Ch 6 Sec 1 The Early Middle Ages

Ch. 6, Sec. 1 – The Early Middle Ages

Geography of Europe pg. 68 • Rivers like the Rhine, Danube, Vistula, Volga, Seine, and Po served as major highways of commerce • Mountain ranges such as the Carpathians, Alps, Pyrenees,

Germanic Kingdoms take over Western Roman • When the Western Roman Empire fell, Europe became divided amongst Germanic kingdoms • Britain was invaded by Angles and Saxons from Denmark and Germany

The Franks • A. C. E. 496, Frankish King Clovis became a Catholic and soon almost all of the Franks converted • When Clovis died, his kingdom began to decentralize • Nobles known as “mayors of the palace” began to control kingdoms

Battle of Tours • In A. C. E. 711, a Muslim army from North Africa conquered Spain • Began invading North Africa, but were stopped by a Frankish army led by Charles Martel • Widely thought to have saved Western Christianity

Pepin the Short • When Charles Martel died (A. C. E. 752), his son Pepin became mayor and then King of the Franks • Defeated the Lombards and donated their land to the Pope, creating the Papal States

Charles • Pepin died (A. C. E. 768) and his son, Charles, became King next • He added land in Italy, eastern Germany, and Northeastern Spain • His great conquests gave him the nickname Charlemagne, or “Charles the Great. ”

Charlemagne • On Christmas Day, A. C. E. 800, Pope Leo III crowed Charlemagne “Emperor of the Romans” • Capital was Aachen • Major supporter of education

Foreign invasions, Frankish ruin, and the Holy Roman Empire • Charlemagne died in A. C. E. 814 • Europe was invaded by a few groups of people, most notably the Vikings – Help destroy the Frankish kingdoms • Otto I crowned “Emperor of the Romans” in A. C. E. 962 – founds the Holy Roman Empire

Monks in Europe • At fall of Roman Empire, Christianity dominant in southern Europe • St. Patrick converts Ireland • Pope Gregory the Great wanted all monks to become missionaries, people sent out to teach their religion

Pope Gregory VII vs. King Henry IV • Gregory was named Pope in 1073 • Clashed with the Holy Roman Emperor over the right to name Bishops and appoint them to government jobs • Finally in 1122 the Concordat of Worms was signed – Pope names Bishops, Kings can give them government jobs