Download FROM THE FALL OF ROME TO CHARLEMAGNE

FROM THE FALL OF ROME TO
CHARLEMAGNE
GERMANIC KINGDOMS,
CHARLEMAGNE,
VIKINGS AND OTHER INVADERS
Germanic Kingdoms
• Germanic groups who had invaded Rome established
many small kingdoms
– After the fall of Rome, the Western Roman Empire
became a number of states ruled by German kings
• Visigoths occupied Spain and Italy and the Ostrogoths
also took control of Italy
• Two German tribes, the Angles and Saxons, migrated to
Britain in the 400s
– established seven small independent kingdoms,
which became known as Anglo-Saxon England
• The only kingdom to last long was the kingdom of the
Franks
.
Kingdom of the Franks
• Established in Gaul (modern France) in the late 400s by
Clovis – Merovingian family
– He converted to Christianity around 500 when his
troops won a difficult battle
• First Germanic ruler to do so
– Massive public baptism of Clovis and 3,000 Franks
– This conversion won Clovis the support of the Roman
Catholic Church
• His kingdom extended from the Pyrenees to modern-day western
Germany
• Following Frankish custom, his kingdom was divided
among his sons after he died
• Intermarrying of Germans and Romans created a
new society
– extended family was the center of German
society
• Protected each other and worked the land
– Different view of law
• Roman system – murder is a crime against the
state, not the person
• Germanic law – murder is a personal crime,
could lead to a blood feud
Punishments
Wergild – “money for a man” – a system using a
fine was developed to avoid bloodshed after crimes
such as murder
• Injured party’s family was paid a set amount of
money (varied by social status)
Ordeal – one way of determining guilt, based on a
belief that the gods would not let an innocent
person be punished
• If the accused was unharmed after a physical
trial, they are presumed innocent
Carolingians
During the 600s and 700s the Frankish kings of the
Merovingian family lost their power to chief officials
of the household
– These chief officials were called mayors of the palace
– Mayors - political advisors and war leaders for the king
• One of these mayors was Charles Martel and he led the
forces who defeated the Muslims at the Battle of Tours
(732), which stopped the spread of Islam into Europe
– Charles earned the nickname Martel, which means
“hammer” for his military skills and victories
• Charles Martel was a member of the Carolingian family
and his son Pepin would force the old king of the Franks
to step down
– He became the first king of the Carolingian dynasty
• When Pepin died, his son Charles became the next king
and was known as Charlemagne
Charlemagne
• Charlemagne, which means “Charles the Great” ruled
from 768 – 814
– Strong warrior and statesman, and a devout Christian
– Many historians consider him one of the most
important leaders in European history
– Unified Europe for the first time since the fall of Rome
• Expanded the Frankish kingdom – Carolingian Empire
– Foundation for his success was his military power
– Every year he assembled his army and went to war
against one of his enemies
• Became the most powerful Christian leader when in 800
he was crowned as Emperor of the Roman People
– Restored the pope back to power after he had been
run out of Rome
– The pope thanked Charlemagne by making him a
Roman emperor
• The title implied that Charlemagne had restored
the glory of the Roman Empire in Europe – idea of
an enduring Roman empire
• Charlemagne’s rule had the full backing of the
church and God
• Charlemagne promoted learning which he led to the
Carolingian Renaissance
– Renaissance = a rebirth of learning and culture
– It was a renewed interest in Latin culture and
classical works of the Greeks and Romans
– Charlemagne spent much time studying and invited
noted scholars to his capital
– Ordered churches and monasteries to start schools
– Monks during this era copied Christian and classical
manuscripts – this is the reason why these ancient
classics exist today
• Government structure
– Charlemagne established a permanent capital, which
other Frankish kings had not done
– Chose officials called counts to rule parts of the empire
in his name
– Counts were bound by oath to obey Charlemagne and
in return they were granted large tracts of land
• Charlemagne worked closely with the church to create a
unified Christian empire
– He ordered the people he conquered to convert to
Christianity under the penalty of death
– Sent monks to live among the conquered people
• Developed a written legal code
• When Charlemagne died, his empire passed to his only
surviving son, Louis the Pius
– In 843 the Treaty of Verdun divided the empire
among Charlemagne’s three grandsons
– Lothair got Italy, Louis the German got the Holy
Roman Empire (Germany), and Charles the Bald got
France
Invaders
• The relative peace of Charlemagne brought to western
Europe did not last long
– Invaders came from many directions
• Magyars
– Invaded from the east, originally from central Asia
– Fierce warriors and skilled horsemen
• Could easily outmaneuver armies of their opponents
– Raided eastern France and Germany, northern Italy,
and the western Byzantine Empire
– Eventually settled in modern-day Hungary
• Muslims
– Invaded from the south
• In the 700s the Muslims crossed over from
northern Africa and conquered Spain, which they
would rule for the next 700 years
• Muslim Spain was mostly a land of tolerance,
where Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in peace
– 800s and 900s, the Muslims decided to raid instead
of invading
• Raided southern France, Italy, and even sacked
Rome
– Muslim pirates attacked ships sailing the
Mediterranean
The Vikings
• Also known as Norsemen or the Northmen
– Came from Scandinavia – countries of Norway,
Denmark, and Sweden
• Scandinavia’s land was not good for farming and food
shortages became a problem
– Viking leaders decided to take what they needed
from other people
• Viking Raids
– Great shipbuilders and sailors, ships could carry crews
of 100 and could cross the ocean
Viking raids were quick and devastating
There was no warning before a Viking attack
Fast-moving ships allowed the Vikings to reach their
targets quickly
Could sail upriver to attack inland
They killed or captured anyone in their way, took
what they wanted, and sailed away
First targets of Viking raids were England and northern
France, but were soon far-reaching
They even attacked Russia and Baghdad
Among the Vikings’ favorite targets were monasteries
What happened to Trade?
What happened to cities?
What happened to learning?
• The threat of these invaders and the lack of a
strong central government led to a new
political and social system as people turned to
local landed aristocrats to protect them Feudalism