Today we reviewed for out Middle Ages test tomorrow.

• Middle Ages were AD 476-AD 1453
• This new society has roots in: classical heritage of Rome, beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church, and customs of various Germanic tribes 
• 5th Century Germanic invaders overrun the western half of the roman Empire causing: disruption of trade, downfall of cities, and population shifts to rural areas
• Effects of Invasion, decline of learning: tribes had oral tradition, songs, but couldn't read Greek or Latin, Roman languages evolve (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian), few besides priests were literate
• Germanic kingdoms emerge AD 400-600
• Germanic warriors' loyalty is to the lord of the manor he provides them with food, weapons, treasure Result: no orderly government for large areas, small communities rule
• Clovis rules the Germanic people of Gaul, known as the Franks (which is where "France comes from)
• In 496 AD has a battlefield conversion-he and 300 of his warriors become Christians
• Church + Frankish rulers = rise in Christianity 
• His sister Scholastica writes similar rules for nuns 
• They operate schools, maintain libraries, copy books
• Church revenues are used to help the poor, build roads, and raise armies
• This is a theocracy
• Gregory's spiritual kingdom (Christendom) extends from Italy to England, from Spain to Germany
• Clovis' descendants include Charles Martel, known as Charles the Hammer
• Hammer defeats a Muslim party from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732
• Charles Martel's son is Pepin the Short 
• Son #2 is Charles, known as Charlemagne, meaning Charles the Great  
• Charlemagne:
• Fought the Muslims in Spain
• Became the most powerful king in western Europe 
• His son-Louis the Pious-was ineffective 
• His three sons couldn't figure out who will rule 
• They made a treaty at Verdun in 843 AD