Study Notes

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! 
The Crusades
  • It's the Age of Faith 
The Holy Roman Empire is:
  • the strongest kingdom in Europe
  • The Church has considerable spiritual and political powerOver 500 massive Gothic cathedrals (Cities of God) are built throughout Europe between 1170 and 1270
Jerusalum
  • In the late eleventh century, Jerusalem was controlled by the Muslims
  • It was Islam's 3rd holiest City (after Mecca & Medina)
  • It's the Holy City to Jews
  • and ... it's a Holy City to Christians
crusade means "taking of the cross" (crux)

In 1093, Emperor Alexius Comnenus wrote a letter to Pope Urban II:

  • "Come then, with all your people and give battle with all your strength, so that all this treasure will not fall into the hands of the Turks... 
  • "...Act while there is still time lest the kingdom of the Christians shall vanish from your sight, and, what is more important, the Holy Sepulchre shall vanish.  And in your coming you will find your reward in heaven, and if you do not come, God will condemn you."
Where Did Charlemagne Come From? 

Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer) - grandfather

  • lived 688 - 741
  • won the crucial Battle of Tours (732), halting Islamic expansion in western Europe
  • Charles Martel's sons: Carloman (706 - 754) who retired to become a monk in 747, Pepin the Short (714 - 768) who continued to hold the Muslims off and father of Charlemagne (and Carloman I)
Keeping Up With the Carolingians


After the Treaty of Verdun (843)
(Middle Francia)
(Western Francia)
Louis the German (804–876)
What Makes Charles So "Great"?

He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an Empire

  • He fought the Muslims in Spain (to the west)
  • He conquered Italy (to the south)
  • He fought Huns and Magyars (to the east) 

Pope Leo III appreciated his efforts to spread Christianity, and crowned him Imperator Augustus (Emperor)on Christmas Day, 800
Charlemagne's Legacy
Renewed emphasis on education and culture
  • literature, mathematics, art, architecture
  • book copying and preserving
  • opened a palace school
  • surrounded himself with English, German, Italian and Spanish scholars

He regularly visited every part of his kingdom - hands-on ruling style
United most of western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire
After Charlemagne's Death in 814...
Charlemagne died at age 72, 47 years into his reign
He named his son Louis the Pious co-emperor before he died

Louis... not quite the leader his father was; ruled from 814 - 840

After Louis the Pious died, his three sons fought for control

They divided up the empire at the Treaty of Verdun

  • Lothair I got the Middle Kingdom (northern Italy, other territories to the north)
  • Charles the Bald got the Western Kingdom (France)
  • Louis the German got the Eastern Kingdom (Germany)


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