Post Classical Europe
A Case Study
Politics
Largely decentralized, employing Feudalism.
Regional centralization, in persons like Alfred the Great, Charles the Great, and Otto I.
Closest Post-Classical Comparison? India
Political Sidenote…unique
The conflict between Church and State. The only PC state in which secular and religious control clashed.
Demographics
Between 200 and 600 Medieval Europe’s population plummeted, only to slowly increase.
This trend in the Post-Classical World is unique.
Economics
Manorialism Agriculture-the “plow story” Agriculture-slow to evolve Cross cultural trade—very slow to evolve Disruption of commerce by invasions Little to no cross cultural interaction. Unique to the Post-Classical World.
Social Class
Peasantry/Manorialism—bound to land, social mobility very limited.
Class system of Feudalism. Lords—Vassals—Clergy—Knights—
Peasants, social diversity limited as specialization is limited.
Urbanization slow to evolve Similar to India in that class mobility was rigid.
Religion Intense cooperation between Franks and
Papacy to develop control over Europe Conversion of Clovis Regional leaders, like Charlemagne spread the faith Conversion of Europe by 1000, including England. Monastic orders and rules lead to Monastic
expansion—St. Benedict and St. Scholastica Unique in the PC World with some similarities
to India and China
Geography
Invasions from three directions. Vikings from the North, Magyars the East,
and the Muslims from Spain and the South. Similar to China and India
