A European Empire Evolves
- franks control largest European kingdom
- the roman province formerly known as Gaul
- ruled by Clovis - the Merovingian dynasty
- major domo - mayor of the palace - ruled the kingdom
- Charles Martel Charles the hammer
- extended the franks reign to the north, south and east
- defeated Muslim army from Spain at the battle of tours in 732
- Charles the hammer had a son - Pepin the short
- possibly named for his unusual hair cut
- working for and with the pope, Pepin fought the Lombards
- Pope Stephen II named pepin "king by the grace of God" - beginning the Carolingian Dynasty
Charlemagne takes center stage
- Charlemagne - aka Charles the Great
- six foot four
- built the greatest empire since rome
- fought the muslems in spain
- fought Germanic tribes
- spread Christianty
- reunited western Europe
- became the most powerful king in western Europe
- pope leo III crowned him emperor in 800 AD after he defended him from an unruly roman mob
- he limited the authority of the nobles
- he regularly visited every part of his kingdom
- kept close watch on his huge estates
- encouraged learning
- ordered monasteries to open schools
No comments:
Post a Comment