THE KINGDOM OF THE FRANKSobj: To see how the Franks ruled their kingdom by

looking at the assimilation of Gallo-Roman, Germanic and Christian influences

INFLUENCE OF MAYOR OF THE PALACECHARLES MARTEL

RISE OF CHARLES MARTEL• CLOVIS’ DEATH ALLOWS MAYOR OF THE PALACE TO EXPAND POWER AT

THE EXPENSE OF THE KING’S POWER. • 714 CM BECOMES MAYOR OF THE PALACE – MOST IMPORTANT

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT• 732 BATTLE OF POITIERS – DEFEAT MUSLIM ADVANCE INTO WESTERN

EUROPE – “THE HAMMER”

• 741 DIES & SON PEPIN TAKES OVER AS MAYOR OF THE PALACE – VIRTUAL RULE OVER MEROVINGIAN EMPIRE

• SON DEPOSED MEROVINGIANS WITH PAPAL PERMISSION & ASSUMED KINGSHIP FOR HIS FAMILY – CAROLINGIANS

PEPIN – CAROLINGIAN DYNASTYANOINTING BY POPE – SAN VITALE AT RAVENNA

PEPIN & PAPAL RELATIONS• LOMBARDS MOVING IN TOWARDS ROME• TRADITIONALLY SOUGHT MILITARY HELP FROM

BYZANTINE EMPEROR BUT ICONOCLAST CONTROVERSY OF 730 WIDENED DIVIDE B/W E. & W. CHURCHES – ICONOCLASTS OPPOSED ICONS IN CHURCHES (WORSHIPPING ICON NOT GOD) & MANY IN WEST DIDN’T OPPOSE, ULTIMATELY CHURCH AGREED ICONS WERE OK – BYZ. SAYS CAN’T HELP AT THIS TIME & POPE STEPHEN II ASKS PEPIN FOR HELP

• ANOINTS PEPIN (ST. BONIFACE) – NOW NOT ONLY PRIESTS BUT KINGS ANOINTED 754 – DIVINE ASPECT OF KINGSHIP – PEPIN GIVES LAND TO PAPACY “PAPAL STATES” 784

• ALLIANCE BETWEEN FRANKS & PAPACY ESTABLISHED – BOTH WILL BENEFIT FROM RELATIONSHIP

REIGN OF CHARLEMAGNE 768-814

CHARLEMAGNE’S ADMINISTRATION• PEPIN DIES 768 & SON CHARLES, TO BECOME CHARLEMAGNE OR CHARLES THE GREAT, TAKES

KINGSHIP• CHARLEMAGNE: FIERCE WARRIOR, INTELLIGENT, TALL, INQUISITIVE, RESOLUTE STATESMAN &

PATRON OF LEARNING• 54 MILITARY CAMPAIGNS – SUCCESSFULLY OUSTS LOMBARDS FROM ALL ITALY 773 –

CONSTANT WARFARE ONLY 7 YEARS OF PEACE IN W. EUROPE 714-814• MOST SUCCESSFUL IN TAKING TERRITORY IN EAST• NOT UNTIL NAPOLEON IN 19TH AND HITLER IN 20TH CENTURIES WOULD EMPIRE OF IT’S SIZE BE

SEEN AGAIN – 3 REICHS• NO SYSTEM OF TAXATION SO RELY ON ROYAL ESTATES FOR RESOURCES & IN EXCHANGE CH.

GAVE THESE FAMILIES LIFETIME HOLDING OF LAND• MAKE COUNTS AGENTS OF KING, NOT LOYAL TO LAND, MOVE THEM OFF FAMILY LAND TO DO

THEIR JOB, MOVED COUNTS AROUND SO THEY DIDN’T GET TOO COMFY• APPOINTED COUNTS, NOT HEREDITARY – AGAIN LOYALTY TO CHARLEMAGNE• MISSI DOMINICI – MESSENGERS OF THE LORD – SENT OUT INTO EMPIRE TO CHECK UP ON

COUNTS & REPORT BACK• EMPIRE LARGE, TRAVEL SLOW, INEFFICIENT, LACK OF SUPERVISION• LOYALTY TO KING HELD EMPIRE TOGETHER – TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY TO ENSURE LOYALTY• BECOMES EMPEROR CHRISTMAS DAY 800 DUE TO AID IN 799 TO POPE LEO III

CORONATION 800 & RESPECT FROM HARUN AL RASHID

EMPIRE OF CHARLEMAGNE 814

TREATY OF VERDUN 843• AT DEATH EMPIRE TOO BIG FOR SON• INFIGHTING LED TO SON LOUIS THE

PIOUS TO DIVIDE INTO 3 PARTS WITH AID OF POPE GREGORY IV

• 1ST EUROPEAN BOUNDARIES

• GRANDSONS OF CHARLEMAGNE• CHARLES THE BALD – WEST• LOTHAR – MIDDLE & TITLE EMPEROR• LOUIS – EAST & TITLE “THE

GERMAN”• WITH DIVISION COMES

FRAGMENTATION OF POWER & RISE OF LOCAL LEADERS

• NEED BETTER MAP

ROMAN CHURCH IN UNCERTAIN TIMES – ROLE OF POPE GREGORY I FATHEROF MEDIEVAL PAPACY

• PRIOR TO GREGORY I 590-604 GERMANIC KINGDOMS CONVERT BUT CORRUPT, CHURCH OFFICES BOUGHT & SOLD

• GREGORY CHANGES ALL THIS & PUTS CHURCH ON ENERGETIC PATH TO PLAY A MORE POMINENT ROLE IN CIVILIZING GERMANIC TRIBES & CREATING NEW CULTURE

• GREG I ASSUME CONTROL OF ROME & SURROUNDING AREAS THAT SUFFERED DURING 6TH C. INVASIONS & CREATED ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT THAT WILL BE KNOWN AS PAPAL STATES

• CONSTANT CONTACT W/ FRANKISH RULERS• MISSIONARIES KEY TO SUCCESS• 4TH LATIN CHURCH FATHER ALONG WITH JEROME,

AMBROSE & AUGUSTINE – BOOK OF PASTORAL CARE MOST IMPT., HANDBOOK FOR HOW TO BE A BISHOP

• USED PERSUASION NOT FORCE & WILLINGNESS TO ASSIMILATE PAGAN PRACTICES INTO CHRISTIANITY

IRISH CONVERSION & MONSATICISM

ENGLISH & IRISH CATHOLICISM & ROLE OF MISSIONARIES• ENGLAND CHURCH BEST TRAINED & EDUCATED BY 700

DUE TO MISSIONARY WORK BEGUN UNDER POPE GREGORY

• IRISH NOT PART OF ROMAN EMPIRE SO DEVELOPS OWN TYPE OF MONASTICISM: SELF DENIAL, CONSTANT PENANCE, FASTING, LOTS OF LEARNING – EDUCATION EXTREMELY IMPORTANT – PRESERVE CLASSICAL LITERATURE

• IRISH GO TO ENGLAND, ESTABLISHED LINDISFARNE IN NORTHUMBRIA

• IRISH CELTIC CHRISTIANITY CLASHES WITH ENGLISH ROMAN CHRISTIANITY

• ISSUES SETTLED SYNOD OF WHITBY 664 – ACCEPT SOME CELTIC TRADITIONS BUT CLEARLY ROMAN CATHOLIC

• ENGLISH MISSIONARIES TRAVEL TO CONTINENT OF EUROPE

EDUCATION CRUCIAL IN MOST MONASTERIES IMPORTANCE OF READING, WRITING, IMAGES

USEFUL

CAROLINGIAN MANUSCRIPT WHITBY MONASTERY 657 (HILDA)

ST. BONIFACE 675 – 754APOSTLE OF THE GERMANS

• MOST IMPORTANT MISSIONARY FROM ENGLAND

• MADE ARCHBISHOP FOR HIS MISSIONARY ACTIVITY

• WORKED W/ C. MARTEL TO REGENERATE FRANKISH CLERGY

• KILLED TRYING TO CONVERT PAGANS• EFFORTS OF ST. BONIFACE HELPED

MAKE EUROPE THE BASTION OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM