ISN pg 74 74 title: Charlemagne & Charlemagne & the Vikingsthe Vikings

Preview: Finish each sentence:

–During the Middle Ages…

–Feudalism was important during the Middle Ages because…

–During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church…

–Life for peasants on the manor…

Charlemagne & the Franks

FranksAfter the decline of the Roman

Empire, the territory of Gaul was ruled by the Franks:

–CharlemagneCharlemagne (Charles the Great) became the greatest king of the Middle Ages by doing something no other king was able to do

–He created an organized empire

See how dangerous it was during the Middle Ages!!

By defeating Germanic Saxons & Lombards

Look at this massive, well-organized empire! This is the EXCEPTION rather than the rule

during the Middle Ages!!

One king One king controlled all this controlled all this

& had power & had power over feudal lordsover feudal lords

CharlemagneCharlemagne’s accomplishments:

–Greatly expanded the Frankish empire

–Spread Christianity through missionaries & violence

–Divided this large empire into counties

–Began schools for church members

Charlemagne was called the “strong hand of God”

Age of InvasionsFrom 800 A.D. to 1000 A.D.,

Europe was constantly attacked by foreign armies:–Muslims attacked Europe from

the northern Africa–Magyar warriors attacked

Europe from the East–Vikings attacked Europe from

the Scandinavia in the north

See how dangerous See how dangerous Europe was!!!Europe was!!!

So, why was So, why was Feudalism necessary??Feudalism necessary??

The Age of Invasions: 800-1000This is the 22ndnd major wave of

invasions into Western Europe:

–the 1st were the barbarians who attacked Rome in 450

–those barbarians are now the people who have settled in Europe & become feudal serfs, lords, kings…and are being attacked by outside barbarians

VikingsVikings were Scandinavians who

invaded Europe because of overpopulation, looking for better climate & better farmland

They were excellent invaders & explorers

They were able to sail in deep oceans andand shallow rivers because of their excellent ship design

VikingsBecause of their war ships, the

Vikings were able to:

–Claim parts of England, Ireland, Russia, Iceland, Greenland,

–They reached Constantinople & the Mediterranean Sea

–They were the 1st Europeans to “discover” America (Canada)

Holy Roman Empire

Holy Roman EmpireGermans expanded into Frankish

territory after Charlemagne died Otto the Great became the

greatest king of Germans in 936–He ended foreign invasions–Controlled the Catholic Church

within Germany –Expanded German territory &

created kingdom known as the Holy Roman Empire

Otto the Great & other Holy Roman kings were NEVERNEVER able to control the feudal lords in this territory

Holy Roman EmpireBut…the Holy Roman Empire is

poorly named:–It is not HolyIt is not Holy (because it was

not controlled by the Pope, although Christianity was the dominant religion)

–It was not RomanIt was not Roman (the Romans were conquered long ago)

–It was not an Empire It was not an Empire (because the kings never had control over the feudal lords)