DR_The Dark Ages Flashcards
Card 01
After the fall of the Roman Empire, everything fell apart. Vandals, invaders, looters and plague totally devastated the great empire. Artifacts were plundered, even the houses and Coliseum were looted of materials for building houses etc. for the invaders.
August 24th. 410 CE, Rome is invaded by Visigoths. They setup a huge blockade surrounding Rome and starved them to death. Plague and cannibalism ruled for two years. People would sell the dead corpses as meat sold by the pound! This included dead Gladiators!
By the 5th century, Rome was run by warlords of other nations. With no more Roman armies, Rome was ruled by mercenaries.
The next SEVEN centuries until the Crusades, Europe was run by military strongmen. Violence, ignorance and superstition ruled the Dark Ages. Infrastructure crumbled. Sewers stopped working, aqueducts fell apart and there was no fresh water.
Card02
The 6th century. With no hope to bring back the glory days, Europe turned to religion as a desperate hope. Through missionaries and superstition, Europe had a new Emperor, Jesus Christ. This started the Crusades.
496CE. Christmas day. This is a RED LETTER day for the Catholic church. The Barbaric Emperor of Northern France, “Clovis” denounces his pagan beliefs and is baptized a Christian.
Clovis reasoned the best way to unify Europe is the promise of eternal peace of the Christian religion. He unified Europe through his people’s souls! People wanted the promise of peace, happiness and prosperity in the Christian religion.
Now through Crusades and Holy wars, Clovis SANTIFIES his attacks on other nations. During this time, Trial by ordeal was in vogue. Clovis dies in 511CE.
By the 7th century, nobody could read or write except the monks in the monasteries. Nobody went to school during most of the Dark ages. This was because of the Plague.
Card03
Charles Martel AKA “Charles the hammer”, 688-741. He never lost a battle! Charles the hammer fought off the invading Moors (Muslims) in Europe and won! Therefore the Christian religion became dominant in Europe. If Charles would have lost this war, America would be a Muslim nation instead of being a Christian majority.
800CE. Charlemagne, Charles’ grandson became the next Roman emperor. Before this there wasn’t a Roman emperor in over 300 years! Charlemagne brings back education to the empire and kick starts the dismal economy.
Charlemagne started Rome on the road to greatness again. He started the “HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE” by shoring up Christianity as a “Unifying agent” during the course of his 46 year reign, he launched over 50 military campaigns to expand the empire and save souls in his crusades.
Card04
With the Saxons, he beheaded over 4,500 people who refused to give up their god and become Christians. (This is an example of church atrocities) Charlemagne forced himself to learn how to read and write. Only monks knew how to read and write at that time (which proves the disciples of Jesus 800 years before were illiterate and didn’t write any gospels.) 800CE
He had 5 wives and 5 Concubines. At this time the church didn’t have any limit on multiple wives and Concubines. Altogether he had 22 children!
Charlemagne died at 72 (my current age)
866CE. Vikings attack all over Europe and England. They kill many people and plunder all they can find. In England there is no defense because they can surprise attack any land from the sea and pillage any town with a simple two day march.
This is a major setback which forced the people into the Dark ages for all of Europe. Europe has no money, no treasures and no food. The Vikings repeatedly come back and demand protection money not to raid the lands and kill everyone. Extortion Bigtime!
Card05
Alfred the Great builds fortresses to thwart Viking attacks. It worked but took 25 years to defeat the Vikings.
899CE, Alfred the great wins peace for his kingdom, but it takes another 50 years before the Vikings disband and settle into England’s Christian population.
1095CE Pope Urban II kicked off the first Crusade. For the next 200 years, nine brutal crusades devastated the Holy Land and its Muslim inhabitants.
The crusades brought back much knowledge. Books, medicine, Aristotle, cultural achievements, etc.
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