Rise of the Franks
Charlemagne
What happened to the Roman Empire?
What was lost when Rome fell?
Large cities
Democratic
government
Centralized
government
Focus on law and
justice
Reading & writing
Trade
What remained?
Christianity
Germanic tribes
converted and
began to grow in
power.
Created
monasteries
–
The only places that
kept literacy alive.
The Franks
Germanic tribes that migrated into Gaul in
the 5th and 6th centuries
Fierce warriors
– Larger than average
– Battle axe
The Battle of Tours
Fought Oct. 10, 732
near Tours, France
Charles Martel
Results:
– Decisive victory for
Franks
– Prevented Muslim
conquest of Europe
beyond Spain.
Frankish Kings
Charles Martel
– The Hammer
Pepin
– The Short
Charlemagne
– Charles The Great
Charlemagne
Carolingian dynasty
For his spread of the Christian faith, two
forces were needed:
– Spiritual – already existed as the Western
Church
– Secular – the political authority to rule
Pope Leo III proclaimed him “The
Consecrated Lord of Christendom” and
“Emperor of the Romans”
Coronation of Charlemagne
Illuminated manuscript "The Coronation of Charlemagne"
A New Chance for Empire
Charlemagne’s Sons Mess It Up
They fought over the land and eventually
split it up.
Lack of a single leader or administration
lead to a new form of government…
Feudalism
Feudalism
Feudalism

Political and
economic system
based on land
ownership and
personal loyalty.
Feudalism
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Fifes given out for “services and
loyalty” to nobles
Nobles gave out the right to work the
land to serfs
No central government
Europeans Under Constant Attack

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Vikings,
Magyars, and
Muslims raided
Europe.
Lords
defended the
peasants.
Castles
Knights
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Knights were the
warrior class.
Armed and
armored.
Chivalry was their
code of conduct.
• Loyal
• Brave
• Courteous
Manorial Economy
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Named after “manor,” which is where
the lord lived.
Self sufficient communities
Peasants owed their lord three days
of work each week.
Also paid to grind grain, get married,
or anything else that required the
lord’s approval.
Agriculture

Three Field
System
• Plant two fields
each year and
leave third
fallow (empty)
• Increased food
production
• Increased
population
Medieval Life
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Lots of back breaking work
Illness and malnutrition
Average life expectancy was 35
Most people never traveled more
than 25 miles from where they were
born
The Church was the social and
cultural center of the community
Medieval Medicine
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Poor hygiene
Medical
knowledge was
limited
People believed
that disease was
spread by bad
odors.
It was also
assumed that
diseases resulted
from sins.
Medieval Medicine
First Patient
Your patient has black and blue blotches all over
her body. You are fairly certain it is the plague.
What treatment do you prescribe?
A. Apply sterile egg whites.
B. Give the patient a treacle (made from over 60
ingredients including the roasted skin of vipers).
C. Swaddle the patient and shave the sign of the
cross into her head.
Medieval Medicine
Second Patient
Your patient has taken to his bed with chills, a
fever, and a terrible headache. When you
examine him, you find pimple-like spots covering
his skin. Your diagnosis is smallpox, a contagious
disease common in your time. How will you treat
this patient?
A. Soak a piece of linen in a mixture of peony root
and rose oil and apply it to the affected areas.
B. Have the patient eat chicken broth.
C. Wrap the patient in red cloth and drape red
hangings around his bed.
Medieval Medicine
Last Patient
You have a patient who is showing all the signs
of having leprosy, what do prescribe for the
treatment?
A. Have the patient attend his own funeral and
banish him to a colony.
B. Amputate the patient's limb that is afflicted.
C. Mix vinegar, sulfur, and oil and place on
affected area.
The Western Church
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The Church was heavily involved in
politics.
Church could threaten kings with
excommunication or interdict.
Constant struggle for power between
church and state.
Excommunication Today
•
•
•
•
•
Canon 1364: apostasy, heresy, or schism
Canon 1367: violation of the sacred species
Canon 1370: laying violent hands on the Pope
Canon 1378: absolution of an accomplice
Canon 1382: Episcopal consecration without
authorization from the Holy See
• Canon 1388: violation of the seal of Confession
by a Confessor
• Canon 1398: procuring an abortion
The Western Church

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Organized under the Pope in
Rome.
To increase their power they:
• Assumed legal authorities
• Sent out their own
diplomats
• Collected money from
tithes: everyone had to
give 10% of their income
to the church or else…