The gradual decline of the Roman Empire ushered in an era of European history called the Middle Ages, or the medieval period. It spanned the years from about 500 to 1500. During these centuries, a new society slowly emerged. It had roots in: (1) the classical heritage of Rome, (2) the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church, and (3) the customs of various Germanic tribes.

Disruption of Trade!

The breakdown of trade destroyed Europe’s

cities as economic centers. Money became scarce.!

Downfall of Cities!

With the fall of the Roman Empire, cities were abandoned as

centers of administration.

Population Shifts As Roman centers of trade and government

collapsed, the population of western Europe

became mostly rural.

Invasions of Western Europe Repeated invasions and constant warfare

caused a series of changes that altered the economy, government,

and culture.

Few people except priests

and other church officials were

literate.

The Germanic tribes had a rich oral tradition of songs and legends. But they had

no written language.

Among Romans the level of learning sank

sharply as more and more families left for rural areas.

As German-speaking peoples

mixed with the Roman population, Latin

changed.

Different dialects developed as new words and phrases

became part of everyday speech.

The development of

various languages mirrored the continued

breakup of a once-unified empire.

French, Spanish,

Portuguese, Italian etc.

Invasions of Western Europe

Loyalty to public government and written law had unified Roman

society.

Germanic peoples lived in

small communities that were governed by unwritten rules

and traditions.

The entire concept of

government changed.

The Church as an institution

survived and provided order and security.

Small Germanic

kingdoms replaced Roman

provinces.

Germanic Kingdoms Emerge

The Germanic stress on personal

ties made it impossible to establish orderly

government for large territories.Every Germanic

chief led a band of warriors who had

pledged their loyalty to him.

The Church in welcomed Clovis’s

conversion and supported his military

campaigns against other Germanic peoples.

In the Roman province

of Gaul, a Germanic people called the

Franks held power. Their leader was

Clovis.

The strategic alliance between Clovis’s Frankish

kingdom and the Church marked the start of a!partnership between

two powerful forces.

After winning a battle Clovis and 3,000 of his

warriors asked a bishop to baptize them.

Clovis united the Franks into one kingdom.

Germanic Kingdoms Emerge

Missionaries also spread Christianity.

The fear of coastal attacks by

Muslims also spurred many people to

become Christians.

The Church, with the help of Frankish rulers, converted many

Germanic peoples.

The Church built religious

communities called monasteries.

An Italian monk named Benedict

began writing a book describing a strict yet practical set of rules

for monasteries

Benedict’s sister, Scholastica

headed a convent and adapted the same rules

for women. (Convents)

Germans Adopt Christianity

Monasteries and convents

became Europe’s best-educated communities.

Illuminated manuscripts

preserved at least part of Rome’s

intellectual heritage.

Germans Adopt Christianity

He used church revenues to raise armies, repair

roads, and help the poor. He also negotiated peace treaties with

invaders.

In 590, Gregory I, also

called Gregory the Great, became

pope.

This idea of a churchly kingdom, ruled by a pope,

would be a central theme of the Middle

Ages.

Under Gregory, the papacy also

became a secular, or worldly, power

involved in politics.

According to him, the region

from Italy to England and from Spain to

Germany fell under his responsibility.

Germans Adopt Christianity

The Franks controlled the

largest and strongest of Europe’s kingdoms.

By 700 Charles Martel,

the major domo of the palace, had

become the most powerful person in

the Frankish kingdom.

After the Roman Empire dissolved, small

kingdoms sprang up all over Europe.

He extended the

Frank’s reign and defeated Muslim

raiders from Spain at the Battle of Tours

in 732.

Charles Martel passed on his power to his son, Pepin the

Short, who cooperated with the pope.

If the Muslims had won,

western Europe might have become part of the

Muslim Empire. This victory made him a

Christian hero.

Germans Adopt Christianity

In exchange, the

pope anointed him “king by the grace of God.” Thus began

the Carolingian Dynasty,

Charlemagne becomes Emperor

He built an empire

greater than any known since

ancient Rome.!

Pepin was

succeeded by his 2 sons:

Carloman and Charles

When Carloman died, Charles the

Great or Charlemagne became sole ruler. His

reign lasted 47 years.

He had become the most powerful

king in western Europe.

Pope Leo III crowned

Charlemagne emperor.

A pope had claimed the

political right to confer the title

“Roman Emperor” on a European

king.

This event signaled the joining of Germanic power, the Church, and the

heritage of the Roman Empire.

He sent out royal agents that made

sure that the powerful counts, governed

their counties justly.

Charlemagne strengthened his royal power by

limiting the authority of the

nobles.

He crowned his son, Louis the Pious, as emperor. He was a devoutly religious man but an ineffective ruler.!

He had 3 Sons.

They signed the

Treaty of Verdun, dividing the empire

into three kingdoms.

The lack of strong rulers led

to a new system of governing: feudalism.

Charlemagne becomes Emperor

As a result the kings lost

power and central authority broke

down.

To encourage learning. He opened a

palace school and ordered monasteries to open schools to train

future monks and priests.

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The gradual decline of the Roman Empire ushered in an era of

European history called the Middle

Ages.

Invasions and warfare caused a series of

changes that altered the economy,

government, and culture.

The concept of government

changed. Written law gave way to

personal ties.

Clovis united the Franks into one

kingdom and germans adopted

christianity.

A strategic partnership between

the political and religious powers

began.

His sons signed the Treaty of Verdum

and lack of a strong leader gave way to

feudalism.

Charles Martel defeated Muslim

raiders from Spain at the

Battle of Tours

Charlemagne built an empire

greater than any known since

ancient Rome.

Among Romans the level of

learning sank sharply.