THE 1000C Lecture 12: Theology Lecture 11A Christianity in the Early Medieval Period:

• School: St. John's University
• Department: Theology and Religious Studies
• Course: THE 1000C
• Professor: Claire J Schirtzer

Document Summary

Frankish warrior chieftain- clovis established merovingian kingdom. Tribal leaders ceded power to charles martel. Significant feature- relationship with the catholic church. With approval of pope zachary (741-752)- charles" son pippin iii forces last merovingian king into a monastery. Pippin iii named king in 751- anointed by st. boniface- acts as the pope"s legate or representative. Papacy"s role in deposing merovingian king- right to arbitrate in political struggles. Anointing of king: implies king"s quasi-priestly character, connoted divine approval of his coronation. Pope stephen 11 (752-757)- kings became political protectors of the papacy. Christmas day 800 charlemagne crowed emperor of romans. Imposed liturgical practices of rome throughout his empire. Important contributions to the development of culture by pope leo iii. Until its demise by napoleon in 1806- holy roman empire was the primary political carrier of the medieval catholic ideal of a single universal christian state.