Download The Early Middle Ages 8.1

The Early Middle Ages
8.1
Mr. Marsh
Columbus North High School
Geography of Western Europe
• Roman roads linked distant European
territories
• With those roads spread Christianity,
Trade, Learning Etc…
• Europe is relatively small (2nd smallest
continent
Germanic Kingdoms
• Germanic tribes migrated across western
and northern Europe.
– Very different culture than that of the Romans
– Franks-strongest Germanic Kingdom
• Clovis, king of the Franks 486 AD
– Converted to Christianity
– Kept many Roman traditions in the area of Gaul
Europe and the Muslim World
• 711 Muslims enter Europe at the Strait of
Gibraltar
• 732 the Muslim warriors were stopped by
European Christian Army at the Battle of
Tours
– Lead by Charles Martel
• (Grand Father of Charlemagne)
• To them, the victory at tours was a sign that God
was on their side
Charlemagne
• Around 800 AD Charles Martel’s grandson
built and empire that stretch from France
into Germany and parts of Italy
• Charlemagne loved to fight
– His conquest reunited much of the old Roman
Empire
Charlemagne Cont’
• Pope Leo III called on Charlemagne for
help against rebellious nobles in Rome
• Christmas Day Pope Leo placed a crown
on Charlemagne’s head and proclaimed
him the Emperor of the Romans
– Christian Pope crowned a German King
Emperor of Rome (BIG DEAL!!!!)
Charlemagne Cont’
• Pope Leo’s actions outraged the Emperor of the
eastern Roman Empire at Constantinople
• Government
– Appointed powerful nobles to rule local regions
– Missi Dominici (MIH see dohm in NEE kee)
• Government officials that checked roads, listen to
grievances, took care of justice etc…
Revival of Learning lead by
Charlemagne
• Charlemagne wanted to see his court at
Aachen (AH kuhn) become a “second
Rome”
• Founded a school at Aachen
– Curriculum based on Latin Learning
• Grammar, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music and
astronomy
• Scholars' were also hired to copy books such as
the Bible
After Charlemagne
• Died in 814 his empire soon fell apart
• His heirs battled for power for 30 years until 843
when 3 grandsons signed the Treaty of Verdun
(YOU MUST KNOW) which split his empire into
three parts
• Charlemagne Legacy
– Spread Christian civilization north
– Blended German, Roman and Christian traditions
– Strong efficient governments
• C:\Documents and
Settings\workstation\Desktop\The_Age_of
_Charlemagne.asf