EARLY MEDIEVAL SYNTHESIS...

The early medieval synthesis was composed of three elements. The first of these elements was characterized in the time period 324-632 A.D., in which religion dictated government. The second element was over religious interpretation and the creation of a new form of government that held more political power to military control. In the second phase, Charlemagne realized that his empire was ungovernable which led to a feudal society. The third phase created the foundations for modern forms of government; they just had to be refined. Charlemagne realized that even religious toleration couldn’t solve the problem of social stability; society had to be governed locally.
The initial period of the Byzantine Empire followed the various interpretations of religion into society as a whole. By Constantine establishing the Empire in the East, he was opening the empire up to conflict but felt that was the best place to keep the empire intact. When Justinian took power, he decided the best way to rule was by taking care of the population and instilling certain values. The same Christian values pacified much of the population, yet led to turmoil amongst others as peoples struggled amongst religious interpretation and true descendents from their belief system. Soon the western part of the empire would fall and religion would become the law of the land, which struggled to identify with protecting people or providing support.
Mohammed ruled by strict Islamic law, and took Mecca by force in 632 A.D. This was especially significant because for the first time in history Islamic armies were attacking Constantinople. The strict interpretation of Islamic law into society gave people less security at the expense of individual freedoms. The variance of interpretation led to various splinter groups amongst, both, Christians and Muslims. From this instance people on the world scale tend to view religious tolerance as a sort of freedom from experience. When people mix religion and government, the people become less free.
Christian and Islamic religions struggled to define whether or not images were permitted in describing religious prophets. This led to many conflicts between the East and West, the West proclaiming no use of images to the East. Charlemagne realized that the religious division of the country would ultimately lead the people to an ungovernable state. The problem he struggled with was which was more important to the control of a country, the fact that the people were fed or protected. Modern theorists could interpret these meaning into modern Republican and Democratic contexts. Republicans are usually for security and Democrats are for the general welfare.
The second time period then created a new form of government. The new form of government was one of which imperial generals seem to gain more control. They gained more control because they control, both, the money to feed the population and the power in a military to protect them. This was a quick and logical solution to feeding and protecting the population, yet leads to modern situations of conflict.
The feudal society created in the second phase was basically a society for protection. This is where the world first originated the idea of possession and real ownership as a basis for power and control. The strict interpretation of Islamic law proved to lead to famine and tyrannical leaders. More emphasis was placed on worship then to the population living well. By 1071 A.D., the Turks had overrun Asia Minor and began to drive out the Muslims as Christians and Muslims struggled for supremacy in the region.
Alexius I Comnus of the East called on Western aid in time of trouble which signaled the beginning of the first crusade. This third element is responsible for the foundation of modern governments of countries like France, Italy and England. The idea of political concentration from top down was a central theme. The previous elements described a time of struggle between food and safety; meanwhile, society was progressing towards working only a few days a week and provided safety.
The world view of the middle-ages was that of being backwards originally, yet time proved that it was a time of progress. Religion proved to be the bloodline to leadership and ultimate voices of grievances. The same grievances were often times agreed upon on local levels because people chose to live amongst those like themselves, for security and religious freedom mainly. The middle-ages birthed feudalism, which then birthed capitalism. There has always been a constant struggle for a common ground between religion and power. This is the period from which the birth of Islamic extremism came, the belief that God was the ultimate power and sometimes many have to die to preserve that power in the name of Islam.
The coronation of Charlemagne represented the synthesis in many ways because he was the first person in power that meant well, but realized before he died that his empire was out of the control of being governed. He attempted to implement new versions to existing laws and nothing seemed to pacify the population, the continued to fight over interpretations. What he also noticed was that control could be held from the bottom up with peace but not from top down. Religious leaders and later feudal lords tended to have more control over the population because they protected and fed them, which in turn kept them tied to the land.
The administration of justice was best through the lords of lands. The feudal system also gave birth to common law, but the lords had the power to judge anyone because they controlled every facet of your life. The wealthy controlled the peasants and even later they controlled the way peasants voted. This leads us to common critiques of capitalism, whoever were to control the others wage would undoubtedly control their government.
The main battle for control was a heavy reliance on mercenaries to run the military operations for money. The kings often had less power since they relied more heavily on other people’s army. The common solution was sovereign territories which developed after. Basic principles developed in the middle ages laid the foundation for what we call government or democracy now. The king ruled the kingdom, the duke ruled the dukedom, and the count ruled the country. This is later translated into many different modern regimes based upon each biblical following.
The wealth of the empire was a constant problem as is wealth in the modern era. Certain religious sects favored wealth over values. Marriage was often looked to as a way of mobility, not for love. Marriage for love was birthed after the middle ages. Feudalism was being interrupted because of money, similar to the way capitalism is talking world stage today. Wealth, religion and power continue to plague society today and it may well all stem from happiness. The church always taught severe desire is the punishment for sin. As each church struggled for supremacy, so did the people.