Middle Ages

Pepin

751

Pepin became the King of Franks in 751. He was the first ruler from the Carolingian Dynasty of Frankish rulers. He laid the ground for the other rulers to have a standard to follow. Pepin was a powerful leader and kept a good relationship with others.

Charlemagne Crowned Holy Roman Emperor

800

On Christmas Day in 800, Pope Leo placed a crown on Charlemagne's head and proclaimed him emperor of the Romans. As Charlemagne's power grew, so did his prestige as the most powerful Christian ruler. He was known for one of the most powerful leaders at that time.

Expansion of the Carolingian Empire

800

The expansion of the Carolingian Empire was a positive thing for most. The Carolingian Empire was very significant for the later history of Europe. Many leaders were able to gain power since there were more people and territory to control.

Charlemagne's Death

814

Charlemagne died in 814. When Charlemagne died, this gave others the opportunity to step into his shoes and try and grow the Roman Empire as he did. He had many achievements during his reign.

Treaty of Verdun

843

The Carolingian Empire began disintegrating soon after Charlemagne's death. In 843, after their father's death, the three surviving brothers signed the Treaty of Verdun. This agreement divided the Carolingian Empire. This allowed the powerful people to have less conflict or focus more on their new ideas and plans.

Emergence of Cities

950

The revival of trade led to a revival of cities. More people needed places to live. This was a problem for some towns and cities. Once there were more cities that were needing to be run, this is when different kings and popes would have to step up to help their people with their power.

Vikings Invasion

994

The main reasoning for the Vikings raiding Britain was simply because of wealth. Another reasoning was their love of adventure. The Vikings were warriors and they had to step up and use their power to be successful.

The Rights of Townspeople

1100

By 1100, townspeople were obtaining charters of liberties from their territorial lords that granted them the privileges they wanted. This gave townspeople hope that they were able to live a better life than they wanted and they were also able to believe in their powerful leaders.

The Age of Gothic Cathedrals

1150

Once many of the Gothic Cathedrals were being built as the greatest artistic triumphs of the High Middle Ages, this allowed popes to control and use their power to educate others.

Growth of Guilds

1150

From the twelfth century on, merchants and artisans began to organize themselves into guilds, which came to play a leading role in the economic life of the cities. The guild system had many obvious advantages such as providing a large measure of social and economic security for its members. This was helpful for every citizen even the kings and popes.