5.1 Lords and vassals, Franks and Frisians

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• Middelbare school
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• Leerjaar 1

   Age 3 : The age of Monks and Knights

5.1 Lords and vassals, Franks and Frisians

500 - 1000

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?

Word Duty

Franks - most powerful of the Germanic tribes

Warrior culture - culture in which fights and battles are ways to achieve honour and power

Lord - medieval word for rulers, such as kings

Vassals - follower of a lord with special rights

Hall - room to accomodate a large group. It was used to make important decisions

Hereditary: going from father to son(s).

Frisians - people who lived in the northern and western parts of the Netherlands and along the river delta in the middle of the Netherlands.

Charlemagne - also known as Charles the Great, was king of the Franks. He united most of Western Europe into one empire.

Saxons - Germanic tribe, they invaded England

Barrows - large mounds used as graves

KEY WORDS

Europe at the beginning of the Time of Monks and Knights

1. In your textbook, read "Local 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.

2. In your textbook, read "The Frankish Empire".
How did Clovis increase his power?
(two answers)

3. In your textbook, read source 5.9.
Why did people fear Clovis?

4. Why was the death of a Frankish king often followed
by a war or splitting up of the Empire?

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".

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

For the Franks and other Germanic tribes a lot of things also
changed or continued.

5a. Choose 'continuity' if it was an idea of their own. Choose 'discontinuity' if they adopted they idea from the Romans.

a. The Germanic tribes had several rulers.

1. continuity
2. discontinuity

5b. The Frankish ruler Clovis converted to Christianity.

1. continuity
2. discontinuity

5c. Gift-giving was used by Frankish lords to
guarantee the
loyalty of his followers.

1. continuity
2. discontinuity

5d. The power and property of the Frankish
kings was hereditary

1. continuity
2. discontinuity

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.

7. It says that Frankish rulers started with
the political centralisation of their Empire.
Would you consider gift-giving as political
centralisation or political decentralisation? Explain your answer.

8. Look at source 5.11. This pin was made out of silver and gold. It is richly decorated with precious stones called almandine. Almandine are pretty rare and are only found in parts of Asia near India.
a. What does this pin tell us about the status of its owner? Explain your answer

8b. What does this pin tell us about trade in the Early Middle Ages? Explain your answer.

9.

Kings

Lords

vassals

hall

gifts

decisions

protection

10. Where did the two Germanic tribes live? Drag to the right position.

Franks

Frisians

11. In Dutch Charlemagne is called.....

12. Which event is shown on the painting?

13. Look at the source. Besides a ship burial, archaeologists at
Sutton Hoo have found a number of objects in graves,
from weapons to pottery. What do these objects tell us
about the beliefs of the Angles and Saxons?

Write down one question about something from this lesson that you find difficult.

congratulations