Middle AgesCh 13-14

Break up of Western Roman Empire

• For hundreds of years, Europe is in shambles.• Barbarian groups invade and take over Europe– Franks, Visigoths, Ostrogoths– Bring new customs and political patterns

• Age of Transition– 400s to 1500 CE called the Middle Ages– End of the Classical Period– Beginning of the Modern World

Section 1

4

Theodoric’s Ostrogothic Kingdom (East Goths) in 526 CE and Allied States: Vandals, Franks, Visigoths (West Goths)

Ostrogoths

Visigoths

Vandals

Franks

Byzantines

The Franks

• Leave the most lasting impact in European History– Loosely organized Germanic tribes

• Clovis = King of one of the Frankish tribes, 481 CE– Starts line of Merovingian leaders– Able military leader– Conquered and absorbed other Frankish tribes– Controlled all of northern Gaul– Christian, received support from the church– Also began to seize and rule southwestern Gaul

• France

– When he died, kingdom split between his sons• Kings that came afterwards were weak.

The Franks• “Mayor of the Palace” becomes real ruler over each

kingdom, chief of royal household

• Pepin II – Ruled from 687 to 714 CE– Him and successors united all Frankish Kingdoms.

• Charles “the Hammer” Martel, 714 - 741CE– Defeated Spanish Moors– Halted Muslim advance in western Europe

• But Muslim raids cont’d

– Son Pepin III (the Short) • Co-rules after Charles death with brother Carolman

The Franks• Pepin the Short overthrows last Merovingian ruler

– Claims Frankish throne for himself– 751 CE - Anointed king of the Franks

• Starts Carolingian rule of Frankish leaders

– Receives Pope’s confirmation• Strengthens legitimacy of dynasty• Pope’s blessing comes from God.

– Continues throughout history– Obligation to the Church?

– Pope asks for help with Lombards• Pepin defeats them, wins territory around Rome• Donation of Pepin = Creates Papal States

Charlemagne’s Empire• Charlemagne took over throne with Pepin

the Shorts death– Ruled from 768 – 814 CE– Worked to build a “new Rome”

• Devout Christian– Spreads Christian teachings

• Brought civilization, order and learning to Europe

• Spent much of his life at war– Tried to conquer all of Muslim Spain (Moors)

• Failed, but forced them back across the Pyrenees• Gained small strip of territory – “Spanish March”• Creates a buffer zone between Muslims and

Christians

Charlemagne’s Empire• Pope Leo declared him “Emperor of the Romans”

– Christmas Day, 800CE– Title indicates his importance to western Europe

• United much of western Europe– first time in 400 years

• Coronation shows close ties between Franks and Christian church

• Was conscious of his position• Aimed to live up to image of a

Roman emperor

• Skilled as a warrior

• Devotion to Christianity

Charlemagne’s Empire• Government

– Empire divided into Regions– Governed by a Count – on Emperors behalf– Used “oaths of fidelity”

• To ensure the Counts and other Carolingians officials ruled effectively

– Appointed officials who help run his empire• Called “missi dominici “ or “the Lords messengers”• Travel empire to hear complaints and investigate official

misconduct• Determine the effectiveness of laws• Direct representatives of Charlemagne

– Power to make decisions

Charlemagne’s Empire• Education

– He was not formally educated– But placed great value on education– Started school at palace for his children & young

nobles• Studied grammar, rhetoric, logic, math,

music, astronomy• Based on Roman model

– Brought scholars together to produce a readable bible

– Ordered bishops to create libraries– Could read, but not write.– Encouraged/Forced people to convert to

Christianity

Decline of the Frankish Empire• Empire did not survive Charlemagne’s

death in 814• Louis the Pious, Charlemagne’s son

rules after death – Well educated, religious, but weak and short

sided– Died in 840 CE

• Empire divided between Louis’s sons– Lothair (Middle), – Charles the Bald (Western), and – Louis the German (Eastern)– Treaty became known as the Treaty of

Verdun-843 CE– Fought amongst themselves, empire

collasped.

Decline of the Frankish Empire• By mid 800’s it began to divide and collapse

– Charlemagne's successors fought amongst themselves– By 870 the middle kingdom divided between eastern and western

kingdom– Invasions of different people hindered the empire

• Muslims from Africa invaded the Mediterranean coast• Slavs from the east raided central Europe• Nomadic Magyars settled in what is now Hungary

– Terrorized Europe for about 50 years• Vikings from Scandinavia

• No longer a large scale government• By 900’s most of Europe was governed by small, local,

independent leaders, or local lords.• This is known as Feudalism

Rise of the Franks

– With Papal support Charlemagne inherited Frankish throne– The Papal States were created. – Pépin III was crowned; Carolingian rule began. – Charles Martel defeated the Spanish Moors – Pépin II and his successors united the Frankish kingdoms. – Franks seized and ruled southwestern Gaul (now France)– Clovis became ruler of Frankish tribes

Fill in the blank

• 1. The medieval period of European development is also known as the ___

_.

• 2. Pépin III’s coronation established the __, a new line of Frankish rulers.

• 3. A gift of land to the pope called the Donation of Pépin created the _ __.

• 4. Charlemagne’s “new Rome” centered on what is now _ __ and Germany.

• 5. Charlemagne appointed the _ _ , or “lord’s messengers” to help him govern the empire