Birth of European Civilization

• The relentless incursions of Germanic and non-Germanic tribes into

the Roman Empire from the late fourth to fifth centuries created a
dynamic and ever-shifting landscape of movement and interaction.
• The barbarian invasions, a series of migrations by Germanic tribes
that began before 200 BCE and continued into the early Middle Ages,
played a key role in the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.
Alongside the Slavic migrations, these movements significantly
shaped the distribution of populations in modern Europe.
235–284 CE: Crisis of the Third Century – Rome faces internal turmoil and
increasing barbarian raids.
260s CE: Alemanni and Franks invade Gaul; Goths raid the Balkans and
Asia Minor
376 CE: Visigoths, fleeing the Huns, seek refuge in Roman territory.
Vandals, Alans, and Suebi cross the frozen Rhine into Gaul, marking a
major breach of the Roman frontier.
455 CE: Vandals sack Rome.
476 CE: Fall of the Western Roman Empire – Germanic chieftain Odoacer
deposes the last emperor, Romulus Augustulus.
The Huns
• Attila the Hun (r. 434–453 CE) was the ruler of the nomadic Huns and the founder of
the Hunnic Empire. His name, meaning “Little Father,” may not have been his birth
name but rather a title of affection and respect granted upon his accession. Feared
across the regions his armies conquered, Attila's name became synonymous with
terror among both his enemies and the local populations.
• Attila’s incursions into Germania forced many populations to flee across the borders of
the Western Roman Empire, accelerating its decline in the late 5th century CE. The
influx of the Visigoths, in particular, and their subsequent revolt against Rome played a
crucial role in its downfall. Their victory over the Romans at the Battle of Adrianople in
378 CE dealt a blow from which the Roman military never fully recovered. This defeat
also emboldened the Huns, who later allied with their former enemies, the Visigoths,
in plundering Roman territories. Recognizing Rome’s weakening power, Attila
repeatedly made and broke treaties—such as the Treaty of Margus in 439 CE—without
fear of repercussions. His widespread destruction of Roman cities and towns often met
little resistance, exposing the Roman army’s decline from its once-formidable strength.
Tribes and Areas under their Control

• Anglo- Saxons Most of England

• Franks- Northeast France
• Burgundians Eastern- Central France
• Alemanni- Switzerland
• Visigoths - Most of Spain and southern France
• Suevi- Northwest Spain
• Vandals - North Africa
• Ostrogoths - Italy, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia
Decline and the Beginning of New Order in
Europe
• In western Europe, the centuries between 400 and 1000 witnessed
both the decline of Classical civilization and the birth of a new
European civilization.
• Out of this mixture of barbarian and surviving (or recovered) classical
culture, Western civilization was born.
• The Carolingians, supported by a Christian church seeking to restore
order and centralized rule, established a new, albeit fragile, imperial
tradition. However, Western society remained deeply fragmented
politically and economically throughout the Early Middle Ages. In
contrast, many of the world's other prominent civilizations during the
first millennium C.E. were at their peak.
The Development of Roman Church

• Amidst the turmoil of imperial decline, Germanic invasions, and Islamic expansion,
one Western institution endured and grew stronger: the Christian church.
• As the Western Empire collapsed, local bishops and cathedral chapters (governing
bodies of clergy) assumed authority. The church emulated the empire’s centralized,
hierarchical administrative structure, appointing strategically located “viceroys”
(bishops) in European cities to report to their leader, the bishop of Rome (later pope).
• The local cathedral became the heart of urban life, and the local bishop the highest
authority for city dwellers. In Rome, on a grander and more consequential scale, the
pope seized control of the city as Western emperors dwindled and eventually
disappeared. Western Europe soon realized that the Christian church was its most
reliable source of Roman administrative expertise and classical culture.
Papal Primacy
• The church could serve as a powerful civilizing and unifying force. Its
message of divine purpose and individual value offered solace and
meaning in life’s darkest moments.
• the church was the sole institution in the West to maintain an
effective hierarchical administration, staffed by Europe’s most
educated minds and centered in the now-emperorless Rome.
• Taking advantage of imperial weakness and distraction, they
developed the doctrine of “papal primacy,” which raised the bishop of
Rome to an unassailable supremacy within the church.
The Old Basilica of Saint Peter
• The Old Basilica of Saint Peter
was a significant church in early
Christianity, built in Rome during
the reign of Emperor
Constantine I around the 4th
century AD.
Monastic Culture
• Monastic culture had a significant influence on European culture,
helping to preserve knowledge and providing social services during
the Middle Ages.
• Monastic culture in the Middle Ages refers to the way of life followed
by monks and nuns who lived in monasteries under the Christian
Church. These religious communities were dedicated to prayer, work,
and study. Monks and nuns followed strict rules, like the Benedictine
Rule, which emphasized obedience, poverty, and chastity.
• By the 12th century, cathedral schools affiliated with monasteries in
major cities such as Paris, Bologna, and Oxford started to develop into
universities. These institutions were increasingly independent but still
rooted in the intellectual and religious traditions of monasticism.
Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great
(742–814 AD)

• After the fall of the Roman

Empire, much of Europe lacked
effective governance and was not
dominated by any significant
dynasty until the rise of the
Carolingians. It was Charlemagne
who ultimately expanded and
consolidated this empire, marking
the beginning of a new era in
European history.
Feudalism
• Feudalism was a social and political system in medieval Europe that
structured society around relationships derived from land ownership. It was
based on a hierarchy of lords, vassals, and serfs. Feudalism created a rigid
class system where wealth and power were concentrated at the top. The
system provided security in a time when central governments were weak,
but it also limited social mobility, as people were born into their social roles.
• Feudalism began to take shape in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire,
around the 9th and 10th centuries. As the Roman Empire collapsed,
centralized power weakened, and local lords and nobles gained more
control over land and people. The system developed as a way to maintain
order and provide protection during a time when Europe was frequently
threatened by invasions (such as from the Vikings, Magyars, and Muslim
forces).
The origins of feudal government can be found in the divisions and
conflicts of Merovingian society. In the sixth and seventh centuries,
individual freemen began to solve the problem of survival by placing
themselves under the protection of more powerful freemen, who built
up armies and became local magnates. Freemen who so entrusted
themselves to others were described collectively as vassi (“those who
serve”), from which evolved the term vassalage, meaning the
placement of oneself in the personal service of another who promises
protection in return.
St. Peter’s Basilica
Viking, Moorish and Magyar invasions into
Europe after Charlemagne.