MAIN IDEA!
Many Germanic Kingdoms that succeeded the Roman Empire were reunited under Charlemagne's Empire
WHY IT MATTERS NOW!
Charlemagne spread Christian Civilization throughout northern Europe, which is where many of us came from
SETTING THE STAGE
Middle ages= medieval period
500-1500 AD
Medieval Europe is Fragmented
A. Invasions trigger changes in Western Europe
1. Invasions and constant warfare speak new trends
a. Disruption of trade
i. Europe's cities are no longer economic centers
ii. Money is scarce
b. Downfall of cities
i. Cities are no longer centers of administration
c. Population shifts
i. nobles retreat to the rural areas
ii. Cities don't have strong leaders
2. Decline of learning
a. Germanic invaders are illiterate, but they communicate through oral tradition
b. Only priests and church officials could read and write
c. Knowledge of Greek and literature, science, philosophy is almost lost
3. Loss of a common language
a. Dialects develop in different regions
b. By the 800's, French, Spanish, and other Roman- based languages are evolving from Latin
B. Germanic Kingdoms emerge
1. The concept of government changes
a Roman Society: Loyal to Family
i. Germanic Chief led warriors
ii. During peace, he provided food, weapons, treasure, a place to live (the lord's hall)
iii. During wartime, warriors fought for the lord
b. The king? Whos that? You want to collect taxes from me? Who the heck are you?
c. Franks live in the roman province of Gaul- their leader is Clovis
2. The Franks under Clovis
a. another battlefield conversion just like Constantine
b. Clovis and 3000 of his warriors are baptized by the bishop
c. The church in Rome approves of this alliance
d. Clovis and the church begin to work together
Clovis military expertise + The church's support and money = A strategic alliance between 2 powerful forces
C. Germanic peoples adopt Christianity
1. 511 ad-
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