Download from the fall of rome to charlemagne

FROM THE FALL OF ROME TO CHARLEMAGNE
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
– 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
– Were 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
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– 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
• The fiercest warriors were the Vikings
• Also known as Norsemen or the Northmen
– Came from Scandinavia – countries of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden
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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
Viking Settlements
– One of the first places settled by the Vikings was Iceland, followed years later by Greenland
– Vikings under the command of Leif Eriksson even reached North America, settling on the
eastern shore of Canada
• They were the first Europeans to reach North America
– One king of France, tired of the Viking raids, made a deal with a Viking chief named Rollo
• In return for no more raiding and even defending France against other Vikings, the
Vikings would be given land
• This area would become known as Normandy, or the land of the Northmen
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
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