Charlemagne Unites

Germanic Kingdoms

Chapter 13, Section 1

MAIN IDEA:

EMPIRE BUILDING

Many Germanic kingdoms that came after the Roman Empire were reunited under Charlemagne’s empire

WHY IT

MATTERS NOW

Charlemagne spread Christian civilization through Northern Europe, where it had a permanent impact

Setting the Stage

Invasions of Western Europe

• 5th century: Germanic invaders overran the western half of the Roman empire

• Repeated invasions caused changes such as:– Disruption of trade– Downfall of cities– Population shifts– Decline of learning– Loss of a common language

• *These changes altered the economy, government, and culture of Western Europe!*

Germanic Kingdoms Emerge

• 400-600: Major upheaval; Germanic kingdoms replaced Roman provinces

• Borders changed constantly with each battle’s victory

• Concept of government changes: emphasis on personal loyalties (unwritten rules & traditions)

• Germanic stress on personal ties made it IMPOSSIBLE to establish orderly government for large territories

Europe in the 6th Century

Clovis Rules the Franks

• The Franks, a Germanic tribe, hold power former Roman province of Gaul

• Leader, Clovis, converts to Christianity to get divine help with battle victories

• Church in Rome welcome’s Clovis’ conversion and supports his military campaigns against other Germanic peoples

• 511: Clovis has united the Franks into one kingdom

• *This strategic alliance between Frankish kingdom & the Church was the start of a powerful partnership!

Spread of Christianity

• Church as an institution survived the fall of the Roman Empire; provided security in times of political chaos

• Church became secular (worldly) and involved in politics

• Politics helped spread Christianity; Church & Frankish rulers help many people convert

• Missionaries risked their lives to travel & spread Christian beliefs

Christianity, continued

• Church built religious communities called monasteries

• Christian men called monks gave up their private

possessions and devoted their lives to serving God by hard

work, prayer, and study• Women who followed this way

of life were called nuns and lived in convents

• Monks and nuns opened schools, maintained libraries,

copied books & helped the poor

Illuminated Manuscripts

• Monks devoted much time to making

manuscripts, beautiful copies of religious

writings, decorated with ornate letters and brilliant pictures

• This was a way of keeping learning alive in

a time when learning wasn’t important

Charles Martel Emerges• Major domo – “mayor of the palace”, an official that has more

power than the king• 719: Charles Martel was major domo of the Frankish kingdom

united by Clovis• Extended the Frankish kingdom to the north, south, and east• Battle of Tours, 732: defeated Muslim raiders (extremely

important for Christian Europeans)• Martel passed power to his son, Pepin the Short (wanted to be

king)• Pepin cooperated with the pope; pope anointed Pepin “king by

the grace of God”• Carolingian Dynasty: ruling family of the Franks 751-987

Charlemagne Becomes Emperor

• 768: Pepin the Short passes strong kingdom to sons

• Charles, “Charlemagne” (Charles the Great) rules kingdom

• Built an empire greater than any known since ancient Rome!!!

• Fought Muslims in Spain, other Germanic tribes, and conquered new lands to the south and east

• Spread Christianity and reunited Western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire

Just a Question…

What do the sword & cross symbolize in

this painting of Charlemagne?

Charlemagne’s Empire: 768-843

Charlemagne’s Excellent Reign

• Charlemagne strengthened his power by limiting the power of the nobles

• Sent out royal agents to ensure counts (powerful landholders) were governing their counties justly

• Regularly visited every part of his kingdom• Encouraged learning!

– Surrounded himself with scholars– Opened a palace school for upper class children– Ordered monasteries to open schools to train future

monks & priests

Fall of the Carolingian Dynasty

• 814: Charlemagne on his deathbed; crowns son Louis the Pious emperor

• Louis the Pious was very religious but an ineffective ruler• He left the kingdom to his three sons, who fought each

other for power• 843: the brothers signed the Treaty of Verdun, splitting

the empire into three kingdoms• Central authority broke down & the last Carolingian

kings lost power• Lack of strong rulers would lead to a new system of

governing and landholding… FEUDALISM