Frankish Kingdom: People and Events

• These are study notes pertaining to key individuals, groups, and events in the history of the Frankish kingdom, the Carolingian Empire, and the early medieval period.

Key Individuals

• Merovech: Semi-legendary founder of the Merovingian dynasty and fought against Attila the Hun in 451 at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains.
• Childeric I: Son of Merovech and ruler of the Salian Franks, allied with the Romans against other barbarian groups like the Visigoths, and laid the groundwork for Frankish expansion and stability.
• Clovis I: The first Frankish king to unite all Frankish tribes under one ruler and converted to Christianity, which aligned the Franks with the Roman Catholic Church, marking the true beginning of the Frankish Kingdom as a major European power.
• Clotilda: Wife of Clovis I and a Burgundian princess and played a key role in Clovis’s conversion to Christianity, and her influence helped establish the close relationship between the Franks and the Church.
• Remigius (Saint Remi): Bishop of Reims who baptized Clovis I and helped solidify the alliance between the Frankish monarchy and the Catholic Church and was instrumental in converting the Franks to Christianity.
• Conrad of Franconia: First elected king of East Francia from 911 to 918, struggled to unify the kingdom against external threats, and served as a transitional figure between Carolingian rule and the rise of the Ottonians.
• Henry the Fowler: Duke of Saxony and first ruler of the Ottonian dynasty and strengthened East Francia against Magyar invasions, laying the groundwork for the Holy Roman Empire under his son, Otto I.
• Otto I (Otto the Great): First Holy Roman Emperor in 962 and defeated the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfeld in 955, establishing the Holy Roman Empire as the dominant power in Central Europe.
• Hugh Capet: Founder of the Capetian dynasty, ruling France from 987 and was elected king of West Francia, ending Carolingian rule, and his dynasty ruled France for centuries, shaping medieval Europe.
• Harun al-Rashid: Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age and strengthened diplomatic and trade relations with Charlemagne, and his reign was marked by cultural, scientific, and economic prosperity.
• Carloman II: Grandson of Charlemagne who co-ruled West Francia with his brother Louis III, struggled to maintain control over rebellious nobles and died young, contributing to the decline of Carolingian power.
• Pope Leo III: Crowned Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor in 800 which strengthened the relationship between the Papacy and the Frankish monarchy, and he faced opposition in Rome but was protected by Charlemagne.
• Louis the Pious: Charlemagne’s son and successor as Holy Roman Emperor and struggled to maintain unity among his sons, leading to civil wars, and his reign weakened the empire, leading to its eventual division.
• Charles the Bald: Grandson of Charlemagne and ruler of West Francia (modern France) that fought with his brothers over the empire’s division, and his reign helped shape the future Kingdom of France.
• Lothair I: Charlemagne’s grandson who ruled the central portion of the empire after the Treaty of Verdun, held the imperial title but struggled to maintain power, and his territory (Lotharingia) later became disputed land between France and Germany.
• Louis the German: Charlemagne’s grandson and ruler of East Francia (modern Germany) that strengthened Germanic territories and resisted Viking invasions, and his rule laid the foundation for the future Holy Roman Empire.
• Pepin II (Pepin of Herstal, "the Fat"): Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia who consolidated Carolingian power, defeated rival Frankish leaders, making his family dominant, and laid the groundwork for the Carolingians to replace the Merovingians.
• Charles Martel: Mayor of the Palace and de facto ruler of the Franks who defeated the Umayyads at the Battle of Tours in 732, stopping Muslim expansion and strengthened Carolingian rule, setting the stage for his descendants to take the throne.
• Pepin III (Pepin the Short): First Carolingian king, deposing the last Merovingian king in 751 and gained Papal support, leading to the creation of the Papal States, and was the father of Charlemagne, establishing the Carolingian dynasty.
• Charlemagne (Charles the Great): King of the Franks and first Holy Roman Emperor in 800 and expanded the Frankish kingdom across much of Western and Central Europe, and led the Carolingian Renaissance, promoting education and reforms.
• Carloman I: Brother of Charlemagne who co-ruled the Frankish kingdom with Charlemagne after their father’s death and died suddenly in 771, allowing Charlemagne to rule alone, and his death prevented a divided Frankish kingdom.

Key Groups

• Merovingians: The first ruling dynasty of the Franks that ruled from the 5th–8th century and ruled with a system of decentralized power, relying on local nobility and eventually weakened, leading to the rise of the Carolingians.
• Carolingians: Frankish ruling dynasty starting with Pepin the Short in 751 and oversaw major reforms and expansion under Charlemagne, and created a lasting legacy by founding the Holy Roman Empire.
• Mayors of the Palace: Powerful officials who ruled in the name of weak Merovingian kings, and Charles Martel was one, effectively ruling before his son Pepin took the throne, and their influence led to the Carolingian takeover.
• Franks: Germanic people who settled in modern-day France and Germany and were unified under Clovis I and later expanded under Charlemagne, and their kingdom became the foundation for France and Germany.
• Burgundians: A Germanic tribe allied with the Romans, later absorbed into the Frankish kingdom, and Clotilda, wife of Clovis, was from this group, and controlled a key region in medieval Europe.
• Goths: Split into Visigoths and Ostrogoths, playing a major role in Rome’s decline and established kingdoms in Spain (Visigoths) and Italy (Ostrogoths), and were eventually defeated or absorbed into other medieval kingdoms.
• Alamanni: A confederation of Germanic tribes in modern-day Germany and were defeated by Clovis I, bringing them under Frankish control, and their region later influenced medieval German identity.
• Muslims: Expanded into Europe via Spain, threatening Christian kingdoms and were defeated by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours in 732, and their interactions with Europe influenced trade, science, and culture.
• Lombards: A Germanic kingdom that ruled Italy after the fall of the Ostrogoths and were conquered by Charlemagne, leading to the creation of the Papal States, and their defeat strengthened the alliance between the Pope and the Franks.
• Saxons: A Germanic tribe in Northern Europe and England that fought against Charlemagne in a brutal 30-year war, and their forced conversion helped spread Christianity in Northern Europe.
• Northmen/Danes (Vikings): Scandinavian raiders who attacked Frankish and English territories and settled in Normandy and integrated into European society, and their influence shaped medieval politics, trade, and military tactics.
• Avars/Huns: Nomadic warriors who raided Central and Western Europe and were defeated by Charlemagne, securing the eastern Frankish border, and their defeat reduced the threat to the Carolingian Empire.
• Ottonians: Dynasty ruling East Francia after the Carolingians and Otto I established the Holy Roman Empire in 962, and they strengthened ties between Germany and the Papacy.
• Capetians: Royal dynasty that ruled France starting with Hugh Capet in 987 and established a hereditary monarchy, leading to the rise of France, and their rule lasted for centuries, shaping European history.

Political Entities

• Austrasia & Neustria: Austrasia was the Eastern Frankish kingdom with strong Carolingian influence, while Neustria was the Western Frankish kingdom, more Merovingian-focused, and their rivalry shaped early Frankish politics and Carolingian dominance.
• Papal States: Territories controlled by the Pope that were established by the Donation of Pepin and created a theocratic state in central Italy, and strengthened the Pope’s political power in medieval Europe.
• West Francia & East Francia: West Francia became the Kingdom of France under the Capetians, while East Francia became the Holy Roman Empire under the Ottonians and their division came from the Treaty of Verdun in 843.

Key Places

• Aachen: Charlemagne’s capital and cultural center, home to his palace and the Palatine Chapel, and symbolized the Carolingian Renaissance.
• Normandy: A region granted to Viking leader Rollo in 911 and became a powerful duchy influencing England and France, and the home of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

Key Events and Concepts

• Treaty of Verdun (843): This divided Charlemagne’s empire among his grandsons, creating the foundations for modern France and Germany, and marked the beginning of the fragmentation of the Carolingian Empire.
• Holy Roman Empire: Successor state to Charlemagne’s empire, officially founded in 962 and included much of Central Europe, ruled by the Ottonians and later dynasties, and played a major role in medieval European politics and the Church.
• Feudalistic Societies/Fiefs: A political system based on land ownership and vassalage and lords granted fiefs (land) to vassals in exchange for loyalty, and defined medieval European economic and social structures.
• Battle of Tours (732): Charles Martel’s victory over the Muslim Umayyads that stopped Muslim expansion into Western Europe, and strengthened Frankish power and Christian dominance.
• Donation of Constantine: A forged document supposedly granting the Pope political power and used to justify Papal control over the Papal States, and influenced medieval Church-State relations.
• Edict of Paris (614): Issued by Merovingian king Clotaire II to limit noble power and gave more power to local Frankish rulers, and aimed to stabilize Merovingian rule, but ultimately failed.
• North vs. South Europe (Medieval Context): Northern Europe was feudal, agricultural, and influenced by Germanic traditions, while Southern Europe was more urbanized, influenced by Roman and Byzantine culture, and these divisions influenced trade, culture, and power struggles.

The Rise and Fall of Dynasties

• How/Why Did the Merovingians Become the First Royal Dynasty in Frankish History?: The Franks were a collection of Germanic tribes that were settled along the Rhine. Merovech (semi-legendary founder) was said to be part-human, part-sea creature. His dynasty, the Merovingians, took control of the Franks and became dominant in Gaul. Clovis I defeated Syagrius in 486, subjugated the Alamanni in 496, and defeated the Visigoths in 507 at the Battle of Vouillé, securing most of modern France. They Established the first centralized Frankish kingdom that unified Roman and Germanic cultures and converted to Catholic Christianity, distinguishing the Franks from Arian Christian kingdoms.
• Power Transfer from Merovingians to Carolingians: The practice of dividing the kingdom among multiple heirs weakened centralized power, each division led to civil wars and infighting. The kings became puppet rulers controlled by powerful aristocrats. Pepin II of Herstal (Mayor of Austrasia) reunified the Frankish kingdom in 687. His son, Charles Martel, ruled without a king, solidifying Carolingian power. Pepin III sought the Pope’s approval to replace the last Merovingian king Childeric III and in 751, he was anointed king by the Pope, marking the official Carolingian takeover.
• Reasons for Weak Frankish Kings The practice of dividing the kingdom among multiple heirs weakened centralized power and each new division led to civil wars and infighting. Local aristocrats gained increasing autonomy, making kings irrelevant. The Mayors of the Palace became more powerful than the kings. The inability to deal with Viking, Muslim, and Slavic incursions weakened royal legitimacy.

Charlemagne

• Charlemagne’s Relations with Various Leaders (Kings, Popes, etc.): He Restored Pope Leo in Rome and was crowned emperor in 800. He maintained peaceful diplomatic exchanges with Harun al-Rashid. He Rewarded loyal nobles with land but kept strict oversight through the missi dominici envoys.
• Charlemagne’s Reforms: Established palace schools at Aachen. Standardized Latin script, improving literacy and record-keeping. Divided his empire into counties, each ruled by a count. He created a system of royal envoys to oversee regional governors.
• Clovis’s & Charlemagne’s Important Conquests: Clovis Defeated Syagrius in 486, Subjugated the Alamanni in 496, and Conquered the Visigoths in 507. Charlemagne conquered the Lombards in 774, Forced the Saxons from 772 to 804, and Destroyed the Avars around 795 to 796. Destroyed the Avar Ring, seizing vast wealth.
• Carolingian View of the Role in Church & State Matters: He Saw himself as a protector of the Church and Enforced Christian conversion through military campaigns. The Pope granted legitimacy to Carolingian rulers in exchange for military protection. Charlemagne directly intervened in Church affairs, appointing bishops.
• Charlemagne’s Wars: Charlemagne waged a brutal 30-year war from 772-804 and executed 4,500 Saxons at Verden. took the title "King of the Lombards" in 774. He Defeated Avars in 796, plundering their wealth.

Clovis

• Clovis’s Conversion: Was encouraged to convert by Clotilda his wife and Supposedly prayed before the Battle of Tolbiac, then won which Gained Papal support and Distinguished the Franks from Arian Christian rivals.
• Clovis Compared to Constantine the Great: Both converted after battlefield victories and Used Christianity for political unity. But Constantine tolerated paganism, while Clovis aggressively promoted Catholicism. Constantine ruled a vast empire, while Clovis had a smaller kingdom.

The Treaty of Verdun

• Why it Happened: Louis the Pious’s sons fought over Charlemagne’s empire.
• **Divisions:**Charles the Bald obtained West Francia, Lothair I obtained Middle Francia, and Louis the German obtained East Francia.
• Long-Term Effects: Laid the groundwork for the formation of both France & Germany while Leading to centuries of conflict between the two regions.