Medieval Civilizations: Byzantium, Islam, Feudalism, and Iberia

Byzantine Empire and the Fall of Rome

Western Roman Empire

• Disappeared in 476 CE.

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

• Survived the Germanic invasions.
• Lasted until 1453 CE.

Byzantine Economy

• Crafts, Agriculture, and Trade.

Byzantine Society Structure

• Higher Level, Middle Level, and Lower Level.

Byzantine Art

• Mosaics and Icons.

The Rise of Islam

Arabia Before Muhammad

• Political, Economic, and Religious Context.

Muhammad and the Beginnings of Islam

• Muhammad was born in Mecca around 570 CE, into a wealthy family.
• He began preaching his doctrine in the city of Mecca.

Stages of Muslim Expansion

• Orthodox Caliphate.
• Umayyad Caliphate.
• Abbasid Caliphate.

Urban Activities

• Trade and Crafts.

Social Groups

• Aristocracy and Populace.

Mosque Architecture

• Courtyard and Prayer Hall.

Feudalism in Medieval Europe

The Feudal Economy

• Manorial System (Seigneurial).
• Local Production.

Feudal Society Structure

• Nobility.
• Clergy.
• Peasantry.

The Role of the Clergy

• Involved in Political, Economic, Social, and Cultural life.

Al-Andalus and the Christian Kingdoms

Muslim Conquest and Formation of Al-Andalus

• Began in 711 CE with a small group of Arab and Berber troops.

The Caliphate of Córdoba

• In the early tenth century, Abd al-Rahman III ended internal uprisings and led expeditions against the Christian states in the North.

Economy of Al-Andalus

• Agriculture, Handicrafts, and Trade.

Society of Al-Andalus

• Aristocracy and the Mass of the Population.

Hispano-Muslim Culture and Architecture

• Focus on Letters and Sciences.
• Types of Buildings: Mosques, Palaces, and Fortifications.

Economy of the Christian Kingdoms

• Agricultural and Urban Activities.

Social Organization

• Small Freeholders and the Aristocracy.

Non-Christian Communities in the Valencian Region

• Arabs and Jews.

High Middle Ages: Trade and Urban Life

Political Landscape and Trade Regions

• A patchwork of states and kingdoms across Northern, Central, Eastern, and Mediterranean Europe.

Types of Trade

• Local Trading.
• Long-Distance Trade.

Main Centers and Long-Distance Trade Routes

• Mediterranean Route.
• Northern European Route.
• Overland Routes.

Consequences of Increased Trade

• Creation of powerful merchant associations (e.g., guilds).

Urban Society

• The Common Civic Elite.

Medieval Religiosity

Challenges to Orthodoxy

• Heresies.
• Interactions with Muslims.

Later Medieval Iberia and the Reconquista

Historical Evolution of Al-Andalus

• Almoravids.
• Almohads.
• Nasrid Kingdom of Granada.

Culture and Achievements

• Art, Science, and Letters.

The Union of Castile and León

• The crowns were definitively joined in 1230 under Fernando III, following previous periods of temporary union and separation.

Economic Activities in Christian Kingdoms

• Livestock and Agriculture.

Mudejar Art

• An original architectural style of the Iberian Peninsula.

Main Mudejar Art Schools

• Castile.
• Aragon.
• Andalusia.

Phases of the Conquest of Valencia (13th Century)

• Phase 1 (1232–1235): Conquest of Burriana, Alcalá de Chivert, Peñíscola, Castellón, and Almazora.
• Phase 2 (1235–1238): Domination of the central part of the kingdom, extending to the Júcar River.
• Phase 3 (1239–1248): Conquest of the southern third, including the Taifas of Dénia, Alzira, Xàtiva, Biar, and Alicante.