Fix the mistake: Medieval to Early Modern Europe

The Frankish Kingdom and the Feudal System

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Germanic tribes established kingdoms in various regions. Among them, the Frankish Kingdom became the center of Western Europe through its ties with the Catholic Church.

Development of the Frankish Kingdom

  • Clovis (late 5th century): converted to Catholicism and cooperated with the Church
  • Charles Martel (732 CE): defeated Islamic forces in the Battle of Tours–Poitiers
  • Charlemagne (800 CE): crowned "Roman Emperor" by the pope and unified Western Europe
  • The Treaty of Verdun in 843 and the Treaty of Meerssen in 870 divided the kingdom into three parts → the origins of France, Germany, and Italy
The Feudal System
A relationship between lords and vassals in which a lord granted land (a fief) to a vassal, who pledged military service and loyalty.
・Peasants (serfs) were bound to the lord's manor and performed labor services
・The Church held spiritual authority and intervened in politics
・Pope vs. emperor (the Investiture Controversy): the conflict between Gregory VII and Henry IV
Key Points
  • The Frankish Kingdom → the foundation of Western Europe; Charlemagne became Roman Emperor
  • Feudalism: a relationship of land and military service between lords and vassals
  • Conflict between the Church and secular authority (the Investiture Controversy)

Practice Questions

  1. Who was the king of the Frankish Kingdom who was crowned Roman Emperor in 800 CE?
  2. In the feudal system, state what the lord gave the vassal and what the vassal provided in return.
  3. State the names of the pope and emperor who opposed each other in the Investiture Controversy.

Answers

  1. Charlemagne
  2. Lord → fief (land); vassal → military service and loyalty (service)
  3. Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV

歴史（西洋）: related lessons