![Developments in EUROPE [AP World History Review—Unit 1 Topic 6]](https://wm-img.halpindev.com/p-briefread_c-10_b-10/urlb/aHR0cDovL2ltZy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS92aS9aYUdDNHJsYzduay9tYXhyZXNkZWZhdWx0LmpwZw==.jpg)
TLDR;
The video discusses the developments in Europe from 1200 to 1450, primarily focusing on the influence of Christianity, the political fragmentation in the region, and the emergence of feudalism. Key takeaways include:
- The fall of the Western Roman Empire led to the rise of the Byzantine Empire and the continuation of Christianity through Eastern Orthodox practices.
- Roman Catholicism remained a unifying force in fragmented Western Europe, despite growing anti-Semitism and the presence of Islam and Judaism.
- The political landscape was largely characterized by feudalism and the shift toward centralized monarchies during this period.
The Impact of Christianity [0:00]
Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire under Emperor Constantine. After the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 CE, the Eastern Roman Empire, known as the Byzantine Empire, preserved this belief system. The Byzantine Empire's version, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, helped to consolidate power in the region until its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453, when Constantinople became Istanbul. Despite the fall of Byzantine power, Eastern Orthodoxy was adopted by the Kievan Rus', who borrowed elements from Byzantine culture. In Western Europe, Roman Catholicism served as a unifying force despite the region's political fragmentation and decentralization.
Political Fragmentation and Feudalism [3:06]
During this period, Europe experienced significant political fragmentation with no major empires emerging. The dominant social-political system was feudalism, characterized by allegiances between powerful lords and monarchs. Land was exchanged for loyalty, and serfs worked the land in return for protection. While serfs were bound to the land, they were not owned by the lords, distinguishing them from slaves. By 1200, monarchs began to centralize their power, creating large militaries and bureaucracies, which shifted the balance of power away from the nobility. This centralization led to competition among monarchs and conflicts over territory.
