15 THE FRANKS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY CHARLES MARTEL

15. THE FRANKS AND MEDIEVAL SOCIETY

CHARLES MARTEL AND THE RISE OF THE CAROLINGIANS Frankish dynastic rivalries enabled members of the new aristocracy to become more prominent in Frankish society. The most prominent aristocratic family was the Carolingians. Charles Martel (688 -741) was one of many regional strongmen called dukes. His family increased its influence by marrying their sons and daughters to other aristocratic families. By the 725, Charles Martel, while not king, was acknowledged as the ruler of the Frankish kingdom. Martel was successful because he molded the Frankish cavalry into the most effective fighting force of the time. His mounted, heavily armored warriors were extremely effective but also very costly. Charles Martel

CHARLES MARTEL AND THE PAPACY Martel financed his army with conquest. Martel also controlled the religious and cultural institutions. He aligned himself with Roman Christianity and appointed loyal supporters as bishops and abbots. In 732, at the battle of Tours, Martel successfully defeated a Muslim force that was attempting to expand Islam northward. This got the attention of Pope Gregory III, who later asked Martel for assistance in defending Rome from the Lombards. Charles Martel’s Victory at Tours (732)

PIPPEN III – DECLARED KING BY THE POPE As powerful as the Carolingians were, however, they were not – formally – the rulers of the Frankish Kingdom. Pippen turned to Pope Zacharias (741 -752) to grant him the title of king. In a carefully orchestrated exchange, the Pope declared that the individual who exercised the power of king should also have the title. In 751, a representative of the Pope anointed Pippin king of the Franks. ***The alliance between the new dynasty and the papacy marked the first union of royal legitimacy and ecclesiastical sanction in European history. *** Pippin III

CHARLEMAGNE AND THE RENEWAL OF THE WEST Under Charlemagne, the Frankish kingdom came to approach the size of the old Roman Empire in the West. Only Britain, southern Italy , and parts of Spain remained outside his control. Charlemagne’s victory over the Lombards in Italy and his protection of Pope Leo III led many to compare his empire to Constantine. In 800 A. D. , at St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope proclaimed Charlemagne emperor. This took on great significance as his successor Louis would point to his imperial title as the basis for his rule. Charlemagne

THE CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE Charlemagne did more than just expand his empire, he also set out to renew European culture. As a Christian king, he considered it his duty to reform the spiritual life of his kingdom. To do so, Charlemagne set about creating a reformed, educated clergy. • Charlemagne recruited the leading intellectuals from Europe to his court to conduct a thorough educational program. He recruited Alcuin of York (732 -804) to direct a school for young lay and ecclesiastical aristocrats. • Charlemagne supported schools in monasteries throughout his kingdom. Great aristocrats became highly literate and even collected their own personal libraries. Elite women also participated in the renaissance. One example, the noblewoman Dhuoda, composed a manual of instruction for her son. • Charlemagne also invited Italian and Byzantine artists and artisans to his kingdom to teach a form of representational art that would decorate as well as educate.

THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE EMPIRE Why did the Frankish Empire collapse? 1. Under Charlemagne, the imperial expansion had created an economy based on plunder and the redistribution of war booty. As expansion ceased, the Franks had to focus on defending their empire. 2. Louis the Pious’ sons Lothair, Louis the German, and Charles the Bald divided the kingdom into thirds. In none of the regions was the leader able to provide the degree of peace and public control that Charlemagne had created. 3. Wealthy aristocrats became extraordinarily powerful. In time, they turned the offices of count and bishop into inherited familial positions. In time, they would determine who would reign as king.

MEDIEVAL SOCIAL STRUCTURE There are three orders in Medieval society: Those who work (peasants), those who fight (nobles), and those who pray (clergy). War was the justification for the social structure of lords and peasants. Family connections became huge. Primogeniture, a system of inheritance where the eldest son receives the estate. This system is essential to preserving family power.

THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY