The emergence and collapse of the empire of Charlemagne is a significant event in the history of medieval Europe. In essence, after the collapse of the Roman Empire, this was the first attempt to unite various peoples into one large state. The Carolingians pursued an expansive policy aimed at seizing territories left after the rule of the Romans. The lord of the Franks, Carl, as far as possible expanded the borders of his country, which historians gave the name of - the empire of Charlemagne.
Occurrence
The heyday and decay of such a large country cannot be studied without accurate information about its beginnings. The prerequisites for the emergence of the Frankish empire arose in 4-7 centuries. This period of time will go down in history under the name "era of lazy kings" - the actual power belonged to the mords - local rulers. The creation and collapse of the empire of Charlemagne occurred in the 7th-9th centuries. In 637, the mayor of Australia, Pepin of Gerristals, nicknamed Pepin Short, became the ruler of the kingdom of the Franks, uniting several Germanic tribes.
The descendants of Pepin continued the work of their ancestor. The most prominent of them was
Karl Martell , nicknamed the Hammer. According to legend, in the hot battles he used the military weapons of his ancestors - a mace that resembled a huge hammer in shape. The scope of victories and magnificent political talent brought Karl fame and power. It was under his control that the country of the Franks became an empire.
Heyday
The creation and collapse of the empire of Charlemagne fell at the end of the first millennium. The years of Karl Martell's reign were especially outstanding. Under him, the Carolingian state extended from Frisia in the North Sea to the lands of the Lombards in the southeastern Adriatic. In the west, the Atlantic washed the coast of the country, and in the south-west Martell captured most of the Iberian Peninsula. The king also gave the influence of the church - in 800, he spent several months in Rome, sorting out skirmishes between the papal government and local authorities. For this, Pope Leo initiated him into emperors. For the imperial title, he made new enemies in the person of the Byzantine steamers, who, in the end, had to come to terms with the existence of Charles and his empire.
After Martell's death, all power in the country was given to his direct heir - Louis the Pious. But other rulers did not agree with the fate of the subjects; discontent and riots were brewing in the country.
The collapse of the empire of Charlemagne
The country of this great man was not destined for a long existence. After the death of Karl, a gradual fading of the country began, the beginning of which was preceded by a single date. The collapse of the empire of Charlemagne falls on 843. It was then that the official separation of the state occurred. The division was preceded by a long feud between the descendants of Karl Martell. In 843, a treaty was concluded in Verdun, according to which the empire of the Franks was divided into three parts. The lands of Western Europe, most of which lie on the territory of modern France, went to Karl, the eastern frontiers, on which modern Germany was located, went to Louis. The center, together with the lands of Italy and Lorraine, went to Lothar, and he also got the title of Emperor of the Francs.
843 results
The Treaty of Verdun became the frontier beyond which the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne became a fait accompli. The further existence of a great country became impossible - the central authority was too weak, the ambitions of local rulers were too great. Civil strife - the scourge of medieval powers - completed the job. The empire of Charlemagne broke up into many small states that were friends or feuding among themselves, but had no decisive influence on politics in Western Europe. Roman popes skillfully used strife and skirmishes, who, under the guise of fighting against heretics, subjugated more and more new lands. The influence of the papacy, overshadowed by the cross and wealth, gradually increased - now it was no longer secular, but church power began to dominate in Europe. It took hundreds of years for France to become a unitary state again, and for Germany and Italy the process of land unification was completed only in the 18-19 centuries.