7. THE CAROLINGIAN EMPIRE WHAT WAS THE CAROLINGIAN EMPIRE? -
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After the fall of the Roman Empire, most of Europe was divided into small Germanic kingdoms. The Frankish Kingdom was created in present-day France in the 6 th century. But by the 8 th century the real rulers of the Frankish Kingdom were its leading officials.(called in Spanish “ mayordomos de palacio”) The most important official was Charles Martel, who defeated and stopped Muslim expansion in the battle of Poitiers in 732. Charles Martel’s descendants became the Frankish Kings. His son, Pepin the Short (Pipino El Breve), declared himself king in 751. His grandson, Charlemagne, continued Frankish conquests and he had the power in many territories (current France, Germany, Italy, and northern Spain). The Frankish kingdom had the power in medieval Europe and a vast area was united under a single ruler. On Christmas Day in 800, Pope Leo III crowned to Charlemagne as an Emperor of the West. The Carolingian Empire took his name. Charlemagne meant Charles the Great Carolingus was Latin for “Charles” The Carolingian Empire was held together by the personal prestige of the Emperor. Counts ruled in the provinces or counties The emperor sent inspection teams called the missi dominicii (the lord’s messengers) to control them Border areas, called marches were protected by armies. After Charlemagne died, the Carolingian Empire was divided into three parts, which were ruled by Charlemagne’s grandsons (Charles the Bald, Lothair, and Louis the German), this happened by the Trety of Verdun (843) We can sees the very distant origins of the later emergence of France and Germany in this division.