was the all encompassing law of the Muslims--Shari'a, which regulates the family life, moral conduct, and business and community life of Muslims.
Mohammed died shortly after his reentrance into the city of Mecca--632 AD, but his legacy would live on in the rightly guided caliphs. For the rest of the seventh century and into the eighth century, the mighty sword of Islam would quickly conquer a vast amount of territory. By 750 AD, the Muslim Empire stretched 6,000 miles from he the Atlantic Ocean to the Indus River. The impact of the Muslim Civilization would also help shaped the west during the Early Middle Ages.
At first Mohammed found resistance in the Bedouin tradesman of Mecca, and in 622 AD he retreated with a small band of followers to the city of Medina. This migration became known as the hijrah because he attracted many devoted followers there to which he used for his jihad back to Mecca in 630 AD. On his return to the ancient city of Mecca, Mohammed quickly converted the pagan tradespeople this time and established a stronghold of Muslim Civilization through customary and religious laws. The first source of authority is the holy book of Muslims--Qur'an, which were the recitations of the Angel Gabriel to the prophet Mohammed. The Qur'an is considered to be the Word of Allah, and it states His will. The Sunna or simply the custom of following Mohammed's example in life was another example of authority or law to the Muslim community. Finally there was the all encompassing law of the Muslims--Shari'a, which regulates the family life, moral conduct, and business and community life of Muslims.
Mohammed died shortly after his reentrance into the city of Mecca--632 AD, but his legacy would live on in the rightly guided caliphs. For the rest of the seventh century and into the eighth century, the mighty sword of Islam would quickly conquer a vast amount of territory. By 750 AD, the Muslim Empire stretched 6,000 miles from he the Atlantic Ocean to the Indus River. The impact of the Muslim Civilization would also help shaped the west during the Early Middle Ages.
The final and arguably most crucial heir of Rome was the Frankish Kingdom. The Franks were typical German barbarians, who until until the 6th century wandered around the hinterland of the old Roman Empire. Clovis, a descendant in the Merovingian Dynasty, was the king of the Franks in the late fifth century, according to the legend, told by Gregory of Tours, he united the Franks during the Battle of Tolbiac, where he also miraculously converted to Christianity in the midst of the war. Fearing defeat, he appealed to the Christian God: "For I have called on my gods, but I find they are far from my aid... Now I call on Thee. I long to believe in Thee. Only deliver me from my enemies." When the tide of the battle shifted and the Franks won, Clovis and 3,000 of his warriors asked a bishop to baptize them.
The Church in Rome welcomed Clovis' conversions and supported his military campaigns against other Germanic peoples. By 511, Clovis had united the Franks under one kingdom. The strategic alliance between Clovis' Frankish Kingdom and the Church marked the start of a partnership between two powerful forces. More important to the conversion story, however, was the stabilizing signs of civilization that were formed by Clovis following the miracle at Tolbiac. To begin, the Franks developed a system of written language in the Merovingian minuscule to which he enhanced Salic Law, and thereby established a stable government.
For the next two hundred years, the Merovingian Dynasty ruled the Franks and continued the civilizing process in the nascent Europe. By 700 AD, an official known as the major domo or the mayor of the palace had become the most powerful person in the Frankish Kingdom. In 719, the mayor of the palace was Charles Martel "the Hammer" and he held more power than the king. Martel extended the Franks reign and expanded the territory significantly. He also became a christian hero by defeating Muslim raiders from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD.
After Martel's death, he passed his power to his son, Pepin the Short, who had wished to more than the mayor of the palace. In order to achieve success as a new dynasty for the Franks, Pepin wisely cooperated with the Church, who as we saw previously established a strong connection with the Clovis and helped prompt Frankish Civilization for the Merovingians. On behalf of the Church, Pepin agreed to aid Pope Stephan II against the Lombards, who had invaded central Italy and threatened Rome. For this service, Pope Stephan II anointed Pepin "King by the Grace of God," which established the Carolingian Dynasty.
After Pepin died in 768 AD, he left a greatly strengthened Frankish Kingdom to his two sons, Carloman and Charles. Fortunately for Charles, Carloman died in 771 AD, and Charles solely succeeded Frankish throne. An imposing figure, Charles swiftly defeated barbarians across the European continent, the Saxons, Lombards, Avars, and Saracens would fall to the mighty Charles, who because of these feats would rightly gain the sobriquet, "The Great" or Charlemagne in the 790s.
As history so often shows, fate seemed to play an important role in the development of the west with the rule of Charlemagne. Certainly Charlemagne was great for factors that he personally controlled: He greatly expanded the Frankish lands, he refined the minuscule of the Merovingians, and promoted learning in and education in his kingdom. Additionally, Charlemagne contributed to the development of civilization by instituting a system called the Missi Dominici to keep track of the taxes in his vast realm. That notwithstanding, what ultimately gave Charlemagne a foot ahead was the events leading up to the coronation of Holy Roman Empire on Christmas Day 800 AD.
For more than sixty years, the Byzantine Empire was plagued by the Iconoclast Controversy 726-787 AD, which brought strife between Rome and Constantinople. The attack of the Lombards in Ravenna and the lack of Byzantine presence in Rome due to the Muslim onslaughts in the eighth century, also paved the way for the great Frankish King. In 797 AD, things really heated up when Irene of Athens, captured her son, Constantine VI--the Emperor and had him killed by gouging out his eyes. Once the assassination was complete, Irene assumed the position of Emperor, which was not looked highly upon by Roman pontiff. Therefore, in 799-800 when Pope Leo III experienced issues with an unruly mob he reached out to Charlemagne, not Irene, for aid. In gratitude for Charlemagne saving the Church, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor, which signaled the joining of Germanic Power, the Church, and the heritage of the Roman Empire. This event was a crucial one in the Making of Europe.
As one can see, the connection among these three civilizations saw the Birth of Western society and culture. Paramount among these developments was the rise of Feudalism, which was prevalent during the latter reign of Charlemagne. As you read for Week 2's class pay attention to the developments in Europe following the Charlemagne. Specifically pay attention to the how Feudalism helped shaped Europe society and culture, and therefore led to the making of European Civilization.
The Church in Rome welcomed Clovis' conversions and supported his military campaigns against other Germanic peoples. By 511, Clovis had united the Franks under one kingdom. The strategic alliance between Clovis' Frankish Kingdom and the Church marked the start of a partnership between two powerful forces. More important to the conversion story, however, was the stabilizing signs of civilization that were formed by Clovis following the miracle at Tolbiac. To begin, the Franks developed a system of written language in the Merovingian minuscule to which he enhanced Salic Law, and thereby established a stable government.
For the next two hundred years, the Merovingian Dynasty ruled the Franks and continued the civilizing process in the nascent Europe. By 700 AD, an official known as the major domo or the mayor of the palace had become the most powerful person in the Frankish Kingdom. In 719, the mayor of the palace was Charles Martel "the Hammer" and he held more power than the king. Martel extended the Franks reign and expanded the territory significantly. He also became a christian hero by defeating Muslim raiders from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD.
After Martel's death, he passed his power to his son, Pepin the Short, who had wished to more than the mayor of the palace. In order to achieve success as a new dynasty for the Franks, Pepin wisely cooperated with the Church, who as we saw previously established a strong connection with the Clovis and helped prompt Frankish Civilization for the Merovingians. On behalf of the Church, Pepin agreed to aid Pope Stephan II against the Lombards, who had invaded central Italy and threatened Rome. For this service, Pope Stephan II anointed Pepin "King by the Grace of God," which established the Carolingian Dynasty.
After Pepin died in 768 AD, he left a greatly strengthened Frankish Kingdom to his two sons, Carloman and Charles. Fortunately for Charles, Carloman died in 771 AD, and Charles solely succeeded Frankish throne. An imposing figure, Charles swiftly defeated barbarians across the European continent, the Saxons, Lombards, Avars, and Saracens would fall to the mighty Charles, who because of these feats would rightly gain the sobriquet, "The Great" or Charlemagne in the 790s.
As history so often shows, fate seemed to play an important role in the development of the west with the rule of Charlemagne. Certainly Charlemagne was great for factors that he personally controlled: He greatly expanded the Frankish lands, he refined the minuscule of the Merovingians, and promoted learning in and education in his kingdom. Additionally, Charlemagne contributed to the development of civilization by instituting a system called the Missi Dominici to keep track of the taxes in his vast realm. That notwithstanding, what ultimately gave Charlemagne a foot ahead was the events leading up to the coronation of Holy Roman Empire on Christmas Day 800 AD.
For more than sixty years, the Byzantine Empire was plagued by the Iconoclast Controversy 726-787 AD, which brought strife between Rome and Constantinople. The attack of the Lombards in Ravenna and the lack of Byzantine presence in Rome due to the Muslim onslaughts in the eighth century, also paved the way for the great Frankish King. In 797 AD, things really heated up when Irene of Athens, captured her son, Constantine VI--the Emperor and had him killed by gouging out his eyes. Once the assassination was complete, Irene assumed the position of Emperor, which was not looked highly upon by Roman pontiff. Therefore, in 799-800 when Pope Leo III experienced issues with an unruly mob he reached out to Charlemagne, not Irene, for aid. In gratitude for Charlemagne saving the Church, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor, which signaled the joining of Germanic Power, the Church, and the heritage of the Roman Empire. This event was a crucial one in the Making of Europe.
As one can see, the connection among these three civilizations saw the Birth of Western society and culture. Paramount among these developments was the rise of Feudalism, which was prevalent during the latter reign of Charlemagne. As you read for Week 2's class pay attention to the developments in Europe following the Charlemagne. Specifically pay attention to the how Feudalism helped shaped Europe society and culture, and therefore led to the making of European Civilization.
world-civilization-week-1.pptx |