After reading this article, you will find out what are the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne. In addition, we will characterize two dynasties (Merovingians and Carolingians) and features of the situation in Western Europe during the early Middle Ages. All this will help you better understand the reasons for 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, the situation of which was unstable. In addition to the barbarians, the local Roman population lived in their territories. In terms 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 adopt 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 it. Visigoths, Burgundians, Alemans, and a number of other tribes argued for their possession. In this struggle, the Franks became leaders. It was one of the barbarian Germanic tribes that came from the lower Rhine. The Merovingian dynasty ruled them. We will tell you more about it, and then describe the reign of the Carolingian and the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne.
Merovingian Dynasty
It was a German pagan royal family. In a sign of kinship with the god Wotan-Odin, men from her did not cut their hair. From the end of 5 to the middle of the 8th century. kings from this dynasty ruled the territory of future Belgium and France.
Clovis I (his portrait is presented below) reigned from 481 to 511. It was he who began to unite disparate Germanic tribes into a single whole. He was the first of all 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 controlled by his sons. The internecine wars began .
Dagobert I was the last of the Merovingian rulers. He selected a significant part of the estates of the clergy and thereby aroused his self-hatred. For the Merovingians, the clergy was a great support. It was just Dagobert who lost her. The abbots and bishops united against the king with the nobles and appointed the mayordom to him - the governors, who were also commanders-in-chief.
In the 7th century, the Merovingian power gradually waned. These were already kings deprived of their power. They handed it over to the mayors, who in the 13th century were selected from the Pipinids.
Pepin Geristalsky
From 687 to 764, the mayor was Pepin of Geristalsky. Gathering all his strength, 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 completely insignificant. Kings were granted limited salaries. They lived on the estate, where they received gifts, received ambassadors. However, they did everything only on the orders of the minister, who first was Pipin. He often had to fight with the Frisians, Bavars and Alemans. 27 years reigned Pepin. He died in 714.
Karl Martell and his victories
Karl Martell in 710 took the place of Pepin Geristalsky, his father. He was perceived as a real king. His authority was very high thanks to the brilliant victories won by him. In October 732 the battle of Poitiers took place. The battle lasted 6 days. The Franks and Arabs participated in the battle. Karl Martell won, and the Arabs were forced to flee. This victory allowed him to strengthen influence throughout Europe, and not only in Gaul. Karl, dying, gave Paris, to Carloman, his son; Pipin - Provence, Aquitaine, Brungund and Neustria; and the little Griffin got small fortunes.
Pepin Short Board
After Karl’s death, all power passed to Pepin Korotky, as Karloman, his elder brother, was tonsured a monk. Thus, Pepin became the sole ruler. He was proclaimed king in 751 by the pope. The last ruler of the Merovingian clan was overthrown, and the Carolingian dynasty, which founded the Holy Roman Empire, ascended the throne.
Pope Stephen II in 752 asked Pepin to protect his land and church from the Lombards. Pepin's heirs were Karloman and Karl. In his will, he divided the country into 2 parts, but Karloman died. When Pepin died, Karl was 26 years old.
Acts of Charlemagne
One of the greatest rulers in history was Charlemagne. He was a very warlike figure. Karl all 46 years of rule tirelessly, from year to year, waged war. They had a common goal - the spread of Christianity. Everywhere during Karl’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 a new ruler took place. The Byzantine emperor was displeased with this. This fact gave rise to war. However, Karl decided to compromise. To the Byzantine emperor he gave the Dolman Peninsula and Venice.
Charlemagne had the ability to keep the clergy in a dependent relationship. This ruler considered him his main instrument. Karl had a great organizational talent. He gave the correct and lasting laws to feudalism. Those state and public interests, which at the dawn of political life were inherent in the Germans, had to unite with the principles of the ancient Roman. However, this merger turned out to be fragile, since the connecting elements were opposite. In no way could the idea of feudalism unite with the imperial idea. The fact is that in ancient Rome implied unlimited supreme power. Many different tribes lived in the Frankish kingdom. Karl decided to replace the entire legal disorder observed in the empire with uniform legislation. However, he failed to implement this.
The death of Karl and the collapse of the empire
January 8, 814, Charles the Great died of a fever. Having fulfilled its mission, the Holy Roman Empire broke up several centuries after his death.
Personal qualities of Karl’s successors
Pointing out the 3 reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, it is worth mentioning that the successors of Charles were unable to resist the decomposition of the monarchy. His descendants lost the organizational virtues and energy inherent in the Carolingian family and found full expression in the person of Karl. Neither on the state line, nor on personal qualities, they aroused respect for the people in the people. It is enough to say only about the nicknames that people branded the last Carolings to understand how unlike they were to a great ancestor. Only Louis, the youngest son of Charles and his first successor, enjoyed the sympathy of the people for their devotion to the Church and Christianity. For this he was called the Pious. In many respects, the last Carolingians were similar to the last Merovingians (they were called for their inactivity by parasitic and lazy kings). The descendants of Karl could not afford 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 decomposition of the state.
Inconsistent Germanic and Roman traditions
Describing the 3 reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, they usually call this one. The monarchy of Karl, as we have already noted, was an attempt to combine 2 opposing traditions - Germanic and Roman. The ruler was carried away by the idea of the Roman Empire, which required a special political organization. What was needed was a harmonious mechanism in which everything would be brought into action by one will and served to achieve a single goal. The Germans, however, were characterized by a desire for separateness, especially in life. They were attracted to the ideas of personal freedom. The German could not understand the rights of another, he only wanted to be the master in his own territory. He did not want to know any relationship that was not related to his personal needs.
Fragmentation
Continuing to describe the main 3 reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne briefly, we move on to the third. She became the extreme fragmentation of the state created by this ruler. The Germanic tribes that were part of it were very fragmented. Oddly enough, the state in the strict sense cannot be called the empire of Charles. After all, it is usually considered a territory inhabited by people who are governed by a single law, have a common name and are interconnected by common needs. In the monarchy of Charlemagne, nothing of the kind was observed. Its population was not a separate nation. He didn’t 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 the once united state ceased to exist.
Guizot Opinion
Do you need 4 reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne? Then you should turn to the opinion of Guizot. He explains somewhat more complexly why the empire of Charlemagne collapsed. The researcher points out that the idea of 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 condition of the peoples in this era opposed any unification, any vast and single government. People at this time had practically no ideas, as Guizot says. And those that were were too poor. At that time, public relations were very limited and rare. The horizon of life and thought was not extensive at that time. Guizot notes that great societies are impossible under such conditions.
Increased peasant dependency
But this is not all the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne. 5 reasons can be identified, 4 of which we have described. The last one left. In the 9th century, the collapse of the Carolingian Empire was accompanied not only by civil wars, but also by the invasions of the Norwegians. Anarchy arose, increasing the dependence of the peasantry, which had to face the threat of looting by Muslims and Vikings. Localization of power has occurred. Now she concentrated in separate castles and fortified places located throughout the country. In this dark era, feudal power thus turned out to be close to the earth. Severe senior courts against peasants were distributed practically throughout the state. Although it should be noted that the south, where a legacy of antiquity left a deeper imprint, was less feudalized. In these places there were more estates of the nobility, which were not in the feudal system, but in the property. There were also more independent peasants.
These are the main reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, briefly described. It should be told about the role that she played in history.
The role of the empire of Karl
The empire created by Karl played a unifying role. It manifested itself mainly in international relations within Europe. Western Europe began in difficult conditions its historical life. The economy was destroyed, the level of civilization fell sharply, the old centralized statehood was destroyed. Attempts to revive the former Roman Empire failed. State power within individual kingdoms remained rather weak.
The collapse of the empire
The empire of Charlemagne and its collapse is a topic that should be fully disclosed. We talked about the state itself and the reasons for its decomposition. In conclusion, let us say a few words about how the decay process went. It flowed from the time of the death of Charles, which occurred in 814, until the beginning of the 11th century.
This process took place gradually. Various reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, which we noted, played a role in it. Initially, more or less large groups formed from the Carolingian Empire, which in the future became the states of Western Europe. After some time, fragmentation into component parts occurred within each of these groups. 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 estates, which were interconnected by a weak connection. Feudalism was established, which prevailed in Western Europe for about three centuries and extended to all social, state, economic and family relations. It was the largest historical result of the decomposition 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 presented in the article is useful to you.