1. Aim: How did Frankish kingdoms rise to power after the fall of Rome?
Do now: timeline
HW- Chapter 8, section 1

2. The Middle Ages The Middle Ages, or medieval period, occurred
in Europe between the 400s and the1500s
after the fall of the Western Roman Empire

3. Defining the Medieval Period
There is some debate concerning the beginning and the end of the medieval period. Historians usually place the medieval era from approximately 500 CE to 1500 CE, or the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Renaissance.
Europe during this time period has also been called:
“The Middle Ages”—This refers to the fact that this time is situated between Classical Europe and more modern times. “Medieval” comes from the Latin medium aevum, which translates loosely as “Middle Ages.”
“The Dark Ages”—This was a term used in the 15th and 16th centuries by those who believed the era lacked social or artistic worth—a somewhat unfair criticism. Historians generally avoid using this overly judgmental term.
The time period has also been called the “Middle Ages” and the “Dark Ages”

4. Medieval Europe: Stages
The Middle Ages can be broken down into three time periods, each made distinctive by major civilization-changing events:
Early Middle Ages—After the fall of the Roman Empire, small independent kingdoms arose throughout western Europe. This era also witnessed the birth of feudalism, a system of sovereignty and protection which will be discussed later in this presentation.
High Middle Ages—During this era, Christianity became a dominant force, uniting western Europe under the authority of the Catholic Church. The Crusades occurred during this time period, allowing territorial leaders to bring diverse groups together and command authority by ordering people to defend their beliefs against the mounting threat of Islam.
Late Middle Ages—This era was characterized by the decline of feudalism and the rise of nation-states ruled by royal families. Events during this time period also included the Hundred Years’ War and the spread of the bubonic plague (the “Black Death”), which killed between one-third and one-half of the population of Europe.

5. Fall of Western Rome Collapse of central government
Breakdown of law and order
Armed men threaten countryside

6. Germanic Tribes Germanic tribes plundered Europe and
established small kingdoms. Invaders were Romanized Christians.

7. Rise of the Germanic Peoples
Ostrogoths: Italian peninsula
Visigoths: modern-day Spain
Angles and Saxons: modern-day Britain
Franks: central Europe
After the Germanic invasions, Roman influence merged with the Germanic culture and people in different ways. The Ostrogoths (in the Italian peninsula) preserved Roman governmental structure and traditions. The Visigoths, located in modern-day Spain, kept Roman traditions but installed Germanic leaders. In the British Isles, the Angles and Saxons each carved out portions to create their own kingdoms. The strongest of Germanic tribes was the Franks, located in central Europe, who gained much of their strength under Clovis and Charlemagne.
“Invasion of the Goths into the Roman Empire,” a 19th-century painting

8. Germanic Culture Centrality of the tribal unit or family.
The leadership of the war chieftain
Germanic customs replaced Roman written laws
-- feuds, vendettas
-- “wergeld” - payments
--trial by ordeal
--trial by combat
--compurgation - oaths

9. Germanic Culture Blending of Germanic and Roman culture
Rural society - decline of town life and trade
The role of forests in Germanic thinking
Pagans – Thor, Wotan

10. Aim: Did Charlemagne save Christian Europe?
Do Now – Analyzing a Secondary Source – Charlemagne reading
What is the main idea of the reading?
1. Underline key ideas as you read.
2. Take notes in the margins.
3. Answer questions 1,2 on the handout

11. The Rise of the Franks,
The Franks: least romanized and most orthodox of the Germanic tribes
In 350 became Roman federati

12. The Merovingian Dynasty
481 - Clovis became king and established the
Merovingian line. Supported by the Church,
they gained control of Gaul
Clovis, the King of the Franks

13. Frankish Kings
Kingship sacred institution combining the functions of military leader, high priest, lawmaker and judge.
Power of Frankish kings based upon their estates and personal possessions.
Traditional customs of inheritance – property divided equally among children.
No attempt to preserve unpopular Roman system of taxation.

14. The Rise of the Franks

15. The Merovingian Dynasty
As Merovingian kings grew weak, the “mayor
of the palace” came to rule. Pépin II and his
successors united the Frankish kingdoms
Pépin II ruled from 687 to 714

16. The Merovingian Dynasty
732 - Pépin’s son, Charles Martel, defeated
the Moors halted the Muslim advance in
Europe
October a triumphant Charles Martel facing ‘Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi at the Battle of Tours.

17. Carolingian Dynasty 751 - Pépin the Short established the
Carolingian dynasty after overthrowing the last
Merovingian king

18. Carolingian Dynasty Pépin’s army helped the pope defeat the
Lombards and donated the land around Rome
- the Papal States
Carolingian Dynasty
In 751 Pepin the Short was crowned king of the Franks by Pope Boniface, who converted the Germanic tribes to Christianity

19. Charlemagne 768 Charles the Great became king. “Father of Europe”
Military conquests spread faith
Active in Church affairs
Built new capital at Aachen.
Defeated Lombards.

20. Charlemagne defeated the Lombards to the south, the Saxons to the north, and the Slavs to the east. After Charlemagne’s death, his empire quickly fell apart as his grandsons fought one another for control. Powerful local nobles came to control land interests throughout Europe, leading to a decentralization of power. Adding to the disorder were constant raids carried out by Scandinavian warriors known as Vikings.

21. Carolingian Dynasty 800 - the pope crowned Charlemagne “Emperor
of the Romans” after he drove out the Muslims
and united western Europe
Charlemagne ruled from 768 and until 814. On Christmas Day of the year 800, he was crowned “Emperor of the Romans”

22. Carolingian Dynasty Charlemagne worked to build a “new Rome”
and brought civilization, order, and learning to
Europe

23. Carolingian Dynasty Charlemagne divided his empire into regions
governed by counts. Missi dominici were sent
into the kingdom as his direct representatives

24. Carolingian Dynasty Charlemagne started schools, his scholars
produced a readable Bible, and he forced his
subjects to convert to Christianity

25. The Decline of the Frankish Empire
814 - Charlemagne died and his empire
declined rapidly due to weak leadership
Charlemagne's Tomb in the Gothic Chancel of the Aachen Dom

26. The Decline of the Frankish Empire
Louis the Pius, , Charlemagne’s only surviving son.
Weak leader, lost power to counts.
His 3 sons divided empire into 3 kingdoms.

27. The Decline of the Frankish Empire
843 - the Treaty of Verdun divided
Charlemagne's empire among his descendants

28. The Decline of the Frankish Empire
Weakened by division, the kingdoms were
invaded by Slavs, Muslims, and the nomadic
Magyars
Magyars (led by Arpad) arriving in the Danube Basin

29. The Vikings During the 800s and the 900s western Europe
was invaded by the Vikings from Scandinavia

30. The Vikings The Vikings would raid and loot settlements
and capture slaves to work on their farms in
Scandinavia – shallow-draft boats.

31. The Vikings
Explored Iceland, Greenland, North America. Settled in England, Ireland, and parts of Europe. Attacked Constantinople three times.