Who is Charlemagne?
The Medieval era
Knights
Castles
Work?
April 15, 2021
Geography in West Europe
Second smallest land area of 7 continents
500 - 1000 A.D. known as a frontier land
Sparsely populated,
undeveloped area
on the outskirts of
a civilization
Muslim World & Europe
Islam appeared in Arabia in 622
Shocked when Muslims overran�Christian lands in Europe
Battle of Tours: 732 A.D.- �Christians won, Muslims still controlled�Spain
Muslim presence in Europe was anxiety-�inducing
Viewed as hostile
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Germanic Kingdoms
No cities or written laws
Small communities governed by�customs
Elected kings who led in war
Nobles pledged loyalty - �exchanged for weapons and�loot
Charlemagne
Also known as “Charles the Great”, reigned for 46 years
Pope Leo III asked Charlemagne to crush a rebellion in Rome
Crowned him Emperor of the�Romans on Christmas�Day, 800 A.D.
Crowning of Charlemagne
Charlemagne was German, now presides over the Italians
Roman Emperor of Constantinople - didn’t like Charlemagne being crowned
He was the sole Roman ruler
Huge rift between the eastern�and western Christian worlds
Charlemagne’s Government
Converted many peoples of empire to Christianity - in the frontier lands
Nobles to rule small regions of
Empire by giving them land
Missi Dominici Officials that�kept control of provincial rulers
Checked roads, etc.
Learning
Aachen - where Charlemagne ruled from
Wanted it to be a “second Rome”
Charlemagne could read,�not write - and clergy�were ignorant (or lacking�knowledge)
School in Aachen had a curriculum, or formal course of study
Included grammar, geometry, music
Charlemagne’s Legacy
Extended Christianity into England
Mixed German, Roman, and Christian traditions
Set up a great government
BUT… His empire fell apart�after death in 843 A.D.
Sons split it into 3 parts