Charlemagne notes

• Middle ages= medieval period
• 476-1453 AD
• (from the end of the roman empire to the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks)
• medieval Europe is fragmented 

This is a new society 

this new society has roots in:

• classical heritage of Rome
• beliefs of the roman catholic church
• customs of various Germanic tribes

5th century Germanic invaders

overrun the western half of the roman empire

causing:

• disruption of trade
• downfall of cities
• population shits to rural areas 

Effects of invasion

declining of learning 

• romance languages evolve (french, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian)

Germanic kingdoms emerge: AD 400-600

Germanic warriors' loyalty is to the lord of the manor 

he provides them w/ food, weapons, treasure 

result:

• no orderly government for large areas 
• small communities rule 

- pope Gregory I (Gregory the great) goes secular (worldly power)

- Church revenues are used to help to poor, build roads and raise armies

- this is a theocracy

- Gregory's spiritual kingdom (Christendom) extends from Italy to England, from Spain to Germany 

- hammer defeats a Muslim raiding party from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732 (if he hadn't won, western Europe could have become part of the Muslim Empire