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Charlemagne Unites Germanic Kingdoms. The end of the Roman Empire (476 AD); the end of classical antiquity. The Middle Ages or medieval period (500 – 1500 AD). The Renaissance and the beginning of modern history. Roots of the Middle Ages. The classical heritage of Rome
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The end of the Roman Empire (476 AD); the end of classical antiquity The Middle Agesor medieval period (500 – 1500 AD) The Renaissance and the beginning of modern history
Roots of the Middle Ages • The classical heritage of Rome • The beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church • The customs of various Germanic tribes
Invasions of Western Europe • Repeated invasions and constant warfare in the western half of the Roman Empire led to major changes: • Breakdown of trade • Downfall of cities; population becomes mostly rural • Decline of learning • Loss of a common language; Latin no longer part of everyday speech; new languages evolved
Germanic Kingdoms Emerge • 400 – 600 AD, small Germanic kingdoms replaced provinces of the Roman Empire • Government changed from the public government and written laws of Rome to the family ties and personal loyalties of Germanic society • No orderly government for large territories
Clovis Rules the Franks • Franks held power in what is present-day France • Led by Clovis • Converted to Christianity • United all Franks into one kingdom
Germans Adopt Christianity • By 600, many Germanic people converted to Christianity • Church built monasteries, religious communities where monks and nuns lived • Monks opened schools, maintained libraries, and copied books, partially preserving the learning of Rome. • Pope Gregory expanded power of the papacy (Pope’s office) • Church became a secular(worldly) power involved in politics
Illuminated manuscripts, made by monks, were copies of religious writings decorated with ornate letters and brilliant pictures.
An Empire Evolves • Europe was made up many small kingdoms, of which the Franks were the largest and strongest • Charles Martel led Franks in early 700s, expanded their territory and defeating Muslim raiders at the Battle of Tours in 732 • Became a Christian hero • His son began the Carolingian Dynasty which ruled until 987.
Charlemagne Becomes Emperor • Martel’s grandson, Charlemagne, built the Frankish empire into the largest empire since Rome • Spread Christianity • Reunited western Europe • Pope made him “emperor”
Charlemagne Leads a Revival • Charlemagne strengthened his power by limiting the power of nobles • Encouraged education by ordering monasteries to open schools to train future monks and priests • After his death, Charlemagne’s sons divided the Empire into three kingdoms • Led to breakdown of strong, central government • Resulted in a new system called feudalism