Middle Ages: Charlemagne

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• mavo, havo
• Leerjaar 1

Please note these key words:

• Charlemagne
  
• Pope Leo III
  
• Saxons
  
• System of dependents
  
• Carolingian culture
  
• Criminal law
  
• Trial by ordeal
  

Charlemagne

Lesson plan

The most famous king	20 min
What do you need?	10 min
Break	4 min
Work on your shield	10 min
Closing	5 min

Charlemagne

(748-814)

King of the Franks

First Holy Roman Emperor

Ruled over most of Europe

1.84 m

(hence: Charles the Great)

War!

• 30 years war against the Saxons: religious war
  
• Massacre of Verden: 4500 captured Saxons killed
  

How to manage an big kingdom?

800: Pope Leo III makes Charlemagne the first 

Holy Roman Emperor

Criminal law was written down

Reading and writing

Trial by ordeal

Carolingian culture

Copying classical books from the Ancient Greeks

Use of the same letter type in the whole of the Empire

Founding of schools to educate monks and priests

Criminal law was written down

Use of trial by ordeal

Use of public servants to carry out the orders of the king

Important people

Charlemagne - Frankish king, first Holy Roman Emperor

Pope Leo III     - pope that crowned Charlemagne as emperor

Saxons               - Germanic warrior people

Important years

768: Charlemagne becomes King of the Franks

800: Charlemagne becomes first Holy Roman Emperor

814: Charlemagne dies

Keywords

• System of dependents: government system. The king is an ally of Charlemagne, but has to pay taxes to not be attacked by him

• Carolingian culture: cultural revival promoted by Charlemagne
  

• Criminal law: list of offenses and the compensation for it
  

• Trial by ordeal: trial based on belief that God performs a miracle to save the innocent
  

What do you need? 

• Exercises in the workbook (hands up)
  
• An extra challenge
  

Lots of travelling

Short break!

Back to your shield

Why did Charlemagne's government system work?