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Example research essay topic: Byzantine Empire Middle Ages - 1,110 words

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... began to experiment with Monasticism in the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries but not until 529, when Saint Benedict wrote a document called The Rule of the Master, were there any guidelines for monastic life. Benedict's "Rule" allowed for the admission of people with a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Benedictine monasticism suited the social conditions of medieval life and also provided social services such as medicine and education for the young.

Monasticism gained favor from Gregory the Great[ 2 ], and later popes, and still later, the encouragement of Charlemagne. Benedictine monasticism was important because it became the principal preserver and teacher of classical and Christian culture, in essence it was the backbone of the Christian religion. The Christian culture was one legacy the Romans gave to the Western world; the other was the Byzantine culture centered at Constantinople. The overtaking of Rome by the Ostrogoths in 476 marked the end to only the western half of Rome. The eastern half continued as the Byzantine Empire, with Constantinople as its capital. The eastern half differed from the western in many respects: it carried on the traditions of the Hellenistic civilization, a blending of Greek and Middle Eastern elements; it was more commercial, more urban, and richer than the West, and its emperors, who in the Hellenistic tradition combined political and religious functions, had firmer control over all classes of society.

They were also more skillful in fending off invaders through both warfare and diplomacy. The most significant cultural feature of the Byzantine Empire was the type of Christianity that developed there. It was more mystical and more liturgical[ 3 ] than Western Christianity. The Greek Christians in the East in contrast to the West wanted unity between Christianity and classic culture. Around 533 the development of the Justinian code revised outdated religious and civil laws that became the foundation for every modern European nation. Major conflicts within the papacy arose over issues such as Iconoclasm (icons in religious prayer) raised the question of the rights of the emperor to intervene in religious deputes.

In 730 Leo III ordered the removal of icons from Byzantine churches which were eventually restored in 843 but initiated the split between the Roman and Byzantine Greek orthodox church and in 1054 a schism or total split was in effect. Between 714 to about 840 was the period of The Great Carolingians[ 4 ]. When Clovis died his four sons inherited control of different parts of the Frankish kingdom and fought with each other over territory. This was a major factor in the decline of the Merovingian[ 5 ] monarchy. Traditionally known as the "first race" of the kings of France, The victors in this fighting among the Merovingian kings were their counts and dukes, but mostly the mayor of the palace.

As the king grew weaker the mayor grew stronger. The first mayor to replace the king was Pepin II (687 - 714). When Pepin II died he passed the office to his illegitimate son, Charles Martel, who in turn passed it to his son, Pepin III. In 768 Charles I, also referred to as Charlemagne, was the most acclaimed of all the medieval kings following his father Pepin III to the throne. Charles The Great, also called Charlemagne, conquered the Lombard Kingdom in Italy, subdued the Saxons, took Bavaria, fought campaigns in Spain and Hungary, and, with the exception of the Kingdom of Asturias in Spain, southern Italy, and the British Isles, united in one superstate practically all the Christian lands of western Europe.

In 800 he assumed the title of emperor. All of the medieval kingdoms of France and Germany derived their constitutional traditions from Charlemagne's monarchy. Throughout medieval Europe, Charlemagne was considered the prototype of a Christian king and emperor. Charlemagne has also been remembered as a promoter of education and learning even though he was barely literate himself; he is credited with creating a revival of learning, a "cultural renaissance. " He worked closely with the papacy to develop high standards for behavior and government that would be the seed for medieval and later governments to follow. Charlemagne's son, Louis the Pious, left his empire to his three sons Lothar, Louis the German, and Charles the Bald. In 843 The Treaty of Verdun divided the empire into three areas which each of them would control.

This is thought to be the beginning of Germany, France and Italy. Between 840 to about 1000 was the period of The Second Barbarian Invasions. In 840 England received numerous attacks from the Vikings, and the Danes begin a full-scale invasion in England in 865. In 890 the Magyars from Asia started invading central Europe but were defeated in 995 by the German King Otto I who revives Charlemagne's empire seven years later. While Germany was looking to the past, feudalism was being developed in northwestern France. Finally, in 987, the last Carolingian was replaced by Hugh Capet, the first of the Capetian dynasty.

In conclusion, the culture that formed between 732 and 843 can be considered the "first" European civilization, sculpted from numerous cultures and traditions bound together by Christianity. Multiple invasions contributed to the empire's disintegration, and a new decentralized government began to emerged called feudalism. The 10 th century would bring the period of commercial and urban revival. Bibliography: BIBLIOGRAPHY Stimulating accounts of barbarian invasions and time lines can be found in the appropriate chapters in Gold Simon's Barbarian Europe by Time-Life Books (1970). A very in-depth view of the rise of Christianity is presented by Joseph Dahmus' The Middle Ages a Popular History 1968. Overview information on Europe by Rick Steve's Europe 101 and detailed information by Morris Bishop The Middle Ages 1968.

Information of The Fall of Rome by Don Narrow's The Fall of the Roman Empire 1998. Encyclopedia information: (web). Information from class lecture notes, and last but not least Mckay, Hill, Buckler, Ebay's A History of World Societies Volume I to 1715, 2000. (Our course textbook). [ 1 ] Roman emperor (284 - 305) who restored efficient government to the empire after the near anarchy of the 3 rd century). [ 2 ] Gregory I, B. C. 540 - 604, Rome; architect of the medieval papacy (reigned 590 - 604), Gregory The Great enters the church in 573 [ 3 ] A defined body of rights for public worship [ 4 ] Derived from the Latin word Carolus, or Charles [ 5 ] The name Merovingian derives from that of Merovech, of whom nothing is known except that he was the father of Childeric I, who ruled a tribe of Salian Franks from his capital at Tournai.


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