GKUUC

Germanic Kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne

Many Germanic kingdoms that succeeded the Roman Empire were reunited under Charlemagne's empire

Charlemagne spread Christian civilization throughout  northern Europe, which is where many of us came from

Middle Ages - medieval period
500 - 1500 AD   Medieval Europe is fragmented

Invasions trigger changes in western Europe

Invasions and constant war fare spark new trends

Disruption of trade
Europe's cities are no longer economic
Many is scare

Downfall of cities
Cities are no longer centers of administration

Population shifts
Nobles retreat to the rural areas
Cities don't have strong leadership

Decline of learning

Germanic invaders are illiterate, but they communicate through oral tradition
Only priest and church officials could read and write
Knowledge of Greek ( literature, science, math etc. ) is almost lost

Loss of a common language

Dialects develop in different religions
By the 800s, French, Spanish and other Roman based languages are evolving from Latin

Germanic kingdoms emerge

The concept of government changes

Roman society: loyal to public government

Germanic society: loyal to family
Germanic chief led warriors
During peace, he provided food, weapons, treasure, a place to live ( the lords hall )
During wartime, warriors, warriors fought for the lord

" Who's are King ? ''

Franks live in the Roman providence of Gaul - their leader is Clovis

The Franks under Clovis
Another battlefield conversion ( Just like Constantine )
Clovis and 3000 of his warriors are baptized by the bishop
The Church in Rome approves of this " alliance "
Clovis and the Church begin to work together

A simple mathematical equation :

Clovis' military experience + Church's support and money = A strategic alliance between two powerful forces

Germanic peoples adopt Christianity

511 AD - Clovis unites Franks into one kingdom
600 AD - Church + Frankish rulers convert many people
Fear of Muslims in Southern Europe spur many to become Christians

Monasteries and Convents
520 AD - Benedict wrote the rules for the monks and monasteries
Poverty, chastity, obedience, study

His sister Scholastic did the same for nuns in convents

731 AD - the Venerable Bede wrote a killer history of England

Monks opened schools, maintained libraries, and copied books ( Bibles, Greek text )  

Pope Gregory 1 expands papal power
Papacy = Popes office
Secular power = worldly power
Under Gregory the Great

Papal power ( Power the Pope ) is Political Power, Presented from the Pope's Palace

The Church can use Church money to :

Raise armies
Repair roads
Help the poor

Gregory the Great began to act as mayor of Rome, and as head of an earthly kingdom ( Christendom )