Download Foundations of Medieval Europe

Foundations of Medieval
Europe
The German Kingdoms
The German Kingdoms
• During the early Middle Ages, small
German kingdoms ruled Italy, Gaul, Spain,
Britain, and North Africa
• These small kingdoms were constantly at
war with one another
• Eventually the Kingdom of the Franks
gained control of the Western Roman
Empire
Roman Influence on Government
• The form of government used by the
German tribes was simple compared to
what the Romans had used
– The Germans depended on loyalty of their
warriors instead of the Roman method of
organized government
– The German tribes also had few government
officials and few taxes
Roman influence on Gov. cont.
– German laws were based on custom instead
of the extensive Roman law codes
• German laws were meant to prevent feuds
between families
• Only written laws were lists of fines for specific
crimes
– Theodoric, the Ostrogoth King, issued a
simplified version of Roman law
– Many German kingdoms kept their customs
and languages which eventually became
modern English
Roman Influence on Gov. cont.
• The Christian Church preserved some
Roman traditions in the German kingdoms
– Some Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity
and new Christian communities were set up
along Roman lines
– German kings relied on the clergy because
they were the only educated people they had
access to
The kingdom of the Franks
• The Franks emerged as the strongest
kingdom in the early Middle Ages
– They lived in present-day Belgium and
Germany
– King Clovis, the cunning, ruthless Frank
leader, conquered lands from the Pyrenees
Mountains to central Europe
– Clovis converted to Christianity
Kingdom of the Franks cont.
• Clovis converted because he believed that
the support of the Church in Rome would
make him more powerful than
neighbouring leaders
– The neighbouring kings were Christians that
belonged to the Arian sec, one of the earliest
Christian sects
– This was seen as a heretic group
Kingdoms of the Franks cont.
– heretics = untrue Christians
– The Church in Rome and its followers were
now known as the Roman Catholic Church
– When Clovis died his lands were divided
among his sons
– The power of the Franks diminished by the
mid 600’s
Invasion by the Muslims
• In the 700’s, the German Kingdoms faced
invasion by the Muslims
– Muslims followed Islam, a religion founded in
the Middle East in the 7th century
– They pushed into Europe through Spain and
started to push into France
– Charles Martel, the Frankish Mayor of the
Palace (the real ruler of the court) rallied the
Christians against the invaders
Age of Charlemagne
• After defeating the Muslims, Charles
Martel founded the Carolingian dynasty
– He began to organize a strong central
government
– His son Pepin was elected king and his
election was approved by the pope
– After Pepin died, his son Charles continued to
build on his grandfather and fathers strong
governments
Age of Charlemagne cont.
• During his long reign he impressed his
contemporaries and earned the name
Charlemagne or Charles the Great
– He conquered an empire that reunited most of
the Western Roman Empire
– He won lands back from the Muslims in Spain
– He battled non-Christians in an effort to
spread Christianity
Age of Charlemagne cont.
• In 800 Charlemagne was crowned
Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III
• He was an efficient, energetic ruler
• He kept firm control over the empire from
his court at Aachen
• He recruited officials to carry out his
policies
– His policies were designed to improve
government and unify the empire
Age of Charlemagne cont.
• Missi dominici, or lords messengers,
checked on local nobles who were
responsible for justice and defense of their
own lands
• Charlemagne helped established uniform
laws and established judges to upholds
those laws
Age of Charlemagne cont.
• Charlemagne promoted Christianity
– Supported the work of missionaries who
converted the Saxons
– Encouraged the Church to organize parishes
or rural districts
• The parishes were each run by a priest
• In order to support the parishes all Christians had
to pay a tithe (10% of their income) to the church
A Revival of Learning
• Charlemagne encouraged education by
inviting scholars from all over Europe to
his court
– An Anglo-Saxon monk named Alcuin, set up a
palace school to teach Charlemagne’s
children and the children of his nobles
– Charlemagne issued rules for the education of
the clergy
• He ordered monasteries to establish schools and
libraries where students could learn Latin
Revival of Learning cont.
– Monks also were responsible for making
copies of the bible and the few surviving
ancient Greek and Roman texts
– They also developed the art of Illumination
and a clear written script known as
Carolingian miniscule
– Charlemagne strengthened the foundations of
medieval civilization by encouraging
scholarship
A New Wave of Invasions
• Charlemagne's heirs weakened the empire
by fighting among themselves
• In 843, Charlemagne’s grandsons drew up
the Treaty of Verdun that divided the
empire into three kingdoms
– The fighting for control over these regions
would effect events in Europe for 1000 years
Invasions cont.
• The division of the empire occurred at the
same time as a new wave of invaders was
attacking Europe
– The Slavs, the Magyars, and the Muslims
were threats to the empire
– The biggest threat however was from the
Vikings
Invasions cont.
• The Vikings
– The Vikings were farmers and traders that came from
Scandinavia (present day Norway, Sweden, and
Denmark
– A growing population is believed to have forced them
to seek lands in other parts of Europe
– The king of the Franks gave an area in Northern
France to some Viking raiders
• This area is known as Normandy which comes from a French
word meaning “men from the north”
Invaders cont.
• Viking settlements
– Vikings explored, raided and traded in Eastern
Europe, Iceland and Greenland
– In 1000, Lief Ericson travelled to Newfoundland
– In the 9th century the Vikings occupied part of England
where they were known as the Danes
• The area they occuped became known as the
Danelaw because they lived there under their own
laws
Invaders cont.
• The invasions disrupted life in Western
Europe but they did not completely destroy
all the work of Charlemagne
– The church sent missionaries to convert the
Vikings
– Under strong leaders the people of Western
Europe resisted the invaders