Transforming Roman World
Major Question 1
 How did political power in Europe shift after the fall of
the Roman Empire?
First of all…
 Rome was divided into two empires in 284 AD by the
Emperor Diocletian
 West (Rome)
East (Constantinople)
What happened to Rome
in 476 AD?
 Western Roman Empire sacked and destroyed by
German Invaders
 http://www.history.com/videos/the-visigoths-sack-
rome#the-visigoths-sack-rome
Germanic Kingdoms
 German kings replaced many rulers in western Roman
Empire
 Roman Empire became collection of German states
Germanic Society
 Intermarried with people of Roman Empire
 Family=crucial bond
 Wergild
 Ordeal
Problems with Germanic Kingdoms
 Weak politically
 Little organization
 Why might Germanic Kingdoms have been weak
politically? Where did they get power from in the first
place?
 Needed more political power
Franks
 One of the few long lasting German states
 Clovis (500 A.D.)
 Strong military leader
 First Germanic ruler converted to Christianity
 Earned support of Roman Catholic Church
 Romans and Germans intermarry and form new
society
Christianity
 Before, Germanic Kingdoms = weak/disorganized
 Christianity at this point = strong and organized.
Popes
Bishops
Priests
 By end of 4th century, Christianity spreads throughout
Europe (missionaries)
The CHURCH
 Christianity had been organized into the Roman
Catholic Church.
 Anytime you see “The Church” (capital C) referenced,
it means Christianity/The Roman Catholic Church.
 Roman Catholic Church = The Church(Christianity)
 For example: The power of the Church grew during the
Dark Ages.
Power in Europe
 The Church gains power as Kings convert to
Christianity
 Why would Kings listen to the Church?
 Church gains great political power in Europe over time
Major Question 1
 How did political power shift in Europe after the fall of
the Roman Empire?
 Who held political power before the fall?
 Who took over?
 Were they politically strong?
 What happened?
 Who ended up with political power in Europe?
Recap
 Rome divides
 Germanic Invasions
 Sack of Rome
 Germanic Kingdoms
 Franks (Clovis)
 Christianity
 Church
Major Question 2
 How did the Church/Christianity impact European
society?
 Pope Gregory I 6th century
 Strengthened office of pope (pope has more power)
 What’s a pope?? You must know this, estudiantes.
 Church takes control of Rome and surrounding
territories
 Papacy = religious and political power
 Pope = Papacy = Papal
Papal power = power of the pope.
What would a papist be?
Religious Impacts
 As the Church grows, more people become Christians
and follow the pope’s rules and guidelines.
 Pretty simple.
Monks
 “man who separates
himself from ordinary
human society in order
to pursue a life of total
dedication to God”
 Benedict’s rule
 Primary emphasis on
prayer and manual labor
 Physical labor required
 Prayer 7 times a day
Monasteries – Where monks live
 Centers of learning
 Scriptoria – copied Bibles and Roman/Greek books
 Monks spread Christianity to Europe
Heroes?
 Monks provided moral
examples, social workers,
schools, hospitality, and
hospitals.
 How do these things
benefit society? How do
monks help spread
Christianity?
Nuns
 Female versions of monks
 Lived in convents
 Abbess in charge of each convent
Education centers for women
Major Question 2
 How did the Church/Christianity impact European
society?
 Political power
 Spread of Christianity
 Benefits of monks/scriptoria
 Nuns