5/27/14

important notes to know: Study this and notes on Charlemagne

• the middle ages were from 476 AD- 1453 AD
• this society has roots in:
• classical heritage of Rome
• Beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
• customs of various Germanic tribes
• overrun the western half of the Roman Empire:
• causing:
• disruption of trade
• downfall of cities
• population shifts to rural areas
• Effects of Invasion:
• Decline of learning
• tribes had oral tradition, songs, but couldn't read Greek or Latin
• Romance languages evolve (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian)
• few besides priests were literate
• Germanic warriors' loyalty is to the Lord of the manor he provides them with food, weapons, treasure
• Results:
• no orderly government for large areas
• small communities rule
• Clovis rules the Germanic people of Gaul, known as the Franks (which is where "France" comes from)
• in 496 he has a battlefield conversion- he and 3000 of his warriors became Christians
• In 520, Benedict writes rules for monks:
• vows of poverty (live simply in monasteries)
• chastity (no martial relations)
• obedience (listen to church superiors)
• His sister Scholastice writes similar rules for nuns
• they operate schools, maintain libraries, copy books
• Church revenues are used to help the poor, build roads, and raise money
• this is a theocracy- a government ruled by religion
• Gregory's spiritual kingdom (Christendom) extends from Italy to England, from Spain to Germany
• Clovis' descendants include Charles Martel, known as Charles the Hammer
• Hammer defeats a Muslim raiding party from Spain at The BATTLE OF TOURS in 732
• Charles Martel's son is Pepin the Short
• son #2 is Charles, known as Charlemagne, meaning Charles the Great
• six foot four
• built the greatest empire since Roma
• Fought the Muslims in Spain
• Fought Germanic tribes
• Spread Christianity
• Reunited Western Europe
• Became the most