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The Germanic migrations, invasions of the Huns, and epidemic diseases brought the fall of the Roman Empire.
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(480-547)
St. Benedict strengthened the early monastic movement by providing it with discipline and a sense of purpose. In 529 St. Benedict prepared a set of regulations known as Benedict's Rules. The Rule did not permit extreme asceticism, but required monks to take vows to lead communal lives under the monastery. -
(481-511)
Clovis ruled the Franks from 481 to his death. Under Clovis, the Franks became the preeminent military and political power in Western Europe. Clovis and his forces wiped out the last of the Roman empire. -
(482-543)
St. Scholastica was St. Benedict's sister. She was a nun who influenced the Rules to provide guidance for the religious life of women living in convents. -
(590-604)
Pope Gregory I was the most important figure for providing the Roman church with its sense of direction. He was also known as Gregory the Great. Gregory ensured the survival of the church by mobilizing local resources and organizing defense troops. He reasserted papal primacy, the claim that the bishop of Rome was the authority of the church. He made contributions as a theologian and extending the church's appeal to western Europe. -
(751-843)
The Carolingians, an aristocratic clan, displaced the line of Clovis and introduced the authority of government. The Carolingian takes its name from its founder Charles Martel. -
(768-814)
Charlemagne, Charles Martel's grandson, temporarily reestablished centralized imperial rule in a society of invasions and disruptions. He brought the Frankish realm to its highest point. He was very intelligent and developed good relations with the Byzantine empire and Abbasid caliphate. -
Charlemagne was surprised when Pope Leo III proclaimed him as emperor, since he had no intentions of straining the relations with the Byzantine emperors who did not like the use of imperial titles in Europe.
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(814-840)
Louis the Pious was Charlemagne's only surviving son. He succeeded his father and kept the Carolingian empire together. Because he lacked his father's strong will and military skills, he was not able to control the local authorities. -
After Louis' death, his three sons waged wars against each other and ended up dividing the empire into three portions. They each ruled a portion as king.
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(871-899)
King Alfred led an effort to stop Viking invasions. Alfred built fortresses and a navy to secure the lands that he conquered from the Vikings. -
(936-973)
Otto of Saxony was very aggressive and established himself as king of northern Germany. -
King Otto faced a large Magyar army in Lechfeld. He defeated the Magyar army and ended the threat.
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Otto protected the church, so Pope John XII proclaimed him as the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
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(1056-1106)
Henry IV challenged Pope Gregory's policy. The pope excommunicated him. Henry later gained his title back. The disturbance allowed the princes to enhance their independence. -
Duke William of Normandy invaded England, and introduced Norman principles of government and land tenure to England.
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(1073-1085)
Pope Gregory VII ordered an end to the practice of the selection and installation of church officials by lay rulers such emperors. -
(1096-1099)
French and Norman nobles organized a more respectable military expedition to the holy land after Peter's ill fated venture. In 1099, Jerusalem fell to the crusaders. -
(1152-1190)
Frederick Barbarossa was a vigorous and gallant leader. He controlled the German princes, built a powerful state, and dominated most of Europe. -
(1170-1221)
St. Dominic organized movements designed to champion spiritual values. St. Dominic and St. Franciscan founded orders of beggars, known as the Dominican and Franciscans friars. The beggars were active in towns and cities and also worked hard to combat heterodox movements. -
(1182-1226)
St. Dominic and St. Franciscan founded orders of beggars, known as the Dominican and Franciscans friars. The beggars were active in towns and cities and also worked hard to combat heterodox movements. -
The Muslim leader Saladin united the Turks, Egyptians, and Muslims to expel the Christians from the Mediterranean. The Turks captured the crusade state of Edessa. Saladin also recaptured Jerusalem.
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(1202-1204)
The fourth crusade went badly astray. The fourth crusade never made it to Palestine because the Venetian, who provided the ships, directed them to attack Constantinople. The crusaders conquered Constantinople and installed a Roman Catholic regime that survived until 1261.
