8.

1 The Early Middle Ages

Europe: A Land of Great Potential

Location:
Relatively small area on western end of Eurasia

Resources:
Forests, rich soil, mineral veins Seas and rivers functioned as aquatic highways for trade and exploration Mountain streams aided in turning water wheels

Germanic Kingdoms
Germanic tribes
Differed greatly from Romans Had no written laws or cities Ruled by elected warrior-kings Predominantly farmers and herders

Western Europe was broken into small kingdoms between 400-700AD Most powerful Germanic kingdom was the Franks

Franks

 Clovis
481 AD Clovis becomes ruler of the Franks Conquered Roman province of Gaul Converted to Christianity and allied with the Roman Catholic Church

Islam: A New Mediterranean Power

Emerged from Arabia in 632 AD Overran Christian kingdoms in North Africa and Spain Followers of Islam are called Muslims Muslim armies were pushed out of France by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours, 732 AD

Bataille de Poitiers, en octobre 732 By Charles de Steuben

The Age of Charlemagne

Charlemagne (Charles Magnus)
Grandson of Charles Martel United France, Germany and Italy 6 feet tall

Emperor of the Romans

800 AD, Pope Leo III appointed Charlemagne as emperor of Rome The eastern Roman Emperor (Byzantium) ridiculed the act

 Government
Charlemagne tried to create a Christian Europe Appointed powerful nobles to rule smaller portions of the kingdom Established a system of officials called missi domenici to ensure order and contentment

A Revival of Learning
Capital of Charlemagnes kingdom was Aachen (Holy Roman Empire) Keeping accurate records
Charlemagne could read but not write He saw a need for the clergy of his empire to be trained in reading and writing

Promoting education and learning

Alcuin is hired to lead the Palace School at Aachen Grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy are the focus of Alcuins school Copied the Bible and Latin texts

Palace school at Aachen

Charlemagnes Legacy
Empire dissolved when Charlemagne died in 814 AD It was split into three regions by his grandsons with the Treaty of Verdun He effectively blended German, Roman, Christian traditions Established a strong, efficient government

New Attacks
Muslim pressure continued on Europe Magyars attack and pillage Eastern Europe (settle in Hungary) Vikings raid Northern Europe Invasions put pressure on the remainder of Charlemagnes empire

A Brief History of the Holy Roman Empire