Early Middle Ages to Charlemagne

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Objectives •

Describe Western Europe after the collapse of the western Roman Empire.

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Describe how Germanic tribes carved Europe into small kingdoms.

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Explain how Charlemagne briefly reunited much of Western Europe and what happened to his empire after his death.

The Early Middle Ages

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Terms and People •

Clovis – a warrior king of the Franks who established a kingdom in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman empire

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medieval – the culture of the Middle Ages

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Franks – a Germanic tribe that conquered presentday France and neighboring lands in the 400s

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Charles Martel – a Frankish leader who rallied warriors to push Muslims out of France

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battle of Tours – a battle in which Christians stopped the Muslim advance into Western Europe The Early Middle Ages

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Terms and People (continued) •

Charlemagne – the grandson of Charles Martel; he briefly united Western Europe when he built an empire stretching across France and Germany

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Magyars – nomadic people who overran Eastern Europe and parts of Western Europe after A.D. 900

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Vikings – farmers and expert sailors from Scandinavia who raided European river towns starting in the late 700s

The Early Middle Ages

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How did Germanic tribes divide Western Europe into small kingdoms? When the unifying force of the Roman empire disappeared from Western Europe, Germanic kingdoms replaced it. Greco-Roman, Germanic, and Christian traditions blended during the Middle Ages.

The Early Middle Ages

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The period between ancient times and modern times during A.D. 500–1500 was called the Middle Ages. After winning a battle in 496, King Clovis established a Christian kingdom in Western Europe. It was one of many kingdoms that developed when Roman authority collapsed.

The Early Middle Ages

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Europe declined during the early Middle Ages, for several reasons.

1. The unifying force of the Roman empire was gone. 2. The region was invaded repeatedly. 3. Trade and classical learning decreased.

The Early Middle Ages

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Many Germanic tribes conquered parts of the Roman empire.

After converting to Christianity, Clovis earned the support of his subjects in Gaul and the pope in Rome.

At the same time, Muslims were creating a new civilization and empire in the Mediterranean region.

The Early Middle Ages

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Muslim armies overran Christian lands and crossed into France.

Charles Martel led Frankish warriors in the battle of Tours to push them back.

The Early Middle Ages

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Charlemagne, Martel’s grandson, briefly united Western Europe.

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He fought Muslims, aided the pope in Rome, and was crowned Emperor of the Romans.

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Charlemagne was a skilled leader who revived Latin learning and brought scholars to his court.

The Early Middle Ages

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When Pope Leo crowned Charlemagne Emperor of the Romans, the idea of a united Christian empire was revived.

Charlemagne spread Christianity to conquered people throughout his kingdom and set up a strong, efficient government.

The Early Middle Ages

However, the pope’s action angered the emperor in Constantinople and deepened the split between east and west.

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After Charlemagne died, his empire was split up. His heirs faced waves of invasions.

The Early Middle Ages

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Invaders included the nomadic people called the Magyars, who overran Eastern Europe around 900.

The Early Middle Ages

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They went on to plunder parts of Western Europe.

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After 50 years, the Magyars were pushed back to Hungary.

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Charlemagne’s empire broke apart even more when the Vikings began attacking European coastal and river towns.

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These Scandinavian people were expert sailors.

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They opened trade routes linking northern Europe to the Mediterranean.

The Early Middle Ages