From the Fall of the Holy Roman Empire to Feudalism Essay

Events after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire

After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire in 476 came the establishment of Germanic kingdoms. The fall was precipitated by the Holy Roman Empire allowing peoples other than Romans to serve in the Roman Army. These peoples did not fight as passionately as someone who was defending their homeland. Despite the fall of the empire the papacy continued to bestow titles on individuals within the empire. After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire a chaotic environment of invasions, marriages, revolts, killings, and conversions to Christianity took place. Those who ruled the kingdoms welcomed titles bestowed upon them by the papacy. Although remnants of the Holy Roman Empire still exists (Pope, Catholicism with worldwide following) it has nowhere near the power it had prior to 476 A.D. The Empire and the papacy remain in Rome alone (Vatican City) but have religious significance only as the leader of the Catholic Church. The Popes still holds respectable power when it comes to opinions and religious observance of its followers.

The Germanic kingdoms included areas invaded by Germanic tribes such as the Burgundians, Alemanians, and the Langobardians. Interestingly, the Burgundians occupied a portion of territory in Switzerland that remains a French speaking area today. This remnant from the past reflects the time when the Franks took over the Burgundians and influenced both the language and culture of the Burgundians.

The most destabilizing factor that influenced society at that time was the taking, and retaking, of territory and subdividing territory among decendents. Stability was brought to the region by monks allowed to move among the kingdoms and erecting churches and bishoprics to replace Catholicism in the kingdoms. Many of the Germanic tribes were catholic but allowed Irish and Scottish monks to move about their territories. Ultimately, invaders integrated and assimilated with locals and thus lost the attachments to where they came from. “The Alemannians also pushed farther into the upper Rhine valley, driving the Celts deeper into the Alps. Today in the valleys of the Graubünden (Grisons), the descendants of these Celts speak Romansh, the least-prevalent of Switzerland’s four official languages.”(Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 2007).

Changes from 500 A.D. to 1600 A.D.

European society in 500 A.D. was still very much in flux. Germanic tribes were still acquiring and inhabiting territories. Tribes, such as the Langobardi, were seeking out opportunities for war. Lands were being subdivided among descendents of rulers. Historians refer to this period of time as the ‘Dark Ages’ because this was a time of constant change. Just prior to 500 A.D. the Anglo-Saxons invaded England, Clovis became the King of the Franks, and the Christianization of England began. The region was anything but stable but was the target of missionaries who targeted the Germanic tribes’ conversion to Christianity. It was during this time frame that the practice of giving male children to the monasteries was common (usually around age 7).

By the time of 1600 A.D. Europeans had survived the ‘black death’ and entered the ‘age of reform’. The Protestant Reformation ended in 1598, the Catholic Reformation was nearing an end, and the wars of religion were underway. The protestant reformation was a pull away from the Catholic Church. The Gutenberg Bible helped put the written bible into many more people’s hands thus the reliance on leaders of the various churches for instruction on the contents of the bible was diminished.

The ‘Black Death’ was a deadly pandemic caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis (The Black Death, 2007). The fleas carried around by rats carried the plague. One could be affected in three ways: Bubonic, Pneumonic, and Septicemic. Bubonic was the most common and Septicemic was the most deadly.

The structure of society in 1600 differed much from 500 A.D. when people were ruled by Kings and change was normal and frequent. By 1600 many countries were ruled by an absolute monarch. Religion played a big part in people’s lives. The wars of religion began around 1500 A.D. and abated around 1650 A.D. The areas involved included France, The Holy Roman Empire, and Great Brittain.

It was around 1600 A.D. that many voyages were undertaken to explore the outermost reaches of the globe. This is followed by the exploration and colonization of the Americas by Britain, France, and Spain. Those most interested in making the journey of immigration to the Americas were interested in religious freedom.

The biggest changes from 500 A.D. to 1600 A.D. was the institution of absolute monarchy, expansion of Christianity, and the invention of movable type (Gutenburg). Society in 1600 A.D. was structured around the Christian Church (Catholic or Protestant) but was subservient to the King.

The peoples of this time were of very hardy stock as they survived the ‘Black Death’ and the little Ice Age (1560 – 1850) when temperatures plummeted in Europe and the British Isles.

Islam – the dominant religion of North Africa and South West Asia

Islam is the dominant religion of North Africa and South West Asia. Islam dominates daily life and includes the subservience of women. Arabic is the dominant language in the region. Other religions are found in the Middle East but most are experiencing pressures from Islamic extremists to close, relocate, or die.

In many Arab countries male children are educated while female children are trained to be subservient to their male counterparts. This is unchanged from the early origins of Islam. Only recently have female Arab children been allowed to attend school.

The history of the Islamic world includes the period of time when Islam was the dominant religion on the Arabian Peninsula. In 634 Mohammed set out with his followers and occupied Palestine, Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, and Persia. The Arabs are credited with defeating the Romans. Those areas conquered by Arabs quickly converted to Islam. Islamic clerics dominated Islamic society by enforcing shi’a law. “One of the fundamental messages of the Qur’an is the emphasis on material welfare and the entire community’s responsibility for the material welfare of all its members.” (Hooker, 1996)

Religious and social systems in current Arab countries are not much different than they were in 500 A.D. to 1600 A.D. The Arab countries have survived wars with the Turks and the Sultans of Egypt and the domination of the Ottoman Empire. But, the Middle East can best be described as inward looking and defensive. They have survived domination by European powers and have yet to catch up technologically. Westerners often refer to what is happening in the Middle East as “backwardness” (Lewis, 1995). If one wanted to see what life was like between 500 A.D. and 1600 A.D. a visit to current Islamic states would be in order. Selim the Grim is credited with capturing most of the Middle East for the Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 1500’s.

“In addition to language and text, at the heart of Islam is the Arabic vision of the world and society. Codified only a couple hundred years after the foundation of Islam, the Shari’ah, or law of Islam installed permanently the Arabic order of society on subsequent generations. The genius of Islam, then, is fundamentally the genius of the Arabs; the cadences of Islam are the cadences of the Arabic language; the universe of Islam was one forged in the mind of Arabic culture.” (Hooker, 1996).

Mongol culture and Islamic culture share an important feature. If you visit a ‘ger’ on the Mongol steppes it would be like visiting the past. Rural Mongol people still live in the same type of homes and do many of the same things every day that their ancestors did so long ago. The big difference between Islamic society and Mongol society is that Mongols are forward thinking and adopt new technologies as they present themselves.

Mongols are the descendants of ancient nomadic tribes that raised horses, camels, cows, sheep and goats. Mongols society during the middle ages was much like rural Mongols of today. Their territory about 500 A.D. was described as:

“in accordance with the decree of his Majesty, the state situated to the north of the Great Wall shall be governed by the decrees of Shan Yu, and the territory situated to the south of the Great Wall, peopled by those who wear tushmed belts and caps, shall be governed by me. Both the State of the Huns and the State of Han are powerful neighbor states”. (Badral, 2007).

Mongols lived side by side with Turks and Khamnigan tribes. Before the departure of the northern Huns to eastern Europe (Hungary) northern and southern Huns coexisted. After their departure the Huns that stayed behind were recognized by the Chinese Khan recognized himself as the son of the Kidan Khan (Liao). Between 500 A.D. and 1500 A.D. many of the Mongol tribes were dispersed because of conflicts with other nations. The Mongols are credited with unifying a relationship between East and West.

The most famous Khan was Ghingas Khan. He undertook a longtime battle to conquer the whole world. Under Ghingas Khan and his successors Mongolia became a powerful nation. Interestingly, the Mongols did not impose their social system or religion on those they conquered. “Their religion focused on a sky-god that ruled over nature deities, similar to the Japanese native religion Shinto, and the gods communicated to them through shamans.” (Hooker, 1996)

Feudalism

Fuedalism got started in Europe at the fall of the Holy Roman Empire. It replaced the bureaucratic power structure provided during the Holy Roman Empire. Fuedalism began when power shifted to local political units. The land was considered the wealth, the people the laborers, and the political (or hereditary) leaders the recipients of the products produced by the work. The relationship of Lord with client was central to the function of the feudal society. The most essential element of feudalism was power. The Lord could protect the client and also render punishment to the client who disregards the commands of the Lord. Feudalism was essentially dominance and subordination.

Fuedalism became ineffective and obsolete when money was introduced and replaced feudalisms reward system. Money became the reward for work provided, crops grown, etc…

Works Cited

1. Badral, Surenguin. The Mongolia Society. 2007. Introduction to the History of Mongolia.
2. The Black Death. 2007. Web.
3. Hooker, Richard. 1996. Washington State University.
4. Lewis, Bernard. 1995. The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. New York: Scribner, 1995.
5. Rome.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web.
6. Rome.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web.
7. Switzerland.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web.