526 – 983 AD Flashcards
Franks, Charlemagne & the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire
Who were the Franks?
A Germanic tribe that settled near the Rhine and became Roman allies in the 3rd–4th centuries.
What made the Franks unique among the Germanic tribes?
They didn’t migrate; they stayed in place and absorbed Roman culture.
What dynasty did the Franks found?
The Merovingians.
Who was Childeric I?
A Merovingian king buried in Roman military dress—saw himself as a Roman commander.
Who defeated the last Roman claimant in Gaul?
Clovis I, Childeric’s son, in 486 AD.
What major religion did Clovis convert to in 496 AD?
Christianity (Catholic, not Arian).
What happened at the Battle of Tours (732 AD)?
Charles Martel stopped Muslim expansion into Western Europe.
What dynasty did Charles Martel begin?
The Carolingians.
What was the Donation of Pepin (754 AD)?
Pepin granted land to the Pope, beginning papal territorial rule.
What was the “Deal of Saint-Denis”?
An alliance: the Franks gave protection, the Church gave legitimacy.
Who was Charlemagne?
King of the Franks, crowned Emperor in 800 AD, founder of the Holy Roman Empire.
What was the Renovatio Romani Imperii?
Charlemagne’s slogan: the Renewal of the Roman Empire.
What was the Carolingian Renaissance?
A revival of Latin learning and Roman culture under Charlemagne.
How did Charlemagne treat the Saxons?
Brutally—waged 30 years of war and forced mass conversion to Christianity.
What happened on Christmas Day, 800 AD?
Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne Emperor in Rome.
What language did Charlemagne impose for law and worship?
Latin.
What was the Hildebrandslied?
A rare surviving Old High German poem from the early 800s.
What does ‘Deutsch’ originally mean?
From theodisce—’vernacular’ or ‘the people’s language’ (vs. Latin).
Who were the Slavs?
A rising Eastern people who began settling near and beyond the Elbe River around 800 AD.
What happened at the Treaty of Verdun (843 AD)?
Charlemagne’s empire was split among his grandsons, creating the outlines of modern France and Germany.
What marked the true linguistic birth of German and French?
The Strasbourg Oaths (842 AD)—early examples of both languages in writing.
What river marked the eastern boundary of Germany?
The Elbe.
Who were the Magyars and Vikings?
Pagan raiders who devastated Germany in the early 900s.
What major change happened in 911 AD?
Germans stopped using hereditary succession and began electing kings.
Who was Henry the Fowler?
Duke of Saxony, elected king in 918 AD, began building a strong Eastern frontier.
What was the Spear of Destiny?
A holy relic (said to have pierced Christ) moved to Saxony for political-religious legitimacy.
What was Otto the Great’s major victory?
Defeated the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfeld in 955 AD.
What new justification did Otto use for being crowned Emperor?
Translatio imperii—the German crown inherited the Roman Empire’s legacy.
What was the Great Slav Revolt of 983 AD?
A rebellion that pushed Germany back west of the Elbe, halting eastward expansion.
