Charlemagne Unites Germanic Kingdoms

The end of the Roman Empire (476 AD); the end of classical antiquity

The Middle Ages or medieval period (500 – 1500 AD)

The Renaissance and the beginning of modern history

Roots of the Middle Ages

• The classical heritage of Rome

• The beliefs of the Roman Catholic

Church

• The customs of various Germanic

tribes

Invasions of Western Europe• Repeated invasions and constant

warfare in the western half of the Roman Empire led to major changes:– Breakdown of trade– Downfall of cities; population becomes

mostly rural– Decline of learning– Loss of a common language; Latin no longer

part of everyday speech; new languages evolved

Germanic Kingdoms Emerge• 400 – 600 AD, small Germanic

kingdoms replaced provinces of the Roman Empire

• Government changed from the public government and written laws of Rome to the family ties and personal loyalties of Germanic society– No orderly government for large

territories

Clovis Rules the Franks• Franks held power in what is

present-day France– Led by Clovis– Converted to Christianity– United all Franks into one kingdom

Germans Adopt Christianity• By 600, many Germanic people

converted to Christianity• Church built monasteries, religious

communities where monks and nuns lived–Monks opened schools, maintained libraries,

and copied books, partially preserving the learning of Rome.

• Pope Gregory expanded power of the papacy (Pope’s office) – Church became a secular (worldly) power

involved in politics

Illuminated manuscripts, made by monks, were copies of religious writings decorated with ornate letters and brilliant pictures.

An Empire Evolves• Europe was made up many small

kingdoms, of which the Franks were the largest and strongest

• Charles Martel led Franks in early 700s, expanded their territory and defeating Muslim raiders at the Battle of Tours in 732– Became a Christian hero

• His son began the Carolingian Dynasty which ruled until 987.

Charlemagne Becomes Emperor

• Martel’s grandson, Charlemagne, built the Frankish empire into the largest empire since Rome– Spread Christianity– Reunited western Europe– Pope made him “emperor”

Charlemagne Leads a Revival

• Charlemagne strengthened his power by limiting the power of nobles

• Encouraged education by ordering monasteries to open schools to train future monks and priests

• After his death, Charlemagne’s sons divided the Empire into three kingdoms– Led to breakdown of strong, central

government– Resulted in a new system called feudalism