Download Medieval Ages in Europe

Medieval Ages in Europe
Medieval Period 500-1500 A.D.
• Known as the Middle Ages or Dark Ages
• Breakdown of Civilization- Rome
• Cities were abandoned- due to repeated sacking & lack of food
• Nobles & peasants fled to countryside- for food & protection
Learning Decline
• Germanic invaders- could not read or write
• Loss of Greek & Latin- Only priests or monks could read & write
Latin
• Lingua Franca disappeared- Latin became intermixed with
invaders’ language & romance languages
Government Changes
• Germanic chiefs led a band of
warriors who pledged their
loyalty to him known as
Kniga
• Family ties & personal
loyalty was all important
• 511 A.D. Franks 1st to unite
in Gaul
II. Church survives the Decline
• Clovis- 1st king of the Franks
accepts Christianity in 496
A.D. – all troops baptized
(Merovingian Dynasty)
• Frankish rulers & the Church
worked to spread Christianity
across Northern Europe
– 600 A.D. Most Germanic peoples
converted to Christianity
• Ireland- St. Patrick 432 A.D.
• England- St. Augustine 500 A.D.
III. Carolingian Dynasty 751 A.D. – 987 A.D.
• Mayor of the Palace- Charles Martel (Charles the
Hammer) expanded Frankish Power
• Battle of Tours 732 A.D. Martel defeated the
Muslims who retreated to Spain, keeping Europe
Christian
• Pepin the Short- made deal with Pope & won the
crown
III. Carolingian Dynasty cont’d
• Charlemagne- 771 A.D. (Charles the Great)- son of Pepin
• Conquered lands to the east & south of Francia- largest
empire since Rome
• Spread Christianity across Central Europe
• 800 A.D. Charlemagne declared Holy Roman Emperor
by Pope Leo III
• Set precedence that Pope is above state
• Charlemagne’s Rule- established an organization of
government modeled on the Church (Roman gov’t)
Church
Government
Pope
King
Curia/
Cardinals
Dukes
Archbishop
Barons
Bishop
Parish Priests
Lords
III. Carolingian Dynasty cont’d
• Revival in Learning
• Opened palace schools for kids of the nobility
• Monasteries hand copied Latin Texts
• Charlemagne’s Empire Falls Apart- Treaty of
Verdun
• Sons fight over territory left by Father (barbarian
way)
• Lothair, Charles the Bald, Louis the German
• Treaty of Verdun- peacefully split Charlemagne's
Empire amongst these three sons
IV. Age of Invasions
• No central authority, kingdoms would rise & fall as to how
strong you were & whether or not your feudal ties held
– Rollo- Normandy- Viking leader who establishes kingdom on
coast of France
• Alfred the Great- Anglo-Saxon Kingdom in England
• Ireland- A kingdom of great power & learning
• Feudalism becomes the way to protect your lands &
family from attack during this period- No Countries
just Kingdoms that shifted with alliances & marriages