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The Reign of Justinian
xxxxxdef :: Justinian became the emperor of the Byzantine Empire with his wife Theodora. Justinian pushed for orthodox Christianity while Theodora supported the Monophysites, a group that believed Jesus had a single nature. The emperor commissioned scholars to codify Roman law which eventually resulted in common law. Christianity was the official religion and promoted comformity. Paganism was stamped out and the Jews were were allowed to stay as long as they kept to themselves.
xxxxxsig :: Under Justinian the Byzantine Empire was culturally and territorially blooming. Christianity spread it's influence further and became very powerful.
Monastic Culture
xxxxxdef :: Monks fled Roman cities to suffer matyrdom in the wilderness. After the church was endorsed they tried to continue matyrdom by enforcing harsh disciplines on themselves. Monastic life was seen as humanity's highest calling. Eventually solitude was abandoned and the monks formed communities together. Benedict of Nursia wrote a constitution for monastic practices that dictated a monk's schedule which became widely received.
xxxxxsig :: The monasteries grew bigger and gave more support to the church. Many of the monastic disciplines were adopted by other members of the Christian church besides just monks. Clergy became respected as surperior to laity.
William the Conqueror
xxxxxdef :: William combined continental feudalism and Anglo-Saxon customs. He conducted a county by county survey and compiled the results in Domesday Book. He made the landlords take an oath of vassalage to admit that their land was a fief from the king.
xxxxxsig :: William's consultation with his subjects led to England's parliamentary system of government.
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