How might the study of medieval Europe affect our thinking about the world today? In other words, why do we study medieval Europe? Why does it even matter?

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• How might the study of medieval Europe affect our
  thinking about the world today? In other words,
  why do we study medieval Europe? Why does it even
  matter?

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A New Western Empire

• Refer to Pages 185-192

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Guiding Questions

• What post-Roman Empire political conditions led
  to the rise of the Carolingian Empire? What
  factors led to its disintegration, setting the
  stage for the feudal system?

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Clovis I

• King of the Franks
• Conversion to Christianity
• Supported by the Roman Church - alliance

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Merovingian House

• Do-Nothing Kings
• Descendents of Clovis I
• Mayors of the palace
• Pepin II
• Defeated the others
• Reunited Frankish territory
• Separate ruling lineage
• Grandson, Pepin the Short took over rule as
  king
• Carolingian House

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Donation of Pepin

• Lombard threat
• Papal states
• Pope becomes ruler in European politics

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Empire of Charlemagne

• Carloman and Charles
• Charles Greatest Carolingian king
• Charlemagne

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Charlemagne

• Strong
• Tall
• Stately
• Dignified
• Abhorred drunkenness

• Beheaded his prisoners in cold blood
• Divorced and remarried many times

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Charlemagnes Conquests

• United much of Europe
• Rescued Rome (again)
• Defeated Avars
• Drove back the Spanish Muslims
• Created administrative districts
• Foundation of modern Germany, France, and Italy

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Pope crowns Charlemagne and proclaims him as
Roman Emperor!

• Revived the idea of another Roman Empire
• Raises a serious question
• Whose authority is supremethe states or the
  churchs?
• This struggle will continue throughout the Middle
  Ages

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Carolingian Renaissance

• Charlemagne loved to learn royal court at
  Aix-la-Chapelle became leading center of learning
• Became concerned with better-educated clergy
• Emphasis on education renewed interest in the
  Bible and in classical literature
• Monasteries as libraries, universities

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Disintegration of Charlemagnes Empire

• Domestic Problems
• Civil war after Louis the Pious
• Treaty of Verdun
• Charles the Bald West Frankland
• Louis the German East Frankland
• Lothair Central Kingdom

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Disintegration of Charlemagnes Empire

• International Problems
• Saracens (Muslims)
• Magyars
• Vikings

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