Medieval Europe

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Medieval Europe

• Germanic Tribes and Charlemagne

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Why the Dark Ages?

• After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in
  476, things are not so sunny in Europe
• No strong central government to manage
• Roads
• Bridges
• Law
• Education
• Currency
• Economy

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Germanic Societies
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Germanic Influences

• Loss of literacy and common language as territory
  is divided up, societies become more rural
• Shifting borders as kingdoms fight over territory
• Loyalty to family or personal allies, rather than
  the state
• No greater good as in Roman Republic

5
Germanic Influences

• Loss of Greek and Roman scholarship (The
  development of various languages mirrored the
  continued breakup of a once unified empire)
• Divisions and differences in culture reflect the
  crumbling of Rome

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The Merovingians

• The Merovingians were the first dynasty of
  Frankish kings
• Located in Gaul
• Clovis (466-511) becomes king at 15
• Brutal, warlike
• Converts to Christianity-uses Roman Church to his
  advantage
• support him in war
• I take it very hard that these Arians hold part
  of Gaul. Let us go with Gods help and conquer
  them and bring the land under our control

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• Baptism of Clovis by Saint Remy in 496 (artist
  unknown, 1500)
• Clothilde (Clovis wife) praying to St. Martin of
  Tours

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Merovingians

• Clovis four sons divide the territory he united
• Rulers that follow Clovis are ineffective Do
  Nothing kings
• Power is held by the major domo-mayor of the
  palace
• Pepin of Herstal (Pepin the II) - gained
  territory throughout modern France

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Merovingians

• Pepins illegitimate son, Charles Martel takes
  power in 719
• Defeats Muslims at Battle of Tours, stops
  expansion into Europe
• Charles victories earn church support
• Charles son, Pepin the Short succeeds him
• Shaves the head of the actual king, forces him
  into a monastery, where he dies within a year.
  How convenient

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Carolingians

• Pepin is crowned king with the popes blessing,
  first Carolingian king(from the Latin for
  Charles, Carolus)
• Donation of Pepin-land given by Pepin to the
  pope, becomes papal state

Coronation of Pepin by Boniface
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Carolingians

• Pepin divided his kingdom between his sons,
  Carloman and Charles
• Charles becomes known as Charles the Great,
  Charlemagne in French
• Over 60 successful military campaigns secure his
  legacy

12
Charlemagne

• He was large and strong, and of lofty stature,
  though not disproportionately tall (seven-feet
  tall). His head was round and well-formed, his
  eyes very large and vivacious, his nose a little
  long, his hair white, and his face jovial. His
  appearance was always stately and very dignified,
  whether he was standing or sittingHis gait was
  firm, his whole carriage manly, and his voice
  clear.
• Einhard, Life of Charlemagne, (New York Harper
  and Brothers, 1880.

• Then, one could see the Charlemagne of iron,
  with his head covered by a iron helmet, his arms
  bearing iron protectors in his left hand he
  carried an iron lance, and in the right his
  always victorious steel sword. His muscles were
  covered with iron plates, and his shield made of
  pure iron. "When he appeared, the inhabitants of
  Pavia cried out with fear O, the Iron Man! O,
  the Iron Man!
• Historia Universal, Spanish Edition, vol. IV, pg.
  790.

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Charlemagne

• Physically tall, athletic, strong horseman
• Socially gregarious, honest, calm
• Religiously devout, reformed the Church

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Charlemagne

• Intellectually illiterate, could speak
  Frankish, Latin, and Greek
• Hobbies War!
• Father of the Carolingian Renaissance

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Charlemagne

• Crowned Roman emperor in 800 on Christmas day
  by Pope Leo III
• First time a pope had crowned a king
• Establishes the Churchs power over EVERYTHING

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Charlemagne

• Charlemagne had 3 main goals for his new Roman
  Empire
• Uniformity standardization of writing, language
  (Latin!), currency, measurements
• Education schools, imported scholars, free
  public education, based around Church
• Diplomacy contact with the pope, emperor in
  Constantinople, caliph in Baghdad
• Accomplished through complex bureaucracy, missi
  dominici-messengers of the lord

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• Left Charlemagnes palace chapel
• Right Charlemagnes palace complex at Aachen

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Charlemagne

• Charlemagne appoints his son, Louis, emperor in
  813
• Louis is ineffective as a ruler, territory is
  divided between his 3 sons Lothair, Charles
  the Bald, and Louis the German

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Treaty of Verdun

• Charlemagnes grandsons divide the empire
  officially in 843
• Lack of central authority, empire grows weak
• Vulnerable to attack by Vikings Magyars, Slavs
• Need for protection from invaders in an agrarian
  society leads to FEUDALISM!

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• Gregarious (adj.) fond of the company of
  others sociable.