1. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1

2. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1
Charlemagne’s Empire
Preview
•
Starting Points Map: Europe
•
Main Idea / Reading Focus
•
Building an Empire
•
A New Society
•
Quick Facts: Charlemagne’s Achievements

3. The Early Middle Ages
Click the icon to play
Listen to History
audio.
Click the icon below
to connect to the
Interactive Maps.
Section 1

4. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1
Charlemagne’s Empire
Main Idea
1. Through conquest and social change, Charlemagne tied much
of western Europe together in a single empire.
Reading Focus
• How did Charlemagne and the Carolingians build the Frankish
empire?
• How did Charlemagne’s actions contribute to shaping a new
society?

5. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1
Building an Empire
Powerful Kingdom
• Crowning of Charlemagne a surprise, but not random decision
• His predecessors, the kings of the Franks, worked for 200 years to make
kingdom most powerful in Europe
Frankish Empire
• By 800s Franks ruled much of western, central Europe
• Leaders most influential in expansion of Franks all belonged to one family—
Charlemagne’s family, the Carolingians
Early Carolingians
• One of first Carolingians to gain power, Charlemagne’s grandfather
• Charles Martel, political adviser, war leader for Frankish king
• Led Frankish army in many crushing defeats of opponents, notably Muslims

6. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1
Pippin
• Charles’s son, Pippin III, also skilled leader; won many battles,
captured new lands for Franks
• Became first king of Carolingian dynasty, 751
• Upon death, 768, Pippin passed kingdom to son, ruler known today
as Charlemagne
2. Charlemagne’s Rise to Power
• Charlemagne, Old French for Charles the Great
• Name proved accurate, Charlemagne a great leader
• Historically considered one of most important leaders in European
history
• Foundation of success, his military power

7. Section 1
The Early Middle Ages
Military Power
Increased Kingdom
Pope Leo III
• Assembled army each year, led
into battle against a foe
• Recognized Charlemagne’s
skill, called on him for help
when Lombards attacked Papal
States, 774
• Incorporated land of
vanquished foe into his sphere
of influence, formed alliances
with local rulers
• In this way Charlemagne
increased size and power of
Carolingian kingdom
• Papal states, region in central
Italy under control of pope
• Franks defeated Lombards;
Charlemagne became king of
Lombards as well as Franks

8. Section 1
The Early Middle Ages
Helping the Pope
Another Cry for Help
A Pope’s Thanks
• Pope Leo III grateful for
Charlemagne’s help against
Lombards
• Pope Leo III thanked
Charlemagne by naming him
emperor of Roman people
• 799, called on Charlemagne
again when angry supporters of
previous pope ran Leo out of
Rome
• Title implied Charlemagne had
restored glory of Roman Empire
in Europe
• Charlemagne had Leo escorted
back to Rome, restored to
power
• Pope’s action suggested that
Charlemagne’s rule had
backing of church, God

9. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1
Charlemagne’s Rule
Powerful
• Charlemagne had tremendous power as emperor
• Empire large, not easy to rule; changes made government efficient, effective
• Established permanent capital at Aachen, in what is now Germany
Delegating Authority
• Built huge palace, cathedral to reflect own greatness
• Chose counts, officials to help rule parts of empire in his name
• Counts bound to obey, granted large tracts of land, given much authority
Oversight
• Inspectors kept tabs on Charlemagne’s counts
• Rewarded counts who did jobs well, punished those who did not
• Inspectors helped ensure counts remained loyal, empire was well run

10. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1
Summarize
How did Charlemagne turn his kingdom into
an empire?
Answer(s): strong warrior; restored the pope to
power; provided stability and order; barons helped
him rule

11. Section 1
The Early Middle Ages
A New Society
3. Although Charlemagne is known mostly as a warrior and a political
leader, he also made sweeping changes to Frankish society.
Education
• Charlemagne personally
interested in learning, spent
much time studying
• Wanted leaders in empire to
be able to read, write
• Ordered churches,
monasteries to start schools
• Students learned:
– Religion
– Music
– Grammar
Scholars
• Noted European scholars
invited by Charlemagne to
Aachen
• Spent time teaching, as well
as studying, copying ancient
texts
• Sent copies of texts to
monasteries across Europe;
monks there made copies
• Saved many valuable works
for posterity

12. Section 1
The Early Middle Ages
Religion
• In addition to improving education, Charlemagne wanted to preserve,
spread Christian teachings
• Worked closely with church to create unified Christian empire
• Used force to accomplish, ordered those he conquered to convert to
Christianity under penalty of death
• Sent monks to live among conquered to help Christianity take root
Law
Great Heights
• Honored traditional laws of tribes
brought under his rule
• Western Europe reached great
heights under Charlemagne
• Most laws existed only in oral
tradition
• Empire did not survive long after
death in 814
• Had many tribal laws recorded
• Civil war wracked kingdom,
grandsons divided empire
• Allowed tribal legal codes to
maintain separate existence
• Empire weak, invaders poured in

13. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1

14. The Early Middle Ages
Section 1
Find the Main Idea
How did Charlemagne change society in his
empire?
Answer(s): built an education system, preserved
ancient writings, expanded religion, developed
single law code