The document summarizes the rise of medieval Europe following the fall of Rome. It describes how the Franks emerged as the dominant Germanic tribe in Western Europe under King Clovis, the first Germanic king to convert to Christianity. Pepin the Short then became the king of the Franks in 752 with support from nobles and the Church. His son Charlemagne expanded the Frankish lands into a large empire and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope in 800. This established the precedent of the Catholic Church legitimizing rulers in Western Europe and marked the rise of the Carolingian dynasty.
2. European consequences of the fall of Rome: 1. Less trade, less mobility 2. Roads, cities, bridges in disrepair 3. Education disappeared 4. Money no longer used / barter
3. The Franks emerged as the strongest Germanic group in Western Europe and established a series of Merovingian Kings . The first of these was Clovis .
4. Clovis was the first Merovingian King and the first Germanic King to become Christian . It was this conversion that gave his kingdom stability ! (Why?) Pull my finger...
5. It was Clovis who defeated Alaric and secured Western Europe for the Franks. Remember Alaric?
6. But these kings divided their lands among their sons. This led to smaller and smaller kingdoms that fought among themselves. Eventually, power passed to the mayors of the palaces.
7. The most powerful of these, Charles “The Hammer” Martel , led his people against Muslims at Tours, France (732AD) and became the dominant leader in Western Europe.
9. In 752, Charles’ son, Pepin the Short , became the king of the Franks with the blessing of the nobles and the Church .
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16. The Merovingian and Carolingian empires made one important contribution to history. They permanently linked the Nobles to the Church . This gave Europe the stability that other regions lacked.
