The main reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne

After reading this article, you will find out what are the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne. In addition, we characterize two dynasties (Merovingians and Carolingians) and features of the situation of Western Europe during the early Middle Ages. All this will help you to better understand the causes of the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne.

The situation of the tribes of Western Europe during the early Middle Ages

Western Europe in the early Middle Ages consisted of a number of barbarian kingdoms, whose position was unstable. In addition to the barbarians, their territory was inhabited by the local Roman population. By the level of its culture, it was very different from the conquerors. Germanic tribes were scattered. They had different customs and languages. Even those who decided to accept Christianity continued to worship the old gods.

The collapse of the Roman Empire (its flag is presented above) has already occurred. Only fragments remained of her. For possession of them argued by the Visigoths, Burgundians, Alemans and a number of other tribes. In this struggle, the leaders were the francs. It was one of the barbarian Germanic tribes that came from the lower reaches of the Rhine. The Merovingian dynasty rules them. Let's talk about it in more detail, and then describe the rule of the Carolingians and the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne.

Merovingian dynasty

It was a German pagan royal family. As a sign of kinship with the god Votan-Odin, men from her did not cut their hair. From the end of the 5th to the middle of the 8th century. Kings of this dynasty ruled the territory of future Belgium and France.

Clovis I (his portrait is presented below) ruled from 481 to 511. It was he who began to unite the scattered Germanic tribes into one whole. He was the first of all the Frankish kings (in 498) converted to the Christian faith. This was the beginning of the Christianization of Gaul. After his death, the kingdom was divided into 4 parts, which were ruled by his sons. Intestine wars began .

Dagobert I was the last of the Merovingian rulers. He took away a considerable part of the estate of the clergy and thereby aroused hatred for himself on his part. For the Merovingians, the clergy were a great support. She was just Dagobert. The abbots and bishops united against the king with the nobles and placed the mayorddoms-administrators who were also commanders-in-chief.

In the 7th century the power of the Merovingians gradually weakened. They were already deprived of their authority. They gave it to the majordomas, who in the 13th century were chosen from the Pipinids.

Pepin the Heroist

From 687 to 764, Mayordom was Pepin of Gheristala. Collecting all the forces, in 681 he defeated the Australians. After that, Pepin began to call himself the Duke of the Franks. Since then, the role of the Merovingians has become altogether insignificant. Kings were given a limited salary. They lived in the estate, where they received gifts, received ambassadors. However, they did everything only on the orders of the minister, who at first was Pipin. He often had to fight with friezes, bavarians and alemans. 27 years of rules Pepin. He died in 714.

Carl Martell and his victories

Karl Martell in 710 took the place of Pepin of Geristalsky, his father. He was perceived as a real king. His authority was very high due to the brilliant victories he gained. In October 732, the Battle of Poitiers took place. 6 days the battle lasted. The battle involved Franks and Arabs. Karl Martell won, and the Arabs were forced to flee. This victory enabled him to strengthen influence throughout Europe, and not only in Gaul. Karl, dying, gave Carloman, his son, Paris; Pipin - Provence, Aquitaine, Brundgundia and Neustria; And the young Griffin got a small portion.

The Board of Pepin Short

All power after the death of Charles went to Pepin the Short, because Carloman, his older brother, was tonsured into monks. Thus, Pepin became the sole ruler. He was proclaimed king in 751 by the Pope. The last ruler from the family of the Merovingians was overthrown, and the dynasty of the Carolingians, who founded the Holy Roman Empire, ascended the throne.

Pope Stephen II in 752 asked Pipin to protect his land and the church from the Lombards. Pepin's heirs were Carloman and Karl. In his will, he divided the country into 2 parts, but Carloman died. When Pepin died, Carl was 26 years old.

Acts of Charlemagne

One of the greatest rulers in history was Charlemagne. It was a very warlike figure. Charles all 46 years of government tirelessly, from year to year, waged wars. They had a single goal - the spread of Christianity. Everywhere during Carl's life, his heavy hand was felt. The coronation of this ruler took place in 800, on December 25. Crowned by Charles Leo III. Since then, the Frankish state began to be called the Carolingian Empire. In Rome, in the church of St. Peter, the coronation of the new ruler took place. This was dissatisfied with the Byzantine emperor. This fact was the reason for the war. However, Karl decided to compromise. Byzantine emperor, he gave Dolmansky peninsula and Venice.

Charlemagne possessed the ability to keep the clergy in a dependent relationship. This ruler considered him his main weapon. Karl had a great defencist talent. He gave the right and strong laws of feudalism. Those state and public interests, which at the dawn of political life were inherent in the Germans, had to unite with the beginnings of the ancient Roman. However, this merging proved to be fragile, since the connecting elements were opposite. In any case, the idea of feudalism could not unite with the imperial idea. The fact is that in ancient Rome meant unlimited supreme power. Many different tribes inhabited the Frankish kingdom. Karl planned to replace the entire legal disorder with the uniform legislation observed in the empire. However, he failed to do this.

The death of Charles and the collapse of the empire

On January 8, 814, Charlemagne died of fever. Having fulfilled its mission, the Holy Roman Empire fell apart several centuries after his death.

Personal qualities of Karl's successors

Pointing out 3 reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, it is worth mentioning that the successors of Charles were unable to resist the corruption of the monarchy. His descendants disappeared organizational virtues and energy inherent in the Carolingian line and in Karl's face found complete expression. Neither in the state direction, nor in their personal qualities, they did not excite in the people respect for themselves. Suffice it to say about the nicknames by which people branded the last Carolingians to understand how unlike they were at the great ancestor. Only Ludovic, the youngest son of Charles and his first successor, enjoyed the sympathies of the people for their devotion to the Church and to Christianity. For this he was called the Devout. In many respects, the last Carolingians looked like the last Merovingians (they were nicknamed as idle by the parasitic and lazy kings). The descendants of Charles were not up to the great state aspirations. They were driven by ambitious desires, personal calculations, internecine strife and war, and not the good of the Empire. By this they contributed to the disintegration of the state.

The incompatible Germanic and Roman traditions

Describing 3 reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, this is usually called. The monarchy of Karl, as we have already noted, was an attempt to unite the two opposite traditions - the German and the Roman. The ruler was carried away by the idea of the Roman Empire, which required a special political organization. We needed a harmonious mechanism, in which everything would be driven by one will and served to achieve a single goal. The Germans were characterized by the desire for individuality, features in life. They were attracted by the ideas of personal freedom. The German could not understand the rights of another, he just wanted to be the master of his own territory. He did not want to know any relations that did not concern his personal needs.

Fragility

Continuing to describe the main 3 reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne short, we move on to the third. It became the extreme fragmentation of the state created by this ruler. The German tribes that were part of it were very fragmented. Ironically, the state in the strict sense can not be called the empire of Charles. After all, they are usually considered to be the territory inhabited by people who are governed by a single law, have a common name and are linked together by common needs. In the monarchy of Charlemagne, nothing similar happened. Its population did not constitute a separate nationality. He did not even have a common language.

So, we described three reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne. Their joint action led to the fact that a single state once ceased to exist.

Opinion of Guizot

Do you need 4 reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne? Then it is necessary to turn to the opinion of Guizot. He explains somewhat more complicated why the collapse of the Empire of Charlemagne took place. The researcher points out that the idea of the empire was sometimes defended by the Germans themselves. Guizot notes that not only national interests directed the struggle for it, but also personal calculations and geographical conditions. Ultimately, the researcher resolutely expresses the idea that the social and moral state of peoples in a given era has resisted any association, any broad and single government. People at this time had practically no ideas, as Guizot says. And those who were were too poor. The public relations were very limited and rare at that time. The horizon of life and thought was not extensive at that time. Guizot notes that great societies under such conditions are impossible.

Increased dependence of the peasantry

But this is not all the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne. 5 reasons can be identified, 4 of which we described. Remained the last. In the 9th century, the collapse of the Carolingian Empire was accompanied not only by internecine wars, but also by the invasions of the Norwegians. There was anarchy, which increased the dependence of the peasantry, who had to face the threat of plunder by Muslims and Vikings. There was localization of power. Now it is concentrated in separate castles and fortified places located throughout the country. In this gloomy era, feudal power, thus, was close to the earth. Almost all over the country, severe, seignorial courts have spread over the peasants. Although it should be noted that the south, where the deeper imprint left the legacy of antiquity, was less feudalized. In these places there were more noble estates, which were not in the feudal system, but in property. There were also more independent peasants here.

These are the main reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, briefly characterized. It is necessary to tell about the role she played in history.

The role of the empire of Charles

The empire, created by Karl, played a unifying role. It manifested itself mainly in international relations within Europe. Western Europe began in difficult circumstances its historical life. The economy was destroyed, the level of civilization dropped sharply, the old centralized state system was destroyed. Attempts to revive the former Roman Empire failed. State power within individual kingdoms remained weak enough.

The process of the collapse of the empire

The empire of Charlemagne and its disintegration is a topic that must be fully revealed. About the state itself and the reasons for its decay, we told. In conclusion, let us say a few words about how the decay process was going on. It proceeded from the time of Carl's death, which occurred in 814, until the beginning of the 11th century.

This process was gradual. Its role in it was played by various reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, which we noted. At first, more or less large groups were formed from the Carolingian Empire, which in the future became states of Western Europe. After a while, within each of these groups, fragmentation occurred into constituent parts. Over time, the main reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne led to the fact that by the 11th century Europe had become covered by a network of independent small possessions that were connected by a weak link. Established feudalism, which dominated in Western Europe for about three centuries and extended to all public, state, economic and family relations. It became the largest historical result of the disintegration of the monarchy of Charles.

Now you know the answer to the question: "What are the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne?" We hope that the information provided in the article will be useful to you.