1. How The Holy Roman Empire Became Prone To Viking Attack

2. 800: Pope Crowned Charlemagne Emperor of the West. We haven’t had an emperor in the West since Romulus Augustulus Charlemagne tried to bring the West back to the way it was in the good old days (right after the edict of Milan). He tried to bring about a kind of a renaissance. Many people believe that during his life, he did bring about a mini renaissance. He was a powerful leader and a great defender of the Church.

3. Who Was Charlemagne? “In 782, Charlemagne allegedly had 4500 Saxons beheaded at the Massacre of Verden”

4. Charlemagne’s Empire: Small in comparison to the Muslim Empire CHARLEMAGNE FORCED US SAXONS TO CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY

5. Charlemagne Had 3 Sons --Louis the Pius, Pepin & Charles-- Louis was Crowned (by the pope) as Co-Emperor Louis was to become the next Holy Roman Emperor I AM CO-EMPEROR WITH MY DADDY

6. After Charlemagne Died… Emperor Louis then divided the empire between his 3 sons— Lothair, Louis II and Pepin. Lothaire became Co- Emperor with his dad Louis, ruling the middle part of the empire

7. But Emperor Louis the Pious Married Again…the Beautiful Judith HE BETTER GIVE PART OF THE EMPIRE TO THE NEW SON I WILL GIVE HIM (I CAN SEE INTO THE FUTURE).

8. When Judith’s Baby Boy Was Born… AS EMPEROR, I WILL CERTAINLY GIVE LAND TO OUR BABY CHARLES (EVEN THOUGH TECHNICALLY, I KNOW HIS BROTHERS WON’T LIKE IT) SEE DO I CARE… JUST GIVE MY CHARLES HIS SHARE OF THE EMPIRE

9. But Louis’ Original Sons Didn’t Want Their Portion of the Empire To Be Taken From Them Pepin DUDE, WHAT’S DAD DOING WITH OUR INHERITANCE? TAKING LAND FROM US…GIVING IT TO HIS NEW “SON” LET’S JOIN FORCES AND ATTACK DAD

10. POPE INTERVENES LOUIS’ SONS ARE WHAT? THESE FRANKS SHOULD BE DEFENDING THEIR EMPIRE, ***AND*** DEFENDING THE PAPAL STATES I GOTTA GO TALK TO LOUIS OMG…THE MUSLIMS AND VIKINGS WILL COME SOON

11. The “Field of Lies” Pope had a meeting with the Emperor close to the battle field While they were talking, Louis’ 3 sons were trying to convince Louis’ army (In the field) to leave Louis They promised to give them whatever they wanted. The spot is called the Field of Lies. Louis came out and his army was gone!! Louis surrendered. Louis the Pious’ Army Disappeared Er…. Where’d My Army Go? YOUR ARMY TOTALLY DISSED YOU

12. MY 3 SONS CONQUERED ME! HOW AM I GOING TO TELL JUDITH? GUESS I’M GOING TO HAVE TO SEND THIS IMPERIAL CROWN TO LOTHAIRE, THE NEW EMPEROR

13. PRETTY COOL BEING THE SOLE EMPEROR MY BROTHERS MUST OBEY ME I’VE GOT THE POWER I SHALL DIVIDE MY SECTION OF THE EMPIRE AMONG MY 3 SONS

14. I THINK THE WHOLE EMPEROR THING IS GOING TO LOTHIRE’S HEAD YEA…HE IS TOTALLY SPAZING OUT… HE BETTER TREAT US WELL…OR WE MIGHT HAVE TO GO BACK TO DAD

15. Vikings Attack!!! (Feudal System Grows In Response) The Vikings came from Scandinavia They first went to England and then invaded Europe (just as the Germanic tribes had done before them). When the Vikings would attack, the ordinary folk would seek refuge from the local lord. They worked for the lord in return for protection. This is known as the feudal system. So, basically, Europe went from experiencing a mini renaissance, to being a feudal society.

16. Viking Attack: Migration of the Nations, take 2

17. Viking Raids Targeted The Church Vikings used their longboats to get into the heart of Europe

18. Vikings Target Monasteries Vikings Targeted Monasteries Burned the Christian Books Vikings Then Destroyed and Burned Monasteries Important manuscripts destroyed

19. Vikings Killed At Will Killed Whoever Got In Their Way Killed Priests and Religious Raped and Killed Nuns

20. IT’S SO SWEET BEING A VIKING!!! WE GET TO KILL PEOPLE, DESTROY STUFF, RAPE, STEAL CHRISTIAN TREASURE, BURN, AND DRINK ALL WE WANT CONQUERING THE WESTERN EMPIRE IS A PIECE OF CAKE… THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE HAS NO CENTRALIZED ARMY AND LOUIS’ BROTHERS ARE TOO DISTRACTED WITH INHERITANCE ISSUES I HEAR THE MUSLIMS ARE ATTACKING THE EMPIRE FROM THE SOUTH… THAT JUST MAKES THINGS EASIER FOR US

21. Vikings Loved Raiding England and Ireland For Their Christian Riches! Monks buried Their Treasures In Fields, only to be found hundreds of years later. Undiscovered treasures remain

22. Frequent Viking Raids Even Russia Got Hit Vikings even made it to Constantinople (800s), where they saw images being destroyed (again) The pope was aware that iconoclasm was again taking root in the Eastern Empire

23. In 843 Vikings Broke into Nantes (France) Cathedral During High Mass Killed Everyone in Attendance Burned the Cathedral To the Ground Then Looted the Entire City The Vikings were hardly ever defeated

24. 843--Some Good News In The East… Empress TheodoraAnother Great Woman Saves The Day LET US RESTORE THE USE OF HOLY IMAGES IN THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE

25. 845—Easter Sunday 120 longboats sail up the Seine and destroy Paris WHILE THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE DESTROYS IMAGES… WE DESTROY PARIS, NANTES, AND PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING WE WANT

26. 846 Muslims Attack Rome!!! The One and only time in history the Muslims take Rome Destroyed St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Paul’s Took away the treasures from St. Peters, including the alter stone covering St. Peter’s bones The Muslim ship however, was destroyed by a storm of Sicily and all the treasure sunk to the bottom of the sea

27. NOT EASY BEING POPE IN THE EARLY 800s Pope St. Leo IV was in Rome when Muslims Attacked WHAT’S HAPPENING TO THE WESTERN EMPIRE?? THE VIKINGS ARE DESTROYING BENEDICTINE MONASTERIES IF ONLY CHARLEMAGNE’ S GRANDSONS WERE LIKE HIM THE EMPIRE IS NOT UNIFIED ENOUGH TO DEFEND THE CHURCH

28. THIS FEUDAL SYSTEM (aka: No- unified-imperial-army-system) DOESN’T REALLY HELP THE CHURCH FOSTER UNITY AND PEACE

29. St. Ansgar Was Sent To Convert The Vikings He went to Viking Lands and started Churches etc. But the Christian presence in Scandinavia was pretty weak