The kingdom of the Franks reached its true heyday during the reign of the third of the Carolingian dynasty, Charlemagne, the son of Pepin the Short. An outstanding politician and warrior, Charles fully deserved the nickname "Great": during the years of his reign, he personally led more than fifty major campaigns, in which he almost knew no defeats.

Having ascended the throne in 768, Charles set out to create a world power. He began his conquests with the Lombards. In 774, after several years of hard wars, the Lombard kingdom ceased to exist. Charles gave some of the northern Italian lands to the church, and included most of them in his kingdom and brutally cracked down on those who did not want to submit to his authority. Then he subjugated the neighboring tribes of the Bavarians, who were previously considered allies of the Franks. Having suppressed the attempt of the Bavarian nobility to get out of the "guardianship" of a neighbor, Charles gave this area to his counts to manage.

Four years later, Charles began long-term military operations against the Arabs in Spain. His first campaign was unsuccessful - the king's army encountered strong resistance and retreated. Only a few years later, Charles managed to recapture the northeastern regions of Spain, establishing a special area there - the Spanish brand, a "buffer" that prevented the Arabs from approaching the borders of the Frankish kingdom.

Of all the Spanish campaigns of Charlemagne, however, the first, the most unsuccessful, gained the greatest fame and eternal glory. When the Frankish army returned to their homeland, the rearguard detachment, led by Roland, Charles' nephew, was ambushed in a mountain gorge and was completely destroyed. This episode later formed the basis of the French heroic epic, an outstanding monument of early French literature - "The Song of Roland". Like any other epic work, the "Song" buried the true circumstances of the death of the Frankish soldiers behind a brilliant fiction. The ambush set up by the local inhabitants - the Basques, the author of the "Song" attributed, of course, to the Arabs, the main enemies of the Christian world at that time. The very campaign of Charles, which did not bring any results, turned into the apotheosis of the Frankish (French - if you follow the author of the poem, and not historical accuracy) weapons.

Simultaneously with the Spanish campaigns, Charles waged a protracted war on the eastern border of his kingdom - in Saxony. The Saxons, who lived along the Rhine and Elbe, seemed easy prey for the mighty Frankish kingdom: in fact, in social and economic terms, this people was lower than the Franks. However, in the face of the Frankish threat, the Saxons showed extraordinary courage.

At first, the conquest was quite successful, and Charles, having occupied the Saxon lands, soon withdrew the main forces from there. Among the first measures taken by the king of the Franks in Saxony was the forced introduction of Christianity. In addition to mandatory state taxes, the Saxons were also overlaid with church tithes, and they were also obliged to build temples at their own expense. The Catholic Church was already powerful enough that even Charlemagne, the most powerful European ruler of his time, did not neglect such an ally. However, the conversion of pagans to the Catholic faith went smoothly as long as Frankish troops were in Saxony. As soon as the army retreated, a nationwide uprising broke out in all the lands of the Saxons, the suppression of which cost the Franks dearly. Saxony was flooded with blood. Charles introduced the most severe laws specifically for the Saxon territories. The death penalty awaited anyone who dared to resist the power of the Frankish king or oppose the Christian faith.

The rulers of the Saxon tribes, who at first opposed Frankish rule along with everyone else, eventually went over to the side of Charles and recognized his supreme power. This helped them save a life, but not a position. Having suppressed the uprising, the Franks introduced their own system of government in Saxony, depriving the Saxons of their traditional popular assemblies. The local nobility, who took part in the uprising, lost all the levers of governing the country - from now on, Saxony was led by Christian bishops and counts appointed by Charles.
By 804, more than 30 years after the outbreak of war, the Saxons were defeated. To avoid new uprisings, Charles evicted the Saxons from their lands and distributed the Saxon lands to the Frankish colonists. Having begun their journey to European domination from the lower reaches of the Rhine, the Franks under Charlemagne returned to the same place, but as masters, and not as equals among equals.
Another problem for the Franks has long been the steppes of Pannonia, where since the time of Attila, semi-robber states have constantly arisen. During the time of Charlemagne, Pannonia was dominated by Avars - nomads who came from Asia. The Avars attacked mainly the Slavic tribes that lived next to them. In 788 they invaded the territory of the Frankish state. The victory over the wild and cruel nomads was very difficult for Karl. Only by entering into an alliance with the East Slavic tribes, he managed to defeat and completely destroy the Avar Khaganate, capturing countless booty. After that, Charles turned his weapon against yesterday's allies, subjugating some, making others his tributaries, formally independent of the Franks.

By the beginning of the 9th century, the formation of the state was completed. There has not been such a power in Europe since the collapse of the Roman Empire. Actually, most of the lands that were part of the Frankish kingdom belonged to Rome before. It was no longer enough for Charlemagne to be considered only the king of the Franks, he aspired to become a world-class monarch. And in 800, Pope Leo III in Rome laid the crown of Roman emperors on the head of Charles. The new empire, like the old one, bore the name "Roman". Charles the Emperor was recognized even by Byzantium, although he had to pay for this recognition: a part of the southern Italian lands previously conquered by the Franks went to Byzantium.

The history of relations between Charles and Byzantium is worthy of a separate story. By the time Charles was anointed to the imperial throne, relations between Byzantine Orthodoxy and the Roman Catholic Church had once again deteriorated. Both Charlemagne and Pope Leo III hatched plans for a military campaign against the Eastern Roman Empire. But the pope sought, with the help of the emperor, to subjugate the Byzantine church to Rome, and Charles needed mainly to achieve recognition of his imperial title, especially since the emperor of Byzantium had much more historical rights to this title and could challenge the legitimacy of the pope's decision.

Militarily, Byzantium was no weaker than the Frankish Empire, and Charles did not really want to fight. He proposed to the Byzantine Empress Irina, but was refused. Only after this did the war begin, which was not very successful for Charles. At sea, the Franks were defeated. On land, although they managed to seize some lands in Northern Italy and the Adriatic, most of these lands were returned in exchange for recognition of the imperial title for Charles. The pope, who took the initiative to seize Byzantium, gained practically nothing and only fell under the influence of the emperor, who from now on dictated his will to the church authorities.

Under Charlemagne there was a turning point in the relationship between secular and spiritual authorities. From now on, it was not the emperor who submitted to the pope, but the pope to the emperor. The Church evolved from an independent political force into an important instrument of power for the Frankish emperors. It should not be forgotten that the differences between the two branches of the Christian Church were in the Middle Ages a powerful engine of all political changes. It happened that ecclesiastical problems took on a much greater significance than purely political or territorial ones. The war between Charlemagne and Byzantium is connected precisely with this kind of problem. Recall that Charles himself did not even make plans to conquer the Byzantine lands. He was concerned only with the problem of equality of titles - in contrast to the pope, who sought to extend the influence of the Catholic Church to the entire Christian world, which was irresistibly moving towards a split.

Within his state, Charles introduced a completely centralized government. The country was divided into a hundred regions - counties, which were ruled by commissioners appointed by Charles - counts and dukes. The count in his area was in charge of judicial and administrative affairs, the collection of taxes and the organization of the army. The county was subdivided into smaller territorial districts, which were ruled by people appointed by the count. In order to avoid excessive strengthening of the positions of the counts, Charles regularly sent royal envoys to them with an inspection - auditors who had full power. Among the duties of the envoys was to receive complaints from the population about injustices on the part of the count and the bishop.

Only the king had legislative power in the country. Under Charlemagne, more than two hundred laws were created in the Frankish state, supplementing the ancient barbarian codes of laws - “truth”, by which the entire Empire still lived. In an effort to concentrate all the threads of government in the hands of the state, Charles abolished the ancient system of choosing judges in the district that existed even under the Merovingians. The court in the county was presided over by the count himself, who headed a panel of judges appointed from local wealthy landowners.

Under Charlemagne, as under no other of the Frankish kings, the state structure became more complicated. Feeling himself the heir of the Roman emperors and striving to be like the Romans, the emperor of the Franks created an extensive bureaucracy, the threads of control of which converged in the palace. Charles tried in every possible way to limit the influence and wealth of counts and other high-ranking officials. However, judging by how events in the empire developed by the end of his reign, the state rested not so much on a well-thought-out system of government, but on the personal power of Charles himself. The counts made constant attempts to secure the lands and positions of royal governors in hereditary possession. The continued impoverishment of the free peasants deprived the emperor of the strength on which he could lean against the local nobility. The Frankish state was steadily moving towards feudalism and fragmentation.

Interesting information:

• (742 - 814) - the first emperor from the Carolingian dynasty, who ruled from 768 as king, and in 800 - 814. like an emperor.
• Brand - a large border military district in the Carolingian era. Many stamps became the centers of feudal principalities.
• Roland (Hruodland) - nephew or natural son of Charlemagne, who fought under him.
• Saxons - a group of Germanic tribes that lived in northern Germany. In the III - IV centuries they united in a tribal union.
• Avars - a tribal union in Eastern Europe, in which Turkic-speaking tribes prevailed.
• Khaganate - a tribal association among the Turkic peoples, like a barbarian kingdom. Khan was the head of the kaganate.
• anointing - church rite of erection of the emperor to the throne. Served by the pope or archbishop.
• Graph - a royal official in the Dark Ages. In the Middle Ages - a hereditary feudal title.
• duke - the ancient Germans had an elected military leader of the tribe, in the Dark Ages - a tribal prince, in the Early Middle Ages - a large feudal lord.
• "Truth" - the name of the collections of laws among the barbarian tribes (Germans and Slavs) in the Early Middle Ages.

Explore the empire of Charlemagne. As the ruler of the Frankish Empire, Charles (later called the Great) created in a short time the largest empire at that time. How and why it also quickly broke up into separate states ...

Creation and strengthening of the state of Charlemagne

For the once mighty Western Roman Empire, the 5th century was the last in its history. Of the last forces, the rulers and commanders tried to protect their lands from the uninterrupted onslaught of the barbarians.

However, the troops of the Visigoths and Vandals, paying no attention to anything, indifferently wiped out some states from the face of the earth, and erected others in their place. The tribes of the Franks did not claim part of the lands of the Roman Empire.

The Franks chose a completely different tactic: they expanded their territories along the coast of the Rhine, gradually seizing the lands of Belgium, France and the Netherlands. The friendly alliance, previously secured with the Roman Empire, at the end of the 8th century helped the Franks finally establish themselves in the political arena: they enjoy the sincere support of the Roman pontiffs.

At that time, the western and eastern Christian churches were a single institution, but the pontificate already had a sufficient level of influence on the secular power of many states.

In 771, Charles became the ruler of Europe's largest state of the Franks. He was a brilliant commander who managed to conquer Spain, Bohemia, northern Germany, Slovenia, Austria and part of northern Italy. Charles created the first European state, which in its power could be compared with the Roman Empire in its heyday.

The Frankish state becomes an empire

In 800, during a solemn Christmas mass in Rome, Pope Leo III laid the imperial crown on the head of the surprised Charles and officially announced that from that moment he became the new Caesar of the revived Western Roman Empire.

Due to the fact that Charles was able to create a strong state and make a lot of efforts for its development, the descendants will give him the second name Great.

Vassals provided significant assistance to Charles in establishing the power of the empire: money then played an insignificant role in the country's economy, agricultural products had the main value, so the treasury was replenished at the expense of food taxes, which were withdrawn from the peasantry dependent on the vassals.

Charles did not have the opportunity to significantly raise the level of the economy in his state, so he pursued a policy that contributed to the development of science and culture. The art of the Frankish Empire was able to rise to such a high level that after many centuries the reign of Charles would be called the "Carolingian Renaissance".

The collapse of the Frankish Empire

After the death of Charlemagne, power in the Empire passed to his son Louis the Blessed, under whose reign the powerful empire began to irreversibly disintegrate into separate lands. Louis was unable to overcome the difficulties associated with the management of vast possessions and centralize state power.

Louis did not have trusted persons from whom it was possible to accept help in governing the state. He also actually lost the support of the pontificate, which contributed to the growth of separatism in the empire.

background

In the 5th century barbarian kingdoms arise on the territory of the former Roman Empire. Many of them disappear already in the 6th century, some - the kingdom of the Visigoths in Spain, for example, or the Lombards in Italy - existed until the 8th century. (see lesson). The exception was the kingdom of the Franks, which arose around 500, it not only did not disappear, but turned into a ninth century. into a vast Christian empire.

The rise of the Carolingian state was associated with a change of dynasties. The Merovingian dynasty was replaced by the Carolingian dynasty, the ancestor of which was the father of Charlemagne, Pepin III the Short.

The prerequisite for the political unification of Western Europe was the double danger that came from the Arabs (beyond the Pyrenees), as well as the Avars (from the Elbe and the Danube).

Developments

732- Battle of Poitiers. The Arabs were defeated by the Franks, led by the majordomo (royal steward) Charles, who after this battle received the nickname Martell ("hammer"). The son of Charles Martel was Pepin the Short, and his grandson was Charlemagne.

751- With the support of the Pope, the Frankish nobility proclaims Pepin the King of the Franks.

756- Pepin gives the Italian lands taken away as a result of a campaign against the Lombards to the pope. A state ruled by the pope arises - the Papal States.

768-814- Reign of Charlemagne.

771-773- Italian trip. Charles completes the defeat of the kingdom of the Lombards, annexes Northern and Central Italy to his possessions.

777-778- Spanish campaign against Muslim Arabs. The areas south of the Pyrenees were conquered (the new province was called the Spanish March).

772-797- the conquest and Christianization of the Saxons in northern Germany.

Majordoms (Majordoms) - managers of the palace. Helped the kings to rule the country. Under the late Merovingians, they acquired great power in the country, actually ruling it.

Karl Martell (Hammer) - majordomo from the Carolingian family, the actual ruler of the state of the Franks since 715.

Pepin III the Short - King of the Franks (751-768), the first king of the Carolingian dynasty. Father of Charlemagne.

Charlemagne - King of the Franks (768-814) and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (800-814). He contributed to the flourishing of culture and science, inviting famous scientists to his court in Aachen. Created a network of schools throughout the empire.

Louis the Pious - Frankish emperor (814-840), son of Charlemagne.

Conclusion

As a result of the conquests of Charlemagne, the Carolingian state almost doubled in size. He united under his rule almost all Christian Western European states (except for England and Asturias in northern Spain).

In all subject (not yet Christianized) territories, Charles planted Christianity. It was Christianity that was to become the unifying factor of the multinational empire.

Charles became famous not only for his conquests, but also for his domestic politics. The flourishing of European culture from the end of the 8th to the middle of the 9th century, called the Carolingian Renaissance, is associated with his reign (see lesson).

Abstract

From 768 to 814 The Frankish kingdom was ruled by the son of Pepin the Short, Charles, nicknamed the Great. He was a tall man, strong and hardy. Karl lived an unusually long life for those times: he died at the age of 70. Contemporaries saw this as evidence that he was chosen by God. In the Middle Ages, many legends and songs were composed about Charlemagne. Writers and chroniclers glorified his military exploits, justice and wisdom. According to the Latin form of his name (Carolus), the rulers of European countries began to call themselves kings.

Rice. 1. Charlemagne ()

Charles was an active and warlike ruler. During his reign, the Franks made more than 50 campaigns in neighboring countries. The borders of the Frankish kingdom under him greatly expanded. Almost every year, Charles, at the head of a large army, went on distant campaigns. Again helping the pope against the Lombards, the Franks twice crossed the high Alps and invaded Italy. Having defeated and captured the king of the Lombards, Charles annexed most of Italy to his possessions. Several times Charles led an army into Spain. The wars with the Arabs went on with varying success. Charles managed to conquer a small area south of the Pyrenees to the Ebro River. The longest and most difficult was the war with the tribes of the Saxons. They occupied the territory northeast of the Franks between the Rhine and the Elbe. Charles made eight campaigns against the Saxons. The Saxons, not protected by armor, went into battle in discordant crowds. With strong cavalry and good weapons, the Franks defeated them in battles. But as soon as the Frankish army left, the Saxons rebelled, burned and destroyed the fortresses and monasteries built in their country, devastated the border areas. Charles forced the Saxons to accept the Christian faith. He introduced cruel laws in the country: for the slightest disobedience to the king, for refusing to be baptized or renouncing the Christian faith, non-observance of fasting, for funerals according to a pagan rite, the death penalty threatened. In response to another uprising, Charles ordered the execution of 4,500 prisoners. He began to resettle the Saxons in masses in the interior of his kingdom. But even these harsh measures did not help. For over 30 years, the Saxons courageously defended their freedom. Then Charles attracted to his side with gifts and awards many noble Saxons. After that, the local nobility began to support the conquerors, which helped Charles subdue the Saxons. Saxony was divided into counties. Noble Franks and leaders of the Saxons were appointed counts. The nobility, bishops and monasteries received vast lands in the conquered country. No less fierce struggle was waged by Charles with the Avars. After a series of campaigns, the terrible people of the Avars, who had terrified the whole of Eastern Europe for several centuries, ceased to exist.

Rice. 2. Empire of Charlemagne ()

By the end of the reign of Charles, many tribes and peoples fell under his rule. In terms of territory, the Frankish kingdom approached the former Western Roman Empire. In 800 Charles arrived in Rome and was proclaimed emperor; The pope placed the imperial crown on his head in the temple.

Rice. 3. Coronation of Charlemagne ()

The rite of coronation with the help of high clergy has since become widespread in Europe. The Franks and other "barbarian" peoples always remembered the Great Roman Empire, which united the entire Christian world. After the death of Rome, the center of the empire moved to the east, to Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. The new title of Charles made him equal to the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. It seemed that his coronation meant the restoration of the Western Roman Empire. In fact, the new empire had nothing to do with it. Now Charles became the ruler of almost the entire Western Christendom with his capital in Aachen. The conquering campaigns of the emperor were justified by the expansion of the Christian world. The new empire was larger than the former. Charles, managing subjects, traveled with his entourage (royal court) throughout the state. Twice a year, the emperor gathered a council of the highest nobility - secular and spiritual - and, with their consent, issued decrees. Counts still ruled locally. To control them, Charles sent "sovereign envoys" from people close to him throughout the empire. The free peasants who had survived by this time could not acquire weapons for service in the army, because the weapons of an equestrian warrior cost much more than a militia. Therefore, although the foot militia still remained, the owners of large plots of land or those soldiers who were sent and armed by the peasants at the general expense were called up to the regular army. The main part of the army was the cavalry. The wealthiest equestrian warriors, who brought a small armed detachment with them, could receive, having distinguished themselves in battles, the title of a knight (from the German "ritter" - rider, equestrian warrior).

Charlemagne went down in history not only as a great commander and politician, culture, science and education developed during his reign.

Bibliography

1. Agibalova E. V., Donskoy G. M. History of the Middle Ages. - M., 2012.

2. Atlas of the Middle Ages: History. Traditions. - M., 2000.

3. Illustrated world history: from ancient times to the 17th century. - M., 1999.

4. History of the Middle Ages: Book. for reading / Ed. V. P. Budanova. - M., 1999.

5. Kalashnikov V. Riddles of History: Middle Ages / V. Kalashnikov. - M., 2002.

6. Stories on the history of the Middle Ages / Ed. A. A. Svanidze. - M., 1996.

Homework

1. What military campaigns did Charlemagne make?

2. What's new appeared in the structure of society in the Frankish state in the VIII century?

3. Where and when did the coronation of Charlemagne take place? What was the significance of the coronation ceremony performed by the Pope?

4. What character traits, in your opinion, were inherent in the first Western European emperor?

If we talk about the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne, then you must first give a complete description of the early feudal Frankish society. The state of the Franks of that period finally formalized and consolidated political and economic inequality. The process of feudalization in general terms was completed, and this was one of the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne. However, it is necessary to shed more light on this topic.

Charlemagne

It is necessary to briefly describe Charlemagne. This controversial historical figure does not accidentally attract the attention of researchers. Conqueror, creator, reformer and admirer of science and education. Fury on the battlefield was replaced by thoughts about state affairs and the need for reform. And there was enough work: from draining swamps to building castles, fortresses, churches.

The reforms affected all segments of the population of the Franks: from its most powerful members to the bottom. Tracing the history - from the emergence to the collapse - of the empire of Charlemagne, one can put the heterogeneity of the conquered tribes and peoples at the head of the reasons that led to the collapse. Their level of material and spiritual culture was different. All this mass had to be managed. And the power of the sword alone is not enough.

With sword and word

The most fierce resistance was provided by the tribes of the Saxons. Battles and punitive raids, the capture of hostages and prisoners did not bring tangible results. In total, it took 33 years to pacify the Saxons. The confrontation then faded, then flared up with renewed vigor. Their pagan worldview and devotion to their gods were the foundation on which their "temple" of perseverance and resistance rested.

In 772 Eresburg fell - the fortress of the Saxons, near which there was a sacred grove, and in it the main shrine of the Germans - a pillar dedicated to the god of war, Irmin. However, some researchers doubt the existence of this deity among the Germanic tribes.

Literally 4 years later, the recalcitrant Saxons had to be pacified again. Rebuild Eresburg, keep reinforced garrisons and even leave Christian preachers. The emperor did not disdain any methods to break the resistance.

Thus, it is clear that the clear antagonism of the Christian religion and the pagan worldview (the worldview must be emphasized, since paganism was, is and will remain just a worldview that has nothing to do with religion) is one of the answers to the question of what are the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charles Great.

An empire that knew no rest

The military activity of Charlemagne was really impressive. His state waged wars in three directions at once. And only Rome allowed itself in history to do this. Therefore, it is not surprising that Charles I himself found some analogies. In Italy, the Lombard Arians questioned the views of the Pope on Christian doctrine. In particular, they did not believe that Jesus Christ was equal in status to God the Father.

But their most important error was their unwillingness to recognize not only the religious, but also the political power of greedy popes and, consequently, fill their treasury. Blazing with righteous anger from such flagrant injustice, the main leader of the Franks fell upon the cities and lands of the Franks with fire and sword. The "defender of the faith" Charles I had his own interests and secret desires, which were revealed in 800, upon receiving the title of emperor.

The second direction is Spain. True, the Arabs very quickly knocked out the presumptuous Franks. Well, the third direction was east. This is the territory of modern Germany. Here the war was already waged against related German tribes - the Saxons, Bavarians and Avars.

Empire in constant fire of rebellions and uprisings

The separatist sentiments of the conquered peoples threatened the existence of the empire of Charlemagne, and its collapse was a foregone conclusion. Each region was not only loosely connected with the center, but also with each other. Therefore, the king, and then the emperor, had to spend all his time on campaigns. He did not stand on ceremony with the rebels.

Demonstrative executions of several thousand people and other atrocities were not uncommon. But, perhaps, the most effective measure is to attract the local nobility to your side. Bribery and endowing them with feuds. And yesterday's enemies were under his banner.

So, the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne (3 reasons):

• weak ties between the conquered regions, not only with the center, but also with each other;
• differences between the Christian religion and the pagan spiritual worldview (or rather, the Roman tradition with the pagan one);
• separatism.

Reform of the administrative division of the Franks

It is impossible not to touch upon those forced at that time reforms that were carried out in the field of administrative management. Even King Clovis divided the country into districts, appointing his people to manage the localities. But under Charles I, waging endless wars, an important reform was carried out. In occupied territories bordering hostile peoples, margraviates, or marks, were created for effective administration.

Local rulers were given more power. After all, their main task was not only to keep the conquered territory in subjection, but also to repel, if necessary, an external threat aimed at the Frankish empire. And this circumstance also played its sinister role in the destruction of unity. Very soon, the proteges began to consider the lands entrusted to them as their own. But for the time being, they were kept from rebellion by the danger of an external threat.

The emperor understood the situation and tried to deal with it. For the purpose of additional control, specially authorized people of the emperor traveled to the provinces. But the final feudalization of society was already taking place, and gradually the local vassals thought more about independence.

The natural character of the economy

Another reason for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne is the plight of the peasantry. Subsistence farming prevailed. The productive forces developed poorly. In those days, there was still no social division of labor.

Handicraft and rural labor were combined. That is, the yard artisans were engaged in the production of all the necessary products. But their main consumer was the court of the feudal lord. Sometimes the surplus could get inside the patrimony.

Trade and fairs existed, and even money was in use. But they were not widespread and did not have an impact on the life of the village. Surplus agricultural activities were sold, and overseas goods and weapons were bought.

And most importantly: the various regions of the Carolingian Empire did not have permanent economic ties. And this objectively established historical condition was included in the list of the main reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne.

Military reform

The empire needed new warriors and resources. Endless wars could not but affect its economic life and the standard of living of the population. Everywhere was restless. Not only on the border, but also within the state of the Franks.

Constant rebellions were suppressed ruthlessly, but time passed, and a new conflict flared up in another part of the empire. However, with all this, military reform is being carried out. In this regard, only wealthy and free landowners were called up for service. Ordinary free peasants, by common efforts, equipped an armed warrior instead of themselves.

The people's militia has lost its significance. This was now a purely occupation of the nobility and the wealthy sections of the population.

Landlessness of the peasantry

Even under the Merovingians, the process of enslaving the peasantry began, and under the Carolingians it was completed. Initially, this found its expression in the form of a precaria (transfer upon request). In fact, the small owner in most cases "voluntarily" transferred his ownership of the land under duress. Or, renouncing his right to land in favor of the church, he received it back, and with it, as a reward, an additional plot (rewarded precarium).

But most often people did this in search of protection and patronage from more powerful neighbors. At the same time, personal enslavement was gaining momentum, which had three main forms:

• columns - in appearance, these peasants were personally free, but they could not leave their allotments, and they had restrictions on the use of land;
• slaves - were divided into 2 categories (yard and slaves with land), they could be sold or bought, and everything they owned belonged to the owner;
• litas are an intermediate category between a colon and a slave.

Gradually, all these boundaries were erased. There was a transformation of the layers into one common mass of people completely dependent on their landowner. Therefore, it is not surprising that spontaneous and unorganized riots arose, which, however, were very quickly suppressed. This circumstance did not add unity and served as an additional reason for the collapse of the empire of Charles I.

Imperial crown

The popes of Rome repeatedly asked for help in the fight against the Lombards and the local nobility. Help was provided, and Charles I was crowned with the imperial crown. His empire began to bear the name of Roman. Gradually, Constantinople also had to recognize, albeit formally, the claims of the newly-made emperor.

He understood the importance of education and at his court gathered the leading scientists of the then Europe. Forces are gradually mobilized to drain the swamps and cut down wild forests. Roads and bridges, temples and palaces are being built. It would seem that life in the empire is improving, but ...

Five reasons for the collapse of the Roman Empire of Charlemagne

The emperor spent enormous forces and completely devoted himself to his beloved offspring - the empire. He had no luck with heirs. But in the end, his work was continued by his son, known as Louis the Pious.

The following list-diagram "Causes of the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne" lists 5 main factors that contributed to the split:

1. The completion of the feudalization of society and the final formation of material and social inequality in the society of the Roman Empire of Charles I. The beneficiaries were so entrenched in their places that they were the least interested in how the empire lives. Their personal interests were closer and more pressing. And this became another nail in the coffin of the political system of the empire.
2. Separatism. There was no ethnic and spiritual unity. Not everyone was able to forget the laws of their ancestors and accept the Christianity and new customs calmly implanted by force.
3. The dominance of subsistence farming and weak economic ties with other regions of the empire. The main characteristic of a natural economy is the low level of production culture and income increment, the absence of a division of labor (into craft and agriculture). Add to this the weak influence of trade, and it turns out that under such economic conditions, the empire itself would have collapsed sooner or later.
4. Landlessness of small landowners. In those harsh and harsh historical realities, everyone was looking for protection and patronage from the one who is closer. There was little hope for the emperor. Due to this, the local "nobility" further strengthened its position, and this inevitably influenced the growth of separatist sentiments.
5. The tradition of transferring the imperial throne did not have time to develop.

This is if you call the reasons for the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne briefly.

Instead of a conclusion

The empire of Charlemagne was doomed due to objective historical reasons. The logical conclusion was the division of the empire between the grandchildren of Charles I, secured by the Treaty of Verdun. However, only at first glance. The idea of ​​a single European space lived for a long time in the minds of the ancestors of Europeans and found its realization only today.

The empire of Charlemagne is the largest state in Western Europe in the era of early feudalism. It was created as a result of a long active aggressive policy of the Frankish king Charles (768-814), after whom the Carolingian dynasty began to be called. Charles waged successful wars of conquest against neighboring states and tribes. In 774, he made a campaign in Italy, overthrew the Lombard king Desiderius, and annexed his possessions to the Frankish state. In the southwest, Charles launched an offensive against the possessions of the Arabs in Spain. In 778, he moved beyond the Pyrenees, but before reaching Saragossa, the Franks were forced to turn back. In the Ronceval Gorge, the rearguard of the Frankish army was attacked by the Basques, in the battle with which one of the king's commanders, Count Roland, was killed. This event formed the basis of the famous epic work "Songs of Roland". In the future, Charles still managed to advance to the south of the Pyrenees and establish there a region subject to him - the Spanish brand.

The longest wars (772-804) Charles waged on the eastern border of his kingdom, in Saxony. The desperate resistance to the conquerors was connected here with the level of social development at which the Saxons were. Their society stood on the verge of the final decomposition of the tribal system and the formation of classes. Subordination to the Franks, with their already well-established feudal relations, meant for the bulk of the free Saxons (freelings) the loss of land and freedom. As resistance to the Franks began to take on the character of a mass struggle not only against the conquerors, but also against the feudalized Saxon nobility (Edelings), the top of Saxon society began to support the Franks. The tribal leader Widukind, who led the struggle of the Saxons, went over to the side of the Frankish king. This helped Charles to win and brutally crack down on the Saxons, rewarding the Edelings who helped him with land grants and rich gifts.

On the southeastern border of his kingdom, Charles annexed the Duchy of Bavaria (788) and established his influence in Carinthia (Horutania), an area inhabited by the Slavic tribes of the Horutans (Slovenians). Relying on their support, in 796 he achieved success in the fight against the Avar Khanate in Pannonia (the territory of modern Hungary), against which he fought from the 80s.

As a result of Charles' wars of conquest, the borders of the Frankish kingdom expanded significantly, it became the most extensive in Western Europe, approaching in size the Western Roman Empire, which collapsed in the 5th century. Charles decided to proclaim himself emperor, becoming, as it were, the successor to the greatness of the ancient Roman world power. Using the internal difficulties of the Roman Pope Leo III, who caused discontent among the Roman nobility and sought protection from the Frankish king, he achieved in 800 the coronation in Rome with the imperial crown. This caused a sharp discontent of the Byzantine emperors, who considered themselves the only successors of Ancient Rome. And yet the power of the Frankish Empire was so great that in 812 the emperor of Byzantium was forced to recognize the imperial title of Charles.

The state of Charlemagne was founded on the forcible annexation of ethnically diverse peoples who were at different levels of development of feudalism. Various regions of the empire were inhabited by peoples and tribes that had nothing to do with each other. Charles had to constantly suppress the manifestations of their discontent by force. One way to maintain power over a vast empire and keep the enslaved peasantry in obedience was the strengthening of royal power, which began under the predecessors of Charlemagne. Charles sought to strengthen the foundations of the state. He tried to organize control over the activities of local officials, reorganized the army. The feudal lords began to play the main role in it, finally pushing the peasant militia into the background.

The difficulties of managing a vast empire led the emperor to clearly feel the need for educated people. This primarily explains the attention paid to education, science, and spiritual culture in the second half of the 8th century. - early 9th c.

Under Charlemagne, new schools were opened, interest in the cultural heritage of antiquity revived, writing was improved, the tradition of copying books in monasteries was strengthened, and folk languages ​​\u200b\u200b(Romance and Germanic) began to take shape. At the court and surrounded by Charlemagne, many prominent scientists lived and worked. They made up a kind of circle, which they called "Academy".

The empire of Charlemagne collapsed shortly after the death of its creator. According to the Treaty of Verdun in 843, it was divided among themselves by the three grandsons of Charles. Their kingdoms - West Frankish, East Frankish and Lorraine (named after the eldest of the brothers - Lothair) - formed the basis of the three future Western European states - France, Germany and Italy.