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Aim: Did the early Middle Ages deserve to be called the Dark Ages?. Do Now : Is it beneficial or a burden to be the middle child? . I What were the Middle Ages?.
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Aim: Did the early Middle Ages deserve to be called the Dark Ages? Do Now: Is it beneficial or a burden to be the middle child?
I What were the Middle Ages? A) The Middle Ages was the time between the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 CE) and the beginning of the Renaissance(15th century). This was a time of weak government, and a reduction in trade and literacy. B) At the same time as medieval Western Europe, the Byzantine Empire in the east was continuing the legacy of the Roman Empire. Early Middle Ages 476 CE – 1000 CE High Middle Ages 1000 CE – 1300 CE Late Middle Ages 1300 CE – Renaissance (14th century)
The Development of Latin In the Middle Ages, Latin developed into early forms of the Romance languages that we are familiar with today; French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian. Languages that are spoken every day are known as vernacular.
II Germanic Kingdoms Take Over Europe A) 400-600 small Germanic kingdoms took over Western Europe. B) Loyalty to local chiefs
Germanic Kingdoms Continued… Clovis(466-511) was the first king of the Franks to unite that entire barbarian (according to the Romans) nation. He succeeded his father Childeric I in 481 as King of the Salian Franks, one of several Frankish tribes, who were then occupying the area west of the lower Rhine... He conquered the neighboring Frankish tribes and established himself as sole king before his death. He converted to Catholicism, as opposed to the Arianism common among Germanic peoples, at the instigation of his wife. This act was of immense importance in the subsequent history of France and Western Europe in general for Clovis expanded his dominion over almost all of the old Roman province of Gaul (roughly modern France) which stands at the center of European affairs. He is considered the founder both of France (which his state closely resembled geographically at his death) and the Merovingian dynasty which ruled the Franks for the next two centuries. Clovis died on November 27, 511. Arianism was a Christian “heresy” founded by Arius in the 3rd Century, Alexandria Egypt. He taught that Jesus was not of the same substance as God, but was the highest of created beings.
Germanic Kingdoms Continued… Charles Martel—literally, "Charles the Hammer"—was an important military and political leader who, although he never claimed any throne for himself, effectively ruled all of the Frankish kingdoms by the end of his reign. He was born the illegitimate son of duke Pepin II, and after his father's death he was imprisoned in Cologne to prevent him from seizing power during the period of political unrest that followed the Duke's passing. Only a year later, a civil war broke out, and Charles escaped; still much loved by the Austrasian nobles, they made him their mayor. When the opposing army—the Neustrians—invaded, Charles prepared to meet them but found himself grossly outnumbered. The Battle of Cologne was a disastrous one for Charles, but it would the only loss in his long and successful military career. One year after his defeat at Cologne, Charles and his army returned and defeated the Neustrains in the decisive Battle of Vincy. He then set out to deal with Plectrude, the late Duke's wife and his original jailer. He took her city… but… he allowed her and her young son to live. Next, he turned his attention outward, focusing his campaigns on the dependent Germanic tribes until all of Germany was once more a part of the Frankish kingdom. During these campaigns, he also appointed new rulers, either boys too young to reign or weak men over whom he could assert his own decisions. Once his realm was secure, Charles began to train his men relentlessly as he prepared for an attack from the Islamic south. This attack came in 732, when a Muslim force from Cordoba besieged Aquitaine and forced its duke, Odo, to seek Charles' aid. The resulting battle was the Battle of Tours, during which Charles was given the epithet "Martel" to denote the brutal way in which he hammered his enemies. After his victory at Tours, Charles led his armies against the southern and eastern duchies of the Frankish kingdom. Wherever he won a battle, he reorganized the government and established himself as overlord. Then, in 737, the king of the Franks, Theudric IV, died, leading to a period during which no man was proclaimed ruler. During this time, of course, Charles continued to hold the real power, and only after his death was a new king chosen. These last four years were very peaceful, and by the time of his own death in 741, he was one of the most powerful military leaders in Europe. *He never declared himself king. –heritage-history.com
Germanic Kingdoms Continued… Pippin III (also spelled Pepin), known as Pippin the Short, was the son of Charles Martel, the father of Charlemagne, and the first Carolingian ruler of the Franks to be anointed as King. For years the Merovingian kings had been rulers of Francia in name only. But it was the "Mayor of the Palace" who had real control of the government, beginning with Pippin's grandfather, Pippin II of Herstal. When Charles Martel died in 741, Pippin and his brother Carloman were declared "mayors" of the Franks. His brother decided to enter a monastery in 747, leaving Pippin as the sole ruler of the Franks. Pippin decided that, since he already held the responsibilities of rule, he should hold the prerogatives of title, as well. He wrote to the pope with concerns about the powerless Merovingian figurehead, asking, "Is it wise to have kings who hold no power of control?" Pope Zacharias wrote back authorizing Pippin's coronation. The last Merovingian king, Childeric III, was deposed and sent to a monastery, and the "Mayor of the Palace" was crowned king at Soissons by St. Boniface in November, 751. As king, Pippin was a strong supporter of the Catholic Church. When the king of the Lombards, Aistulf, seized Ravenna and threatened Rome, Pope Stephen II managed to make it to Frankish territory in 754. He requested Pippin's help, and Pippin promised to win back the captured lands and was re-anointed by Stephen in return. When the pope returned to Italy, Pippin and his army went with him and, after a fierce battle against Aistulf, won from the Lombard king the promise of returning the captured lands to the papacy. Pippin's promise (and the 756 document that would later record it) became known as the Donation of Pippin, part of the precedent used by the Papacy to justify its claims to lands in Italy.
III Charlemagne A) Charlemagne was a Frankish king who ruled 768 – 814 CE. B) Worked to build a “new Rome” centered in what is today France and Germany. *It only took 53 military campaigns! The main rivers of France and Germany are the Rhone, Loire, Seine, and Rhine
Charlemagne Continued… C) Charlemagne tried to recreate a centralized government by dividing his empire into counties, each governed by a Count, and each with their own Bishop. Charlemagne’s Castle at Aachen
Charlemagne Continued… D) He brought in foreign scholars to build schools. Subjects were taught in Latin, not vernacular languages.Scholars copied and preserved ancient Greek and Roman texts. *Many Franks resisted, as they did not believe literacy was beneficial to a warrior lifestyle.
Primary Source on Charlemagne by Einhard, His Good Friend He [Charlemagne] most zealously cultivated the liberal arts, held those who taught them in great esteem, and conferred great honours upon them... The King spent much time and labour with him studying rhetoric [the art of public speaking], dialectics, and especially astronomy… and used to investigate the motions of the heavenly bodies most curiously, with an intelligent scrutiny. He also tried to write, and used to keep tablets and blanks in bed under his pillow, that at leisure hours he might accustom his hand to form the letters; however, as he did not begin his efforts in due season, but late in life, they met with ill success.
Charlemagne Continued… E)He tried to conquer the Moors (Spanish Muslims) but failed. He DID force them across the Pyrenees [mountains that separate Spain & France]. Created a buffer zonebetween Christian and Muslim Europe.
The Song of Roland The Song of Roland was an epic poem written circa 1100 CE. The poem is about Roland, a fearless warrior who fights the Saracens (Muslims) for Charlemagne. In the story, the Muslims far outnumbered the Franks, so Charlemagne asked God for help, and won the battle. *It is the oldest surviving piece of French literature. How is this story different from reality?
Charlemagne Continued… F) Charlemagne’s Empire had required military service. His men fought with whatever weapons they owned, often on horses.
IV Charlemagne & the Pope • Christmas Day 800 Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne and declared him “Emperor of the Romans”. His Empire became known as the Holy Roman Empire. B) Pope Leo III did this to form an alliance with Charlemagne against the Byzantine Empire.
V Death of Charlemagne A) Charlemagne died in 814 CE of an unknown illness. In 843 his grandsons signed the Treaty of Verdun that split the Empire into 3 regions. B) Soon after the Empire lost power due to Muslims and Viking invasions C) The Holy Roman Empire was revived by Otto I in 962 CE. It lasted until 1806!
SUMMARY Voltaire, an Enlightenment philosopher said the following about the Holy Roman Empire: "This agglomeration which was called and which still calls itself the Holy Roman Empire was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain in 1-2 paragraphs.
