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Medieval Europe

Medieval Europe. Franks Rule Western Europe. After the Western Roman Empire collapses, the Germanic tribes establish small kingdoms for themselves. The Franks are the most important: Settle in northern Gaul (modern day Belgium and Netherlands). Clovis and the Merovingians.

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Medieval Europe

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  1. Medieval Europe

  2. Franks Rule Western Europe After the Western Roman Empire collapses, the Germanic tribes establish small kingdoms for themselves. • The Franks are the most important: • Settle in northern Gaul (modern day Belgium and Netherlands).

  3. Clovis and the Merovingians Clovis becomes King of one tribe of Franks (481 CE) • His family line is called Merovingians. • Brutal and cruel, but a great military leader. • Conquers other Franks, controls all of northern Gaul. • Conquers southern Gaul. (France=named after Franks.) • Accepts Christianity after winning a battle, and orders 3,000 of his soldiers to be baptised. • After his death, the kingdom is divided. Kings are weak; real power lies with the mayor of the castle (they make all the decisions). • Pepin II (700 CE) makes mayor hereditary position.

  4. Charles Martel • Charles Martel succeeds Pepin II. • 732 CE: Moors invade France, but are halted by Martel and his cavalry. • This stops the Muslim expansion into Europe. Remember, he and his family are still the mayors of the castle, not royalty!

  5. Pepin III • Pepin III (Pepin the Short): takes over in 741. • 751: throne taken from Merovingians, and given to Pepin III. • Pepin crowned by Pope "King by the grace of God" • Later popes claim this event gives them the precedent to install and depose kings. • Pope seeks help from Pepin to remove a Germanic tribe from central Italy. • Pepin does this and then gifts the land to the pope (The Donation of Pepin) which establishes the Papal States. • Began an alliance between Franks and pope that strengthened both sides.

  6. Charlemagne • Heir to Pepin the Short: Rules from 768-814 • Spent much of his early reign at war, added area to his empire. • 800 CE: Crowned “Emperor of the Romans” by Pope Leo III because he had united most of Europe. • Regarded as the successor to the emperors of Rome. • Starts Carolingian empire.

  7. Charlemagne’s Government • Organized into several hundred regions, each ruled by a representative • Missidominici=“the lord’s messengers”= officials he appointed to travel throughout the kingdom and monitor local laws, evaluate needs, etc. • No direct taxes. • Everyone in the kingdom contributed to the military • Wealthy provided horses, gear. • Poor served as soldiers for part of the year. Education: • Very interested in education; invited scholars to visit, established a school for his own children • Ordered the bishops to copy books to create libraries

  8. Decline of the Frankish Empire • Louis the Pious inherits the throne: does an okay job • After Louis’ death, his 3 sons sign the Treaty of Verdun • Treaty of Verdun: Divides Charlemagne’s empire into 3 sections (western, middle, and eastern kingdoms) • This signals the decline of the empire—basically all the kings are too weak to rule and there is too much in-fighting for them to defend against the numerous invaders.

  9. Vikings • Most feared of all the invaders. • Viking gov’t had Kings and nobles, but was also very democratic for the time. • HIGHLY value bravery and hard work. • Assemblies of landowners made the laws-almost everyone had land and worked. • 800s: Food shortage in Scandinavia sends many Vikings to search for food/treasure. • Trade w/ the strong, pillage the weak. • Enjoyed battle, complained of peace: “peace lasted so long that I was afraid I might come to die of old age, within doors, on a bed.”

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