Dancing in the Dark Ages(Middle Ages)

What does the Middle Ages remind you of?

Knights

Castles!

PeriodizationPeriodization

Early Middle Ages: 500 – 1000

High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1250

Late Middle Ages: 1250 - 1500

The beginning…Early Middle Ages• Decline of Roman Empire • Rise of Northern Europe • New forms of government • Heavy “Romanization” (religion,

language, laws, architecture, government)

• Latin- “medium aevum” means “middle age” and is source of English word “medieval”

Why is the Middle Ages called the Dark Ages?

• The Roman Empire collapsed leading to the Dark Ages.

• Rome represented a bright civilization that established order, government, clean water, impressive architecture, and the list goes on and on…

• Historians later started calling the Middle Ages the Dark ages.

Who is left after Rome falls?• Germanic Tribes (Barbarians): The

Franks take Gaul, Angles and Saxons take Britain, Visigoths take Spain.

• Byzantine Empire- Is still hanging around. (Formally the eastern half of the Roman Empire)

The Religion of Islam will arise in 622 AD

Europe in the 6cEurope in the 6c

Lets Be Frank, (The Franks are the Strongest Barbarians)

• The Franks were farmers than lived in small communities in Northern Europe

• In 486 King Clovis of the Franks conquered Gaul

• Clovis preserved many Roman customs, one was the Latin language.

• Clovis Converted to Christianity and the Franks became a Christian Kingdom.

• Christian Kingdoms will come in contact with a new religion

Rise of Islam in the Middle East

• Founder: Muhammad• Born: 571 AD in Mecca,

Arabia• Descendant of Abraham• Titles: The prophet, the

messenger• Holy Book: The Koran • Islam is recognized as an

official religion as of 622 AD

What do Muslims Believe?

• One God• Mohammad is Gods (last) prophet • Believe Jesus was a real person just not the son of

God. • Must travel to Mecca at least once in a believers

lifetime (hajj) • Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are very similar.

– They are Monotheistic– The all clam Abraham as their ancestor

The Spread of Islam • Islamic peoples quickly spread across the

Middle East and Northern Africa.

Culture Clash: Christian vs. Muslim• Muslims invaded Europe

taking all of Spain. • Next they turned their

sights on Gaul.

Who was the Powerful Germanic Tribe that was already in Gaul?

The Franks

Frankish King Charles (the Hammer) Martel

• Clovis’s Grandson Charles Martel is credited with the victory over the Muslims of the Battle of Tours (732 AD),

• which was an important event in world history due to the fact that it prevented Muslim expansion throughout Western Europe. 

• Think about it – it would be a different world, wouldn’t it? Why?

• founding father of heavy cavalry

(Also known as Knights), and chivalry

Charles’s Son Pepin the Short (Not as Cool of a Nickname)

• Pepin Gave some land in Italy to the Pope, that land is now called the Vatican.

• The Pope then clamed to be Gods special reprehensive on earth. (Roman catholic Church gains power)

• This starts a specialrelationship between theKings of Europe and thePope in Rome.

Pepin’s Son Charlemagne (Charles the Great)

• Charlemagne embraced the idea of being a Christian King

• Charlemagne set up schools that made copies of the Bible

• Then, all of a sudden Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor

• Charlemagne’s Frankish Kingdom will be split up between his three Grandsons

Front Page Newspaper Article (Battle of Tours)

• After the video, Imagine you’re a journalist during the time of Charles Martel (around 700AD)

• Create a Newspaper article on the Battle of ToursInclude the following:1. Name of Newspaper (Caswell Messenger…)2. What was the Battle of Tours? Who fought? who won?

Who was the main leader? 3. Why is it important. Explain in detail. 4. A short time line of the early middle ages 5. Pictures of events