☰ Contents · World history

The Frankish Empire

Lessons 3 · 1 lessons · T. O‘. Salimov, F. E. Sultonov. Jahon tarixi (milodiy V asr oxiridan – XV asr oxirigacha) (World history, late 5th – late 15th century), Grade 7. «O‘zbekiston milliy ensiklopediyasi» State Scientific Publishing House, Tashkent, 2017 (revised and expanded 3rd edition)
3

The Frankish Empire

Textbook: pp. 17–20
GoalDescribe Charlemagne’s conquests, his coronation as emperor, the government of his state and the breakup of the empire.
New words
emperor · imperatorknight · ritsarmarch (border province) · markTreaty of Verdun · Verden shartnomasi
Explanation

Charlemagne (Charles I) ruled the Franks in 768–814 and was counted as emperor from 800. He was called “the Great” because he built a large state and supported law, education and culture. In 773 he launched a campaign against the Lombard state in Italy and in 774 added it to his kingdom; the Spanish campaign (778) failed, but later a border province, the “Spanish March”, was set up near the Pyrenees. The wars against the Saxons lasted from 772 to 804, more than 30 years, and Saxony was joined to the empire. In December 800 Pope Leo III placed the imperial crown on Charles. Charles had no single capital but moved between palaces, including Aachen; counts governed provinces, dukes the large tribal regions and margraves the border marches, and the emperor sent trusted envoys to check on them. After his death the empire weakened; in 843 the Treaty of Verdun divided it among his grandsons, and from its parts France, Germany and Italy later took shape.

Worked examples
A march was a military border province; it was ruled by a margrave.
A knight was a heavily armed mounted warrior who received land (a fief) for his service.
Class activity

“Map of the empire”: pupils colour the lands Charlemagne conquered (Italy, Saxony, the Spanish March) on a blank map.

Practice
1
When did Charles rule, and when did he become emperor?
2
How long did the wars with Saxony last?
3
Why did Charles’s empire break up? Give two reasons.
4
Is the “Song of Roland” a historical record or a work of literature? Explain.