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Name:_____________________________________________ Date:_____________ Themes: Political Systems Focus Question #2: HOW COULD CHARLEMAGNE BRING STABILITY BACK TO EUROPE? Introduction: On the eve of an invasion, Pope Gregory the Great described the situation in Europe after the decline of the Western Roman Empire, around A.D. 600 he wrote, “Where is the senate? Where are the people? The bones are all dissolved, the flesh is consumed, all the pomp (magnificence) and dignities of this world is gone. The whole mass [of the old Roman Empire] is boiled away. [Trade has slowed, towns emptied and learning virtually has ceased. Europe has truly entered a period of instability and chaos]” 1. How did the pope describe the period after the fall of Rome? Document #1: The Empire of Charlemagne One of the strongest German tribes in Western Europe was the Franks. They occupied much of what is now France. Since 496, the Franks had been Christian. The leader of the Christian Church in Rome, the pope, encouraged the Franks to conquer nonChristian tribes. The greatest Frankish king was Charlemagne, who ruled from 771 to 814. (His name means “Charles the Great.”) What made him great? For starters, he was the grandson of Charles Martel who was famous for defeating the Muslims at the battle of Tours in 732, saving Europe from Muslim domination. He stood over six feet tall, and was a fearsome warrior. He loved battle and was a successful conqueror. Charlemagne fought other German tribes to gain power over them. Most of the tribes had converted to Christianity. He eventually ruled over an area that included what are now France, East and West Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He also controlled northern Italy and northeastern Spain. The Pope, Leo III, was grateful to Charlemagne for increasing the number of Christians in Europe. When a local uprising (rebellion) forced the pope to flee from Rome in 799, Charlemagne marched to Rome and defeated the pope's enemies. He then put the church leader back into office. In appreciation, Leo III crowned Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor, in 800. This honor meant that Charlemagne was considered to be the Christian successor (one who follows) to the emperors of Rome. Although he embraced many Latin traditions he often maintained some Frankish traditions. For example the way he dressed. One of Charlemagne's great contributions to civilization in Europe was his encouragement of learning. Although he spoke Latin and understood Greek, he could not read or write. (Few people of that time had these skills.) To further education in his kingdom, he set up a school in Aachen for his family and other children of ability. The school attracted scholars from many lands and became a model for other schools. He hoped to make Aachen a second Rome. The school promoted Latin learning and made copies of the Bible and Latin works of history and science, which lasted as textbooks in Europe for 700 years. In order to control his empire, he hired powerful officials called missi dominci. Charlemagne instructed the missi dominci, “let the missi make a diligent investigation when ever any man claims that an injustice has been done to him by anyone…an they shall administer the law fully and justly in the case of the holy churches of God and of the poor…of widows and all people.” Conclusion: Charlemagne's empire did not last long after his death. His son was not a good ruler. Charlemagne's grandsons could not rule the lands together. They went to war against one another. In the mid.800's, a formal agreement, called the Treaty of Verdun, divided Charlemagne's empire into three kingdoms. The western one eventually became France. The eastern kingdom in time became Germany. The middle kingdom was fought over for centuries and became part of several present-day countries, such as Austria and Italy. Later, many German kings used the title of Holy Roman Emperor, but most of those who held the title had little power. 1. Describe the characteristics that made Charles “great”. 2. How did the Charlemagne gain the admiration of the Pope? 3. Explain the role of the missi dominici. 4. Why did Charlemagne’s empire fall apart? 5. Which areas became part of Charlemagne’s empire? 6. What happened to Charlemagne’s empire after 843?