Day 51

Main Idea
  • Many Germanic kingdoms that succeeded the Roman Empire were reunited under Charlemagne’s empire.
Why it matters now
  • Charlemagne spread Christian civilization throughout northern Europe, which is where some of (but not all of) us came from.
Setting the Stage
  • Middle Ages = medieval period. AD 476 – AD 1453 (from the end of the Roman Empire to the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks) medieval Europe is fragmented.
This is a new society

This new society has roots in: 
  • classical heritage of Rome
  • beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
  • customs of various Germanic tribes. 
5th century Germanic invaders
  • overrun the western half of the Roman Empire causing: disruption of trade, downfall of cities, population shifts to rural areas. 
Effects of invasion
  • Decline of learning, tribes had oral tradition, songs, but couldn't read Greek or Latin, Romance languages evolve (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian), few (besides priests) were literate.
Germanic Kingdoms emerge: AD 400-600
  • Germanic warriors' loyalty is to the lord of the manor. he provides them w/ food, weapons, treasure. 
  • Result: no orderly government for large areas, small communities rule
  • "I would die for my chief, but I see no reason to pay taxes to a king I don't even know.  So there."
Even so... Clovis rules the Franks
  • Clovis rules the Germanic people of Gaul, known as the Franks (which is where "France" comes from)
  • in 496 he has a battlefield conversion - he and 3000 of his warriors become Christians
  • the Church in Rome likes this
  • by 511 the Franks are united into one kingdom, with Clovis and the Church working as partners. 
Spread of Christianity
  • Church + Frankish rulers = rise in Christianity
  • In 520, Benedict writes rules for monks: vows of poverty (live simply in monasteries), chastity (no marital relations), obedience (listen to church superiors)
  • His sister Scholastica writes similar rules for nuns
  • they operate schools, maintain libraries, copy books 
Pope Gregory and Papal Power Play
  • Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) goes secular (worldly power)
  • theocracy: Church revenues are used to help the poor, build roads, and raise armies
  • Gregory's spiritual kingdom (Christendom) extends from Italy to England, from Spain to Germany 
Who's running Europe
  • Clovis rules the Franks in Gaul until his death in 511
  • Most of the rest of Europe consists of smaller kingdoms (seven in England alone)
  • Clovis' descendants include Charles Martel, known as Charles the Hammer (great name!)
  • Hammer defeats a Muslim raiding party from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732 
  • (If he hadn't won, western Europe could have become part of the Muslim Empire - that's huge!)
How do you follow the Hammer?
  • Charles Martel's son is Pepin the Short
  • He works with the Church and is named "king by the grace of God” by the Pope  (Popes can do that?)
  • Pepin the Short dies in 768, leaving two sons
  • Son #1 - Carolman - dies in 771
  • Son #2 is Charles, known as Charlemagne, meaning Charles the Great
  • Six feet four inches of rocking ruling warrior greatness! 

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