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Charlemagne Unites Germanic Kingdoms

MAIN IDEA
EMPIRE BUILDING Many Germanic kingdoms that succeeded the Roman Empire were reunited under Charlemagnes empire.

WHY IT MATTERS NOW

Charlemagne spread Christian civilization through Northern Europe, where it had a permanent impact.

TERMS & NAMES

Middle Ages Franks monastery secular Carolingian Dynasty Charlemagne

SETTING THE STAGE The gradual decline of the Roman Empire ushered in an era of European history called the Middle Ages, or the medieval period. It

spanned the years from about 500 to 1500. During these centuries, a new society slowly emerged. It had roots in: (1) the classical heritage of Rome, (2) the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church, and (3) the customs of various Germanic tribes.

Invasions of Western Europe

In the fifth century, Germanic invaders overran the western half of the Roman Empire (see map on page 351). Repeated invasions and constant warfare caused a series of changes that altered the economy, government, and culture: Disruption of Trade Merchants faced invasions from both land and sea. Their businesses collapsed. The breakdown of trade destroyed Europes cities as economic centers. Money became scarce. Downfall of Cities With the fall of the Roman Empire, cities were abandoned as centers of administration. Population Shifts As Roman centers of trade and government collapsed, nobles retreated to the rural areas. Roman cities were left without strong leadership. Other city dwellers also fled to the countryside, where they grew their own food. The population of western Europe became mostly rural.
The Decline of Learning The Germanic invaders who stormed Rome could not read or write. Among Romans themselves, the level of learning sank sharply as more and more families left for rural areas. Few people except priests and other church officials were literate. Knowledge of Greek, long important in Roman culture, was almost lost. Few people could read Greek works of literature, science, and philosophy. The Germanic tribes, though, had a rich oral tradition of songs and legends. But they had no written language. Loss of a Common Language As German-speaking peoples mixed with the

TAKING NOTES
Following Chronological Order Note important events in the unification of the Germanic kingdoms. 500 1200

Roman population, Latin changed. While it was still an official language, it was no longer understood. Different dialects developed as new words and phrases became part of everyday speech. By the 800s, French, Spanish, and other Roman-based languages had evolved from Latin. The development of various languages mirrored the continued breakup of a once-unified empire.
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Germanic Kingdoms Emerge

In the years of upheaval between 400 and 600, small Germanic kingdoms replaced Roman provinces. The borders of those kingdoms changed constantly with the fortunes of war. But the Church as an institution survived the fall of the Roman Empire. During this time of political chaos, the Church provided order and security.
The Concept of Government Changes Along with shifting boundaries, the entire

concept of government changed. Loyalty to public government and written law had unified Roman society. Family ties and personal loyalty, rather than citizenship in a public state, held Germanic society together. Unlike Romans, Germanic peoples lived in small communities that were governed by unwritten rules and traditions. Every Germanic chief led a band of warriors who had pledged their loyalty to him. In peacetime, these followers lived in their lords hall. He gave them food, weapons, and treasure. In battle, warriors fought to the death at their lords side. They considered it a disgrace to outlive him. But Germanic warriors felt no obligation to obey a king they did not even know. Nor would they obey an official sent to collect taxes or administer justice in the name of an emperor they had never met. The Germanic stress on personal ties made it impossible to establish orderly government for large territories.
Clovis Rules the Franks In the Roman province of Gaul (mainly what is now France and Switzerland), a Germanic people called the Franks held power. Their leader was Clovis (KLOHvihs). He would bring Christianity to the region. According to legend, his wife, Clothilde, had urged him to convert to her faith, Christianity. In 496, Clovis led his warriors against another Germanic army. Fearing defeat, he appealed to the Christian God. For I have called on my gods, he prayed, but I find they are far from my aid. . . . Now I call on Thee. I long to believe in Thee. Only, please deliver me from my enemies. The tide of the battle shifted and the Franks won. Afterward, Clovis and 3,000 of his warriors asked a bishop to baptize them. The Church in Rome welcomed Cloviss conversion and supported his military campaigns against other Germanic peoples. By 511, Clovis had united the Franks into one kingdom. The strategic alliance between Cloviss Frankish kingdom and the Church marked the start of a partnership between two powerful forces.

Illuminated manuscripts, such as the one below, were usually the work of monks.

Germans Adopt Christianity

Politics played a key role in spreading Christianity. By 600, the Church, with the help of Frankish rulers, had converted many Germanic peoples. These new converts had settled in Romes former lands. Missionaries also spread Christianity. These religious travelers often risked their lives to bring religious beliefs to other lands. During the 300s and 400s, they worked among the Germanic and Celtic groups that bordered the Roman Empire. In southern Europe, the fear of coastal attacks by Muslims also spurred many people to become Christians in the 600s.
Monasteries, Convents, and Manuscripts To adapt to

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rural conditions, the Church built religious communities called monasteries. There, Christian men called monks gave up their private possessions and devoted their lives to serving God. Women who followed this way of life were called nuns and lived in convents.

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Benedict 480?543
At 15, Benedict left school and hiked up to the Sabine Hills, where he lived in a cave as a hermit. After learning about Benedicts deep religious conviction, a group of monks persuaded him to lead their monastery. Benedict declared:

Scholastica 480?543
Scholastica is thought to be the twin sister of Benedict. She was born into a wealthy Italian family in the late Roman Empire. Little is known of her early life, except that she and Benedict were inseparable. Like her brother, Scholastica devoted her life to the Church. She is thought to have been the abbess of a convent near the monastery founded by Benedict and is considered the first nun of the Benedictine order. She was a strong influence on her brother as he developed rules that guide Benedictine monasteries to this day. They died in the same year and are buried in one grave.
RESEARCH LINKS For more on Benedict and Scholastica, go to classzone.com

We must prepare our hearts and bodies for combat under holy obedience to the divine commandments. . . . We are therefore going to establish a school in which one may learn the service of the Lord.
In his book describing the rules for monastic life, Benedict emphasized a balance between work and study. Such guidelines turned monasteries into centers of stability and learning.

Making Inferences What role did monasteries play during this time of chaos?

Around 520, an Italian monk named Benedict began writing a book describing a strict yet practical set of rules for monasteries. Benedicts sister, Scholastica (skuhLAStikuh), headed a convent and adapted the same rules for women. These guidelines became a model for many other religious communities in western Europe. Monks and nuns devoted their lives to prayer and good works. Monasteries also became Europes best-educated communities. Monks opened schools, maintained libraries, and copied books. In 731, the Venerable Bede, an English monk, wrote a history of England. Scholars still consider it the best historical work of the early Middle Ages. In the 600s and 700s, monks made beautiful copies of religious writings, decorated with ornate letters and brilliant pictures. These illuminated manuscripts preserved at least part of Romes intellectual heritage.
Papal Power Expands Under Gregory I In 590, Gregory I, also called Gregory

the Great, became pope. As head of the Church in Rome, Gregory broadened the authority of the papacy, or popes office, beyond its spiritual role. Under Gregory, the papacy also became a secular, or worldly, power involved in politics. The popes palace was the center of Roman government. Gregory used church revenues to raise armies, repair roads, and help the poor. He also negotiated peace treaties with invaders such as the Lombards. According to Gregory, the region from Italy to England and from Spain to Germany fell under his responsibility. Gregory strengthened the vision of Christendom. It was a spiritual kingdom fanning out from Rome to the most distant churches. This idea of a churchly kingdom, ruled by a pope, would be a central theme of the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, secular rulers expanded their political kingdoms.

An Empire Evolves
After the Roman Empire dissolved, small kingdoms sprang up all over Europe. For example, England splintered into seven tiny kingdoms. Some of them were no
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Charlemagnes Empire, 768843

Frankish Kingdom before Charlemagne, 768 Areas conquered by Charlemagne, 814 Papal States Division by Treaty of Verdun, 843
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larger than the state of Connecticut. The Franks controlled the largest and strongest of Europes kingdoms, the area that was formerly the Roman province of Gaul. When the Franks first Christian king, Clovis, died in 511, he had extended Frankish rule over most of what is now France.

8E

Charles Martel Emerges By 700, an official known as the major domo, or EAST Paris mayor of the palace, had become the FRANKISH KINGDOM Tours most powerful person in the Frankish (Louis Danube R. the German) kingdom. Officially, he had charge of WEST ATLANTIC FRANKISH the royal household and estates. OCEAN KINGDOM CENTRAL Unofficially, he led armies and made (Charles KINGDOM Pavia the Bald) policy. In effect, he ruled the kingdom. (Lothair) The mayor of the palace in 719, 42N Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer), PAPAL Corsica STATES held more power than the king. Charles SPAIN Rome Mediterranean Martel extended the Franks reign to the Sea north, south, and east. He also defeated Muslim raiders from Spain at the Battle GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDER: Interpreting Maps of Tours in 732. This battle was highly 1. Region By 814, what was the extent of Charlemagnes significant for Christian Europeans. If empire (north to south, east to west)? the Muslims had won, western Europe 2. Region Based on the map, why did the Treaty of Verdun might have become part of the Muslim signal the decline of Charlemagnes empire? Empire. Charles Martels victory at Tours made him a Christian hero. At his death, Charles Martel passed on his power to his son, Pepin the Short. Pepin wanted to be king. He shrewdly cooperated with the pope. On behalf of the Church, Pepin agreed to fight the Lombards, who had invaded central Italy and threatened Rome. In exchange, the pope anointed Pepin king by the grace of God. Thus began the Carolingian (KARuhLIHNjuhn) Dynasty, the family that would rule the Franks from 751 to 987.
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Charlemagne Becomes Emperor

Pepin the Short died in 768. He left a greatly strengthened Frankish kingdom to his two sons, Carloman and Charles. After Carlomans death in 771, Charles, who was known as Charlemagne (SHAHRluhMAYN), or Charles the Great, ruled the kingdom. An imposing figure, he stood six feet four inches tall. His admiring secretary, a monk named Einhard, described Charlemagnes achievements:
PRIMARY SOURCE [Charlemagne] was the most potent prince with the greatest skill and success in different countries during the forty-seven years of his reign. Great and powerful as was the realm of Franks, Karl [Charlemagne] received from his father Pippin, he nevertheless so splendidly enlarged it . . . that he almost doubled it.
EINHARD, Life of Charlemagne

Charlemagne Extends Frankish Rule Charlemagne built an empire greater than

any known since ancient Rome. Each summer he led his armies against enemies that surrounded his kingdom. He fought Muslims in Spain and tribes from other

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Germanic kingdoms. He conquered new lands to both the south and the east. Through these conquests, Charlemagne spread Christianity. He reunited western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire. By 800, Charlemagnes empire was larger than the Byzantine Empire. He had become the most powerful king in western Europe. In 800, Charlemagne traveled to Rome to crush an unruly mob that had attacked the pope. In gratitude, Pope Leo III crowned him emperor. The coronation was historic. A pope had claimed the political right to confer the title Roman Emperor on a European king. This event signaled the joining of Germanic power, the Church, and the heritage of the Roman Empire.
Charlemagne Leads a Revival Charlemagne strengthened his

Drawing Conclusions What were Charlemagnes most notable achievements?

royal power by limiting the authority of the nobles. To govern his empire, he sent out royal agents. They made sure that the powerful landholders, called counts, governed their counties justly. Charlemagne regularly visited every part of his kingdom. He also kept a close watch on the management of his huge estatesthe source of Carolingian wealth and power. One of his greatest accomplishments was the encouragement of learning. He surrounded himself with English, German, Italian, and Spanish scholars. For his many sons and daughters and other children at the court, Charlemagne opened a palace school. He also ordered monasteries to open schools to train future monks and priests.
Charlemagnes Heirs A year before Charlemagne died in 814, he crowned his

only surviving son, Louis the Pious, as emperor. Louis was a devoutly religious man but an ineffective ruler. He left three sons: Lothair (lohTHAIR), Charles the Bald, and Louis the German. They fought one another for control of the Empire. In 843, the brothers signed the Treaty of Verdun, dividing the empire into three kingdoms. As a result, Carolingian kings lost power and central authority broke down. The lack of strong rulers led to a new system of governing and landholdingfeudalism.

Emperor Charlemagne

SECTION

ASSESSMENT

TERMS & NAMES 1. For each term or name, write a sentence explaining its significance.
Middle Ages Franks monastery secular Carolingian Dynasty Charlemagne

USING YOUR NOTES

2. What was the most important

MAIN IDEAS
3. What were three roots of

CRITICAL THINKING & WRITING

6. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS How was the relationship

event in the unification of the Germanic kingdoms? Why?

medieval culture in western Europe?

4. What are three ways that

between a Frankish king and the pope beneficial to both?

7. RECOGNIZING EFFECTS Why was Charles Martels victory

at the Battle of Tours so important for Christianity?

8. EVALUATING What was Charlemagnes greatest

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civilization in western Europe declined after the Roman Empire fell?

5. What was the most important

achievement? Give reasons for your answer.

9. WRITING ACTIVITY EMPIRE BUILDING How does

achievement of Pope Gregory I?

Charlemagnes empire in medieval Europe compare with the Roman Empire? Support your opinions in a threeparagraph expository essay.

INTERNET ACTIVITY

Use the Internet to locate a medieval monastery that remains today in western Europe. Write a two-paragraph history of the monastery and include an illustration.

INTERNET KEYWORD

Medieval monasteries

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