- Franks control largest European kingdom
- The Roman province formerly known as Gaul
- Ruled by Clovis - the Merovingian Dynasty
- Major domo - mayor of the palace - ruled the kingdom
- Charles Martel - Charles the Hammer
- extended the Franks' region to the north, south, east
- Defeated a Muslim army from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732 - historic battle
- Charles the Hammer's son - Pepin the Short
- Possibly named for his unusual short haircut
- Working for and with the Pope, Pepin fought the Lombard
- Pope Stephen II named Pepin "king by the grace of God" - beginning the Carolingian Dynasty 751-987 AD
- Pepin the Short had two sons: Carolman and Charles
- Carolman died leaving...
E. Charlemagne takes center stage
- Charlemagne - aka Charles the Great
- Six foot four
- Built the greatest empire since Rome
- Fought the Muslims in Spain
- Fought Germanic tribes
- Spread Christianity
- Reunited Western Europe
- Became the most powerful king in western Europe
- Pope Leo III crowned him emperor in 800 AD after he defended him from an unruly Roman mob
- This signaled the joining of Germanic power, the Church, and the heritage of the Roman Empire
- Charlemagne's Government
- He limited the authority of the nobles
- He regularly visited every part of his kingdom
- Kept close watch on his estates
- Cultural revival
- Encouraged learning
- Ordered monasteries to open schools
- But, his heirs were weenies...
- His son - Louis the Pious - was ineffective
- Louis' three sons - Lothario, Charles the Bald, & Louis the German - split up the kingdom at the Treaty of Verdun in 843 AD
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