ACS 200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Merovingian Dynasty, Pope Gregory I, Western Roman Empire
Document Summary
The making of the west: the frankish kingdoms to the middle ages. Germanic culture: centrality of the tribal unit or family, the leadership of clan chieftain, leadership was hereditary, weregeld payment, was a value placed on every being and piece of property, mixing of germanic and roman culture. The merovingian dynasty: clovis king from 482-511 ce. He starts the dynasty, and he was the one who formed the tribes into a coherent kingdom: converts to christianity government leaves, but they leave behind the church. Christian church is the ball work of this civilization, they act as the moral compass and institution i(cid:374) europe. They (cid:374)eed to preser(cid:448)e a(cid:374)d (cid:373)ake sure the (cid:272)hur(cid:272)h (cid:449)as(cid:374)(cid:859)t (cid:449)iped out (cid:271)y the ger(cid:373)a(cid:374)i(cid:272) tri(cid:271)es. The (cid:272)hur(cid:272)h se(cid:374)ds out (cid:373)issio(cid:374)aries i(cid:374)to the (cid:862)(cid:449)ild(cid:859), a(cid:374)d they target the powerful people including clovis. Clovis converts into christianity, the same way that constantine converted in the roman kingdom. The bishop of rome is pleased with clovis converting.