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THE FRANKS AND CHARLEMAGNE
The Franks were a G______________ tribe that conquered most of
present day F__________ and G____________. Clovis was the f___________
king to u_________ the Franks. And he was the first to c____________ to
C______________________ . A subsequent *F______________ leader,
Charles M__________ who was a mayor of the palace kept M__________
forces from invading F_________ and kept Europe ruled by the C___________.
The greatest Frankish k______ was C____________ the G________, or
C___________________. Charlemagne hoped to u_________ all
G______________ tribes into a single C________________ kingdom. On
Christmas Day, AD800, Pope L____ placed a c________ on
C____________________’s head and proclaimed him “A______________,”
emperor of the H______ R________ E__________.
Charlemagne hoped to regain the glory of the R________ Empire. He set
up s____________ through his e__________, and provided f_________ that
allowed m________ to c______ the works of G________ and R________
authors. C____________ himself could r_______ but not w____________ but
that didn’t stop him from *p______________.
To gain j__________ at Charles’ court all you had to do was to r________ a
b______ at his palace gate. Also Charles set up a new g______________ that
was based on the G___________ system of giving of lands. This new
government was known as F________________. He considered himself the
f______________ of his country and therefore in charge of the c_____________.
He appointed b____________ and gave large amounts of l_________ to the
church making it r_________ and p__________. He imposed the d__________
p_______ for breaking r________ rules such as refusing b_________ or eating
m_________ on F____________.
 The Franks and Charlemagne

CLOVIS The service was performed with

great ceremony and the title of
The Franks occupied the east
"Most Christian King" was given
bank of the Rhine River for about
to Clovis by the Pope. This title
two hundred years. Then many of
was ever afterwards borne by the
the tribes crossed the river in
kings of France.
search of new homes. The region
west of the river was at that time
CHARLES MARTEL
called Gaul. Here the Franks
AFTER the death of Mohammed the
established themselves and
Saracens, as Mohammedans are
became a powerful people. From
also called, became great warriors.
their name the country was
They conquered many countries and
afterwards called France. Each
established the religion of Islam in
tribe of the Franks had its own
them. In 711 the Saracens invaded
king. The greatest of all these
and conquered a great part of Spain
kings was Chlodwig, or Clovis,
and founded a powerful kingdom
as we call him, who became ruler
there, which lasted about seven
of his tribe. When Clovis became
hundred years. They intended to
king of the Franks a great part of
conquer the land of the Franks next,
Gaul still belonged to Rome. This
and then all Europe.
part was then governed by a
They thought it would be easy to
Roman general, named Syagrius.
conquer the Franks, because the
Clovis resolved to drive the
Frankish king at that time was a very
Romans out of the country, and
weak man. He was one of a number
he talked over the matter with the
of kings who were called the "Do-
head men of his army.
nothing kings." They spent all their
"My desire," said he, "is that the time in amusements and pleasures,
Franks shall have possession of leaving the affairs of the government
every part of this fair land. I shall to be managed by persons called
drive the Romans and their mayors of the palace.
friends away and make Gaul the
empire of the Franks." Charles, who was twenty-five years
When Clovis united most of old at that time, became a mayor of
present day France and western the palace. This Charles is known in
Germany, he became the first history as Charles Martel. He was a
king of the Franks. Another one brave young man. He had fought in
of his changes was to convert to many of his father's battles and so
Christianity. On Christmas day a had become a skilled soldier. His
great multitude assembled in the men were devoted to him.
church at Rheims to witness the Muslims had conquered Spain, and
baptism of the king. A large in 732 they crossed the Pyrenees
number of his fierce warriors Mountains and attempted to conquer
were baptized at the same time. France. Charles Martel was not idle.
As quickly as he could he got regain the glory of the Roman
together a great army of Franks and Empire so he set out to make
Germans and marched against the changes.
Saracens. The two armies met Charlemagne had a passion for
between the cities of Tours in justice and invited everyone to
October, 732. On the seventh day a dinner or court no matter what their
great battle took place. The battle of rank. All you had to do was to ring a
Tours is regarded as one of the bell at his palace gate and you were
decisive battles of the world. Charles received in the court of Charlemagne
was victorious and was known as and he heard your case.
“the Hammer” after that for how he
used his battle axe. It decided that Charlemagne could read but never
Christians, and not Moslems, should learned how to write, but he wanted
be the ruling power in Europe. to recapture the glory of the Roman
Empire. He set up public schools
CHARLEMAGNE (one at his palace) for all children not
Charlemagne or Charles the Great just the rich throughout his empire
was Charles Martel’s grandson and and provided funds that allowed
the greatest of the Frankish kings. In monks to copy the works of Greek
an era when most men were little and Roman authors. These were
more than five feet tall, Charlemagne given to the students to use. While
stood six feet, four inches. He took he could read he could not write so
part in about 60 battle campaigns he kept tablets and blanks under his
and expanded the kingdom of the pillow so late at night he could
Franks into Spain and Central practice
Europe. Charlemagne’s goal was to Another of Charlemagne’s
unite all of the Germanic tribes into a achievements was that of an
single Christian kingdom. When the organized government. He
Lombards attacked the papal combined the German system of
territory in 774, Charlemagne chieftains and dukes with the Roman
marched into Italy and defeated the tradition of a Centralized government
Lombards, and rescued the Pope. and created the first forms of
On Christmas Day, 800, Pope Leo III Feudalism, a type of government
repaid Charlemagne for defeating based on the giving of land.
the Lombards. As Charlemagne He considered himself the father of
rose from prayer, Leo placed a his country and he was in charge of
crown on his head and proclaimed appointing bishops and the church.
him “Augustus,” emperor of the “Holy He imposed the death penalty for
Roman Empire.” The coronation breaking fast on Lent, eating meat
united Christendom and started the on Friday and refusing baptism. He
birth of western European civilization gave largest pieces of land to the
under Charlemagne’s rule. When church and the church grew rich and
Charlemagne named his son as his powerful because of it.
successor, he presided over the
ceremony himself and did not invite
the Pope. Charlemagne hoped to