INTRODUCTION TO MEDIEVAL HISTORY
G. Geltner ()
coordinator Frans Camphuijsen ()
Lecture 6: Religious Life and the Papacy
13 November 2014
Christianity’s formative phase as an institutionalized religion took
place in the early Middle Ages, including its two main branches,
the secular (seculier) and regular (regulier) clergy.
Outline
1. The organization of the Church
- Laity (leken) and clergy (geestelijkheid)
- The secular clergy
- The papacy (pausdom)
- The saints (heiligen)
2. Monasticism (kloosterwezen)
- “Red” martyrdom (martelaarschap)
- “White” martyrdom
- Monasticism in the West
- Monasteries and the outside world
- Monasticism and medieval history
3. Conclusion
Terms
Anthony (Vita by Athanasius) confessors (biechtvaders)
Apostles (12) Desert Fathers
Benedict of Aniane (c. 750-821) Disciples (72)
Benedict of Nursia (480- c. 547): eremitic (single) / cenobitic
Subiaco, Monte Cassino (group) monasticism
Benedictine Rule: stabilitas, (heremitisch en
humilitas, silentio, ora et cenobitisch kloosterleven)
labora, obedientia Gorze: founded 748
bishops (Episcopus) Gregory the Great (c. 540-
Canon Law / Roman Law 604): Dialogues,
Caprasius (Lérins) Commentaries, Letters
Celestial Hierarchy (hemelse John Cassian (c. 360-435):
rangorde) Institutes, Conferences
Church Councils (e.g, Nicaea 325; laymen (leken)
Constantinople 381; Ephesus Leo III
431; Chalcedon 451) (concilies) Ordo perficientium, Ordo
clergy (geestelijken) perficiendorum
Cluny: founded 909 pope (paus), papa (father)
Columbanus (c. 540-615): Luxeuil, proof-text (bewijstekst)
Bobbio Regula Magistri
1
,relics, crypta matrimony (huwelijk),
sacraments: baptism (doop), extreme unction
confirmation (vormsel), (ziekenzalving), eucharist
penance (biecht), (eucharistie)
ordination (wijding), tithes (tienden)
Texts
1. Bible
Mattheüs 16:18: …gij zijt Petrus, en op deze petra zal Ik Mijn
gemeente bouwen.
Mattheüs 18:20: Want waar twee of drie vergaderd zijn in Mijn
Naam, daar ben Ik in het midden van hen.
Mattheüs 22:21: Geeft dan den keizer, dat des keizers is, en Gode,
dat Gods is.
2. Athanasius, Life of St. Antony
[H]aving committed his sister to known and faithful virgins, and
having put her into a convent to be brought up, [Antony]
henceforth devoted himself outside his house to discipline, taking
heed to himself and training himself with patience. For there were
not yet so many monasteries in Egypt, and no monk at all knew of
the distant desert. But all who wished to give heed to themselves
practiced the discipline in solitude near their own village. Now
there was then in the next village an old man who had lived the life
of a hermit from his youth up. Antony, after he had seen this man,
imitated him in piety. And at first he began to abide in places
outside the village: then if he heard of a good man anywhere, like
the prudent bee, he went forth and sought him, nor did he turn
back to his own place until he had seen him. And he returned,
having got from the good man as it were supplies for his journey in
the way of virtue. So dwelling there at first, he confirmed his
purpose not to return to the abode of his fathers, not to the
remembrance of his kinsfolk, but to keep all his desire and energy
for perfecting his discipline.
3. Rule of St. Benedict
Stability: …the fourth class of monks is that called Landlopers
(gyrovagi), who keep going their whole life long from one province
to another, staying three or four days at a time in different cells as
guests. Always roving and never settled, they indulge their passions
and the cravings of their appetite, and are in every way worse than
[any other type of monk].
Obedience and humility: The first degree of humility is obedience
without delay…As soon as anything hath been commanded by the
Superior they [the monks] permit no delay in the execution, as if
the matter had been commanded by God Himself.
Silence: Therefore, because of the importance of silence, let
permission to speak be seldom given to perfect disciples even for
2
, good and holy and edifying discourse, for it is written: “In much
talk thou shalt not escape sin” (Prov. 10:19).
Prayer and labor: Idleness is the enemy of the soul; and therefore
the brethren ought to be employed in manual labor at certain
times, at others, in devout reading…Let such work or charge be
given to the weak and the sickly brethren, that they are neither
idle, nor so wearied with the strain of work that they are driven
away. Their weakness must be taken into account by the Abbot.
4. The Penitential of Cummean (trans. J. T. McNeill and E. M.
Gamer)
On Anger: He who, justly or unjustly, makes his brother sad shall
mollify by a satisfaction the rancor he has conceived…But if is
impossible to be reconciled with him, then at least he shall do
penance, his priest being judge. He who refuses to be reconciled
shall live on bread and water for as long a time as he has been
implacable. He who hates his brothers shall go on bread and water
as long as he has not overcome his hatred…He who commits
murder or is thought to be nursing hatred in his mind shall give up
his arms until his death; and dead unto the world shall live unto
God…But if he kills his neighbor unintentionally, by accident, he
shall do penance for one year.
INTRODUCTION TO MEDIEVAL HISTORY
G. Geltner ()
coordinator Frans Camphuijsen ()
Lecture 7: The Commercial Revolution
17 November 2014
Enabled by technological developments in the countryside and
political centralization generally, Europe begins to experience an
increasing interconnectivity in trade, the specialization of
production, and the rise of financial institutions that are mainly
urban. Merchants (handelaren) emerge as the new elites of Europe.
Outline
1. Background: surplus, safety, and centralization
2. The commercial revolution
- Specialization
- Trade (handel)
- Financial and other services
- Literacy and numeracy (geletterdheid en rekenkundige
basiskennis)
3
G. Geltner ()
coordinator Frans Camphuijsen ()
Lecture 6: Religious Life and the Papacy
13 November 2014
Christianity’s formative phase as an institutionalized religion took
place in the early Middle Ages, including its two main branches,
the secular (seculier) and regular (regulier) clergy.
Outline
1. The organization of the Church
- Laity (leken) and clergy (geestelijkheid)
- The secular clergy
- The papacy (pausdom)
- The saints (heiligen)
2. Monasticism (kloosterwezen)
- “Red” martyrdom (martelaarschap)
- “White” martyrdom
- Monasticism in the West
- Monasteries and the outside world
- Monasticism and medieval history
3. Conclusion
Terms
Anthony (Vita by Athanasius) confessors (biechtvaders)
Apostles (12) Desert Fathers
Benedict of Aniane (c. 750-821) Disciples (72)
Benedict of Nursia (480- c. 547): eremitic (single) / cenobitic
Subiaco, Monte Cassino (group) monasticism
Benedictine Rule: stabilitas, (heremitisch en
humilitas, silentio, ora et cenobitisch kloosterleven)
labora, obedientia Gorze: founded 748
bishops (Episcopus) Gregory the Great (c. 540-
Canon Law / Roman Law 604): Dialogues,
Caprasius (Lérins) Commentaries, Letters
Celestial Hierarchy (hemelse John Cassian (c. 360-435):
rangorde) Institutes, Conferences
Church Councils (e.g, Nicaea 325; laymen (leken)
Constantinople 381; Ephesus Leo III
431; Chalcedon 451) (concilies) Ordo perficientium, Ordo
clergy (geestelijken) perficiendorum
Cluny: founded 909 pope (paus), papa (father)
Columbanus (c. 540-615): Luxeuil, proof-text (bewijstekst)
Bobbio Regula Magistri
1
,relics, crypta matrimony (huwelijk),
sacraments: baptism (doop), extreme unction
confirmation (vormsel), (ziekenzalving), eucharist
penance (biecht), (eucharistie)
ordination (wijding), tithes (tienden)
Texts
1. Bible
Mattheüs 16:18: …gij zijt Petrus, en op deze petra zal Ik Mijn
gemeente bouwen.
Mattheüs 18:20: Want waar twee of drie vergaderd zijn in Mijn
Naam, daar ben Ik in het midden van hen.
Mattheüs 22:21: Geeft dan den keizer, dat des keizers is, en Gode,
dat Gods is.
2. Athanasius, Life of St. Antony
[H]aving committed his sister to known and faithful virgins, and
having put her into a convent to be brought up, [Antony]
henceforth devoted himself outside his house to discipline, taking
heed to himself and training himself with patience. For there were
not yet so many monasteries in Egypt, and no monk at all knew of
the distant desert. But all who wished to give heed to themselves
practiced the discipline in solitude near their own village. Now
there was then in the next village an old man who had lived the life
of a hermit from his youth up. Antony, after he had seen this man,
imitated him in piety. And at first he began to abide in places
outside the village: then if he heard of a good man anywhere, like
the prudent bee, he went forth and sought him, nor did he turn
back to his own place until he had seen him. And he returned,
having got from the good man as it were supplies for his journey in
the way of virtue. So dwelling there at first, he confirmed his
purpose not to return to the abode of his fathers, not to the
remembrance of his kinsfolk, but to keep all his desire and energy
for perfecting his discipline.
3. Rule of St. Benedict
Stability: …the fourth class of monks is that called Landlopers
(gyrovagi), who keep going their whole life long from one province
to another, staying three or four days at a time in different cells as
guests. Always roving and never settled, they indulge their passions
and the cravings of their appetite, and are in every way worse than
[any other type of monk].
Obedience and humility: The first degree of humility is obedience
without delay…As soon as anything hath been commanded by the
Superior they [the monks] permit no delay in the execution, as if
the matter had been commanded by God Himself.
Silence: Therefore, because of the importance of silence, let
permission to speak be seldom given to perfect disciples even for
2
, good and holy and edifying discourse, for it is written: “In much
talk thou shalt not escape sin” (Prov. 10:19).
Prayer and labor: Idleness is the enemy of the soul; and therefore
the brethren ought to be employed in manual labor at certain
times, at others, in devout reading…Let such work or charge be
given to the weak and the sickly brethren, that they are neither
idle, nor so wearied with the strain of work that they are driven
away. Their weakness must be taken into account by the Abbot.
4. The Penitential of Cummean (trans. J. T. McNeill and E. M.
Gamer)
On Anger: He who, justly or unjustly, makes his brother sad shall
mollify by a satisfaction the rancor he has conceived…But if is
impossible to be reconciled with him, then at least he shall do
penance, his priest being judge. He who refuses to be reconciled
shall live on bread and water for as long a time as he has been
implacable. He who hates his brothers shall go on bread and water
as long as he has not overcome his hatred…He who commits
murder or is thought to be nursing hatred in his mind shall give up
his arms until his death; and dead unto the world shall live unto
God…But if he kills his neighbor unintentionally, by accident, he
shall do penance for one year.
INTRODUCTION TO MEDIEVAL HISTORY
G. Geltner ()
coordinator Frans Camphuijsen ()
Lecture 7: The Commercial Revolution
17 November 2014
Enabled by technological developments in the countryside and
political centralization generally, Europe begins to experience an
increasing interconnectivity in trade, the specialization of
production, and the rise of financial institutions that are mainly
urban. Merchants (handelaren) emerge as the new elites of Europe.
Outline
1. Background: surplus, safety, and centralization
2. The commercial revolution
- Specialization
- Trade (handel)
- Financial and other services
- Literacy and numeracy (geletterdheid en rekenkundige
basiskennis)
3
