3.1 The Dark Ages - P -

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   Age 3 : The age of Monks and Knights

3.1 The Dark Ages

500 - 1000 AD

AGE 3: the Time of Monks and Knights

500 - 1000 AD

Typical Aspects:

1. the spread of Christianity in Europe
2. the rise and spread of Islam
3. the Manorial system and serfs
4. the Feudal system

AKA: Early Middle Ages / Dark Ages

What is this lesson about?

Local Germanic rulers came to power after the fall of the Roman Empire. They had a warrior culture that focused on the bond between lords and their vassals. From the sixth century the Franks established an empire that controlled large parts of Europe.

What you can explain /  do after this lesson

- Who were the Franks?

- How did the Franks establish a new empire?

- How did the system of lords and vassals work?

- how was exchanging gifts a way to form and maintain friendly alliances.

- Who was Charlemagne?

- Why was Charlemagne such an important ruler and innovator?

Important dates in this lesson:

476: Fall of the Western Roman Empire

486: Clovis united all the Franks under his rule

508: Clovis baptised as a Christian

720: Charles Martel conquers Frisia

732: Battle of Poitiers

800: Charlemagne crowned emperor by the pope

Open questions

• What is the question asking of me?
• Do you know all the words in the Q?
• Are there key words?
• What steps do I have to make?

What to know:

• Second Punic War > indication of time
• Hannibal > what was he? and with who was he attacking Rome?
• Carthage > what is that?

What are you going to do?

• In groups you are going to re-answer one of the test questions. Try taking the steps that shown on the previous slide
• You will have 5 minutes to discuss the answer

Why did Caesar let the senate give him the title "dictator for life" and not "king"?

Look at your own answer

• How did you approach this question on the test?
• How did you approach this question just now?

5 MINUTES

The Frankish Empire

One of the local leaders who had served under the Romans, was the Frank Childeric (c. 440-482). He was not himself leader of all the Franks, but the Frankish Empire was established from the area he controlled around Tournai (Belgium). His son Clovis (c. 466-511) was able to unite all the Franks under his rule by killing other leaders. Among them were several of his relatives. He saw them as competitors for his position. In addition, he conquered other areas to extend his territory. Although many battles for power would follow, the Frankish Empire was from then on the most powerful empire of Western Europe.

The Franks had a warrior culture: it was common to fight. In combats and battles they could earn honor and booty. The amount of victories that a lord had on the battlefield and the way he showed bravery and - to our eyes - cruelty, provided him with power. 

source 3.1.2

Frankish warriors. Modern illustration

Why was being a skilled warrior important for the Franks? Use the term 'warrior culture' in your answer

   Age 3 : The age of Monks and Knights

3.1 The Dark Ages

500 - 1000 AD

What you can explain /  do after this lesson

- Who were the Franks?

- How did the Franks establish a new empire?

- How did the system of lords and vassals work?

- how was exchanging gifts a way to form and maintain friendly alliances.

- Who was Charlemagne?

- Why was Charlemagne such an important ruler and innovator?

What is?

continuity and discontinuity (in history lessons)?

Continuity: this means that somethings continues, or "keeps going on" . 

For example: After the fall of the western Roman empire Christianity continued as an important religion.

Discontinuity: this means that something ends and is replaced by something different (it does NOT continue)

For example: When the Roman monarchy ended and Rome became a Republic.

A system of government was replaced by a very different system. So this is "discontinuity".

Drag the hotspot to the correct box

Continuity

Discontinuity

Study this overview. Can you tell in your own words what it shows?

In the next question you must drag & drop texts to the correct category: discontinuity of continuity.

500 AD

500 AD

6. 

Christianity

International trade

Latin language

use of money

Roman roads

living in cities

Rome: the center of Christianity

literacy and education

What is?

centralisation and decentralisation ?

Centralisation: this means that a country / empire is ruled from 1 place (the centre) and by one ruler (king / emperor)

For example: The whole Roman empire was ruled from 1 place (Rome). Everywhere within the empire there were the same laws, rules, money, taxes. Everything was decided from Rome (the centre)

Decentralisation: this means that a country does not have one central point from where all the laws are made, but the country is divided into many different regions, each with its own ruler, laws, money, taxes, etc.

For example: Ancient Greece was a decentralised country because every city state had its own laws, rulers, money etc.

Centralized

Decentralized

Roman Empire is ruled from the senate > in Rome

Each polis has its own laws, government and 

source 2.8.4

The Pont du Gard is a famous Roman Aquaduct in the south of France, The Roman baths in Bath, in the south of present-day England, were constructed in the 2nd century AD. First elements (temple) were created between 60 and 70 AD.

Europe at the beginning of the Time of Monks and Knights

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was divided under different Germanic tribes, including the Franks. They had no cities, did not know how to write and they did not have one, but several rulers. 

Why did people live safe lives during the time of
the Roman Empire? There are two correct answers.

1. Slaves were trained and given weapons to protect Roman families.
2. The Roman Empire had a professional army to secure its protection.
3. People in Roman times travelled as little as possible.
4. The Empire did not have competing rulers, but was run centrally from Rome.

The Frankish Empire

• The Frankish Empire was established from the area around Tournai (Belgium) where the Frank Childeric (c. 440-482) was in control.
• His son Clovis, managed to unite all the Franks under his rule by: 1. killing other leaders, including his own relatives and 2. conquering other areas to extend his territory. > He would eventually make the Frankish Empire the most powerful empire of Western Europe.

The Franks had a warrior culture: it was common to fight. 

A skilled warrior would have a lot of victories > he earns more booty and honor > showing more bravery (and cruelity) would earn him power.

source 3.1.2

Frankish warriors. Modern illustration

How did Clovis increase his power?
(two answers)

The Frankish Empire

• Lord  > term used for rulers, such as kings.
• In Germanic society, the bond between a lord and his followers, vassals, was very important > 

1. Vassals fought for the lord and gave him respect
2. The lord offerd his vassals protection, shelter and income

• The more vassals a lord has, the more power he holds. 

The bonds between lords and their vassals were strengthened in the hall > people ate and drank, made music and listened to stories together.

But also: making important decisions about war and alliances 

source 3.1.3

Archaeologists get a better understanding of how a building such as a hall looked like by making reconstructions: this hall is in West Stow (England).

Golden gifts

• Giving and receiving gifts contributed to a lord’s status and power > giving gifts would guarantee that vassals were loyal to their lord. 
• Exchanging gifts with other lords was used to form or maintain friendly alliances. 
• What type of gifts would lords give each other? 

The lord and his followers stood at the top of society. Below them was a group of merchants and craftsmen. Farmers and other workers formed the bottom social layer.

source 3.1.4

Fibula (cloak pin) from the 7th century, found in Wijnaldum, Friesland. Was it war booty or a gift for or from a Frisian lord?

www.google.com

Franks and Frisians

• The expansion often came to a standstill in the centuries that followed >  it was personal property of the King. 
• When he died, the land was divided among his sons. They fought each other to get their hands on more territory.

Lords at the borders paid little attention to the Frankish kings.

• Example: The Frisians  

In the first half of the eighth century, the Franks started the political centralisation of their Empire. 

• They removed the power of local rulers > to increase the influence of the Frankish kings. 
• The military leader Charles Martel (r. 718-741) managed to defeat the Frisians and gain possession of their lands.

source 3.1.5

During the 6th and 7th century, North-western Europe was inhabitant by a number of Germanic tribes.

First make a note in your notebook.

Lesson 3.1

• The monarch (king or emperor) = HOLY

• In 800 AD Charlemagne was crowned emperor by the pope.
• Pope and monarch  made each other more powerful:
•           King:      he became "holy", chosen by God.
•           Pope:     he got to decide who becomes king / emperor.

• It meant that a monarch was given the right to rule by God alone. His authority could not be questioned because he ruled in God's name.
• We call this: the divine right of kings. It lasted until the French Revolution (1789)

500 AD

Charlemagne

Which elements from the Roman empire did Charlemagne bring back to his empire?

Christianity

International trade

Latin language

use of money

Roman roads

living in cities

Rome: the center of Christianity

literacy and education

Fill in the gaps

congratulations