7. What are the features of the Early Middle Ages? Carolingian a. Charlemagne ’ empire: later known as Holy Roman Empire b. Carolingian Renaissance: to create an orderly/unified Christian empire, Revive wisdom of Roman writers; with Christian literature & learning; create new works of art/literature; c. Economy: farming and trade; d. Breakup: France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg, Sw;

Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, was among the greatest of military leaders in the Middle Ages. He conquered much of western and central Europe. As king, Charlemagne revived the political and cultural life that had disappeared with the fall of the Western Roman Empire four centuries before.

Charlemagne's Empire in 800 Under the rule of Pepin the Short and his son Charlemagne, the Carolingians of the 8th and 9th centuries conquered vast territories and combined large portions of western Europe into a single unit. In 800 Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Empire of the West, a region later known as the Holy Roman Empire. coronation.

Charlemagne and the Pope The Frankish king Charlemagne was a devout Catholic who maintained a close relationship with the papacy throughout his life. In 772, when Pope Adrian I was threatened by invaders, the king rushed to Rome to provide assistance. Shown here, the pope asks Charlemagne for help at a meeting near Rome.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Considered the primary source for English history between the 10th and 12th centuries, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle also contains earlier examples of prose. This page depicts Charlemagne, king of the Franks in the late 8th century, killing the heathen Saxons.

The Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne Charlemagne ’ s palace at Aachen, Germany, built about , is one of the finest examples of Carolingian architecture. The most dramatic part of the structure is the 16-sided Palatine chapel, shown here.

Monk in a Scriptorium Many of the books used for education in medieval Europe were reproduced by monks. They diligently copied entire texts in a monastery room called a scriptorium, which was designed for this purpose.

Portrait of Saint Matthew This is a page from the illuminated manuscript known as the Ebbo Gospels (about ). It depicts Saint Matthew writing his gospel account, and is a good example of the use of portraits of authors in illuminated manuscripts that was popular in the early Middle Ages.

Gathering Honey The women shown here is harvesting honey from beehives in the 15th century. During the Middle Ages, families that had the resources to do so often kept bees. Bees and beehives were an important source of honey, which was used as a sweetener and to ferment to make mead, an alcoholic beverage. The beeswax was used to make candles.

Routes of the Vikings The Vikings were both a warrior and farming society from the region now known as Scandinavia. They were also seafaring explorers who sailed beyond their homelands not only to raid, but also to build settlements in other parts of the world. The Danish Vikings went south toward Germany, France, England, Spain, and into regions on the northwestern Mediterranean coast. Swedish Vikings went to eastern Europe, while the Norwegians sailed to Greenland and North America.

Viking Raiding Party Viking ships, because of their shallow draft, were able to successfully navigate rivers and streams that many other vessels could not. This allowed the Vikings to raid settlements far upriver from the sea, settlements that frequently were not prepared for an attack from the water.

Serfdom in the Middle Ages During the Middle Ages in Europe, peasants became legally bound to live and work in one place in servitude to wealthy landowners. In return for working the land of the owner, known as the lord, these peasants, called serfs, received a crude house, a small adjoining plot of ground, a share of the surrounding fields, some farm animals, and protection from outlaws and other lords. The serf gave part of his own crop to the lord as payment of rent and was subject to many other payment obligations and taxes. Serfdom differed from slavery because serfs had the right to own property, could not be sold, and could theoretically purchase their freedom from their lords.

Weapons of Medieval Warfare During the Middle Ages, warriors in Europe developed into an elite class of knights. Living under the threat of invasions from foreigners, the people of Europe also developed a different kind of weaponry. Mounted warriors, known as cavalry, could move quickly and strike hard with axes, pikes, lances, and two-edged swords longer than those used by men on foot.