germanic tribes such as the franks, visigoths, burgundians, ostrogoths, and vandals take over. ...

AFTER THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE…

Germanic tribes such as the Franks, Visigoths, Burgundians, Ostrogoths, and Vandals take over.

Trade stops, people move out of cities, and the exchange of ideas completely stops.

The Franks emerge as the most powerful of these groups.

CLOVIS First major Frank

ruler in Gaul Brought

Christianity to Gaul Defeated Visigoths Extends Frank rule

across modern day France

BENEDICT Created a strict

set of rules for monasteries

Established Benedictine order

Made learning “religious” during the Middle Ages

CHARLES MARTEL Nicknamed “The

Hammer” Defeated invading

Muslims at Battle of Tours, kept Muslim expansion into Western Europe limited to Spain

Strengthened power of Franks

Started Carolingian Dynasty

CHARLEMAGNE Built greatest empire of

the European Middle Ages

Crowned “Roman Emperor” by Pope Leo III

Conquered lands to South and East

Was able to limit power of nobles and lords (one of only leaders of Middle Ages to be able to do this)

What happens to the Franks?

Weak leadership and invasions cause the empire to be split soon after Charlemagne dies

Leads to more popularity for feudalism

THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIREWhat was it?

WHAT WAS IT? A German (and sometimes Italian)

empire created in the tradition of Charlemagne’s Frankish empire and the Roman Empire

Not really Holy (conflicts with church), Roman (based mostly around Germans), or an Empire (did not have diverse group of citizens).

OTTO THE GREAT Idolized Charlemagne Formed close alliance

between what would become the Holy Roman Empire and the Pope

Took over part of modern-day Italy

Crowned King in 936, crowned emperor in 962

HENRY IV of GERMANY

Famously involved in investiture controversy with Pope Gregory VII

Lost power for secular rulers everywhere

POPE GREGORY VII

Famously won power for church after humiliating Henry IV at the Showdown at Canossa (1077).

Issue is finally solved at Concordat of Worms (1122).

FREDERICK I Known as

“Barbarossa” Angered the Pope

and Italian merchants, losing significant power

Famous Crusader Drowned in 1190

Why do we care? Church gains power Europe does not unite-

leads to further spread of feudalism