The fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD initiated the Middle Ages, leading to the rise of feudalism and the powerful Roman Catholic Church. This era saw the Treaty of Verdun's political fragmentation and the schism of Christianity into Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. The period set the stage for the Renaissance, with its cultural and intellectual awakening.
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The decline of Rome was influenced by military overextension, reliance on non-Roman mercenaries, economic troubles, the Antonine Plague, and internal political strife
The role of Odoacer in the fall of Rome
The Germanic chieftain Odoacer symbolized the end of Roman rule and paved the way for the rise of new kingdoms in Europe
The power vacuum left by the fall of Rome led to the development of feudalism, a decentralized and hierarchical system that became the new social and political order of medieval Europe
Land was the primary source of wealth and power in the feudal system, with the king distributing it to the nobility in exchange for military service
Peasants, or serfs, worked the land and provided the labor and produce necessary for the sustenance of the feudal system
The Treaty of Verdun in 843 further fragmented political authority and solidified the feudal structure, as local lords gained more autonomy and power
The Great Schism of 1054 formalized the separation of the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity, leading to the development of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy
The Roman Catholic Church accumulated wealth and exerted significant influence over both religious and secular matters in Western Europe
The Catholic Church played a central role in education, the arts, and the administration of justice, including the use of ecclesiastical courts and practices such as trial by ordeal
The Renaissance, which began in the fourteenth century, was characterized by a renewed interest in classical antiquity, humanism, and the arts, and marked a shift towards a more secular and individualistic perspective
The legacies of the Middle Ages continued to influence European society and culture for centuries to come
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The ______, lasting roughly from the 5th to the 15th century, commenced with the collapse of the ______ ______ ______ in 476 AD.
Middle Ages
Western Roman Empire
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Consequence of Rome's fall for European social order
Rome's collapse led to feudalism, a decentralized hierarchy shaping medieval Europe's society and politics.
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Feudalism's basis of wealth and power
Land was the primary wealth and power source, controlled by the king and distributed to nobles for military service.
