GKUUC Again...........

Germanic Kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne

The reason why many people are Holy Christians to this day

Middle ages = medieval period 476 - 1453 AD

476 - The roman empire broke up, Romulus Augustus was tolled to step down

1453 - Constantinople conquered by the Turks

This new society has roots in classical heritage of Rome, beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church, customs of various Germanic tribes

5th Century Germanic invaders

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 of Latin

Romance languages evolve ( French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian )

Few besides Priests were literate

Germanic Kingdoms emerge : AD 400 - 600

Germanic warriors loyalty is to the Lord of the Manor he provides them with food, weapons, treasure

Result :

No orderly government for larger areas , small communities rule

Clovis rules the Franks

Clovis rules the Germanic people of Gaul, know as the Franks which is where France comes from

In 496 he has a battlefield conversion - he and 3000 of his warriors become Christians

The church in Rome likes this

By 511 the Franks are united into one Kingdom, with Clovis and the Church working as partners

Spread of Christianity

Church + Frankish rulers = rise in Christianity

In 520, Benedict writes rules for monks :

Vows of poverty ( live simply in monasteries )

Chastity ( no marital relations )

obedience ( listen to church superiors )

His sister Sholastica writes similar rulers for nuns, they are school teachers, maintain libraries and copy books

Pope Gregory 1

Church = Government

This is a theocracy

Gregory's spiritual kingdom extends from Italy to England, From Spanish to Germany

Who's Running Europe ?

Clovis rules the franks in Gaul until his death in 5111

Most of the rest of Europe consists of smaller kingdoms

Clovis descendants include Charles Martel, know as Charles the Hammer

Hammer defeats a Muslim raiding party from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732

If the Muslims had won this battle they would of have runned through all of Europe and take it over and Christians may turn into Muslims

How do you the follow the Hammer ?

Charles Martel's son is Pepin the Short

He works with the Church and is named " King by the grace of God " by the Pope

Pepin the Short dies in 768, leaving two sons

Son # 1 - Carloman - dies in 771

Son # 2 is Charles, know as Charlemagne, meaning Charles the Great

Six feet four inches or rocking ruling warrior greatness