- 511 AD- Clovis unites Franks into one kingdom
- 600 AD- Church + Frankish rulers convert many
- fear of the Muslims in southern Europe spur many to become Christians
- Monasteries and convents
- 520 AD- Benedict wrote the rules for monks and monasteries
- Poverty, chastity, obedience, study
- His sister Scholastica did the same for nuns in convents
- 731 AD- the Venerable Bible wrote a killer history of England
- Monks opened schools, maintained libraries, and copied books (Bibles, Greek text)
European Empire Evolves
- Franks control largest European Kingdom
- The Roman province formerly known as Gaul
- Ruled by Clovis- the Merovingian Dynasty
- Major domo- mayor of the palace- ruled the kingdom
- Charles Martel- Charles the Hammer
- extended the Franks' reign to the north, south, and east
- Defeated a Muslim army from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732- historic battle
- Charles the Hammer's son- Pepin the Short
- Possibly named for his unusual short haircut
- Working for and with the Pope, Pepin fought the Lombard's
- Pope Stephen II named Pepin "king by the grace of God" beginning the Carolingian Dynasty 751- 987 AD
- Pepin the Short had two sons: Carolman AND Charles
- Carman died, leaving
Charlemagne takes center stage
- Charlemagne- aka Charles the Great
- six foot four
- Built the greatest empire since Rome
- fought the Muslims in Spain
- Fought Germanics tribes
- Spread Christianity
- Reunited Western Europe
- Became the most powerful king in western Europe
- Pope Leo III crowned him emperor in 800 AD after he defended him from an unruly Roman mob
- This signaled the joining of Germanic power, the Church, and the heritage of the Roman Empire
- Charlemagne's Government
- He limited the authority of the nobles
- He regularly visited every part of his kingdom
- Kept close watch on his huge kingdom
- Culture revival
- Encouraged learning
- Ordered monasteries to open schools
- Opened a palace school
- But his heirs were weenies...
- His son- Louis the Pious- was ineffective
- Louis' three sons; Lathair, Charles the Bald, and Louis the German- split up the kingdom at the Treaty of Verdun in 843 AD
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