Western Europe in the early Middle Ages

1
Western Europe in the early Middle Ages
2
The End of the Roman Empire

• The Germans lived in tribes led by chieftains in
  military system called the Comitatus
• In 476 with a German as emperor the Western
  Empire ends, beginning the Middle Ages (Medieval
  in Latin)
• With the end of the Western Roman Empire the
  people of Europe enter into a Dark Ages

The German chieftain, Odoacer, became emperor in
476
3
(No Transcript)
4
Western Europe in the Early Middle Ages
5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
The Franks

• Under Clovis the Franks conquer all of Gaul
• Clovis will divide the land he conquerors into
  smaller parts that will be ruled by counts or
  dukes
• He will combine German laws with the Roman legal
  system

8
EUROPE in 476 AD
(Jutes)
(Lombards)
(relative of former Roman Governor of Gaul)
(Land of German Emperor )
9

• Clovis will defeat
• The Romans in Gaul
• The Alamanni
• The Visigoths

10
Clovis and Catholicism

• After winning a battle in which he almost lost,
  Clovis vowed to convert to Catholicism
• Clovis will be baptized by the pope and will
  fight Arian Christian tribes
• After his death, the Frankish Empire will be run
  by his relatives who lose power to Mayors of the
  Palace

11
The Carolingians

• Charles Martel, The Hammer, stops the Muslim
  invasion of Europe at the Battle of Tours in
  Spain
• He will support St. Bonifaces missionary work
  among the Germans
• Under his leadership most Germans convert from
  Arianism to Catholicism

12
Pepin the Short

• Pepin ended the rule of the Merovingian
• With the popes support he will be crowned King
  of the Franks
• In return he defends the pope from the Lombards
  and gives the pope land
• The Donation of Pepin creates the Papal States

13
(No Transcript)
14
Charlemagne

• Expands the Frankish Empire to its greatest size
• He fights wars against
• The Lombards
• The Saxons for over 30 years
• The Muslims in Spain creating the Spanish March
  The Song of Roland comes from this campaign

15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
Ruling the Holy Roman Empire

• To run the empire Charlemagne divides the land up
  into counties run by counts who are to protect
  the land from their manors
• To ensure that his orders were being followed
  and that there was justice in his empire
  Charlemagne created the Missi Dominici (the
  Kings Messengers)
• One nobleman and one bishop traveled the empire
  and made sure justice was met and the borders
  were safe from invasion

18

• Charlemagne will be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by
  Pope Leo III
• Charlemagne increases the power of the pope and
  demands that a tax be paid annually to the church
  (10 of ones income a tithe)

19
The Carolingian Renaissance

• Charlemagne built churches and monasteries which
  will be centers of learning
• Alcuin of York will be hired to run a school for
  the children of nobles at Aachen
• Given many libraries had been destroyed due to
  war Charlemagne will order the monks to make
  copies of books, especially of the ancient Greeks
  and Romans

Alcuin of York
20
Charlemagne could not read or write, but did try
to learn. Unusual for a king of his time.
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.from Einhardt (biographer of
Charlemagne)
21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
Charlemagnes Rise to Power
God himself has made me king.
I crown you Holy Roman Emperor

• Germanic people
• Conquered modern France and Germany
• Clovis first King of all FRANKS, converted to
  Christianity in 481

• Gave church 10 tax, called a tithe
• Used Missi Dominici to kept order in his kingdom
• Made Aachen a center of learning

• Kingdom divided into three parts after
  Charlemagnes death
• Division weakened empires unity
• Vikings, Magyars, and Muslims invaded

Crowned HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR by the Pope
He prevented Muslims from expanding into Europe.
He brutally put down a Saxon revolt and forced
them to convert to Catholicism
25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28

• Lifestyle was based on the sea. Vikings were
  pirates. To go a-viking meant to go on an
  overseas adventure. Men and women wore long hair.
  Married women were respected.
• Government tribal units ruled by jarls
• Values Culture of war --gt blood feuds were
  common
• Education was not important
• Religion worshipped many gods by crop and animal
  sacrifices

• Raided coastal villages throughout Europe,
  plundering, killing, burning and taking
  possessions.
• Lack of FARMLAND so needed to move!
• Europe was weak after Charlemagnes empire fell
  apart.
• Viking longships and weaponry intimidated people
  of Europe.
• Vikings were experienced sailors, traders and
  explorers.

NORWAY
DENMARK
We can not stop the Viking raids without a strong
central government

• Viking power of intimidation kept Europe in a
  state of terror.
• Europeans looked to local lords to protect them.
• These raids contributed to the development of
  feudalism.
• Viking culture influenced some aspects of life in
  Europe.

29
Flag of Iceland
Flag of Sweden
Flag of Norway
Flag of England
Flag of Denmark
Flag of Scotland
What religion do the Vikings eventually convert
to?
City flag of Philadelphia People of which country
founded Philadelphia?
30
(No Transcript)
31
Suggested Routes of the Vikings 2005 CE
Believed Migration of Vikings in America
32
(No Transcript)
33
Divided the empire among his three sons
Was Charlemagnes son
A wise and just ruler who issued many laws
Created a large empire
First Frankish king to be anointed by Pope
Helped the Pope become the ruler of the Italian
Peninsula
Known as the Hammer
Led the Franks to victory at the Battle of Tours
Eventually brought all Franks under one rule
Was a good general and able king
34
(No Transcript)
35
In the Early Middle Ages
Franks Muslims Vikings Anglo-Saxons Papal
States Magyars