Human Heritage: A World HistoryChapter 18: The FranksThe FranksThe decline of the Roman Empire led to disorder everywhere in western Europe. Many of the Germanic invaders were too weak to govern well. During this period a Germanic people called the Franks became very important. Chapter 18 focuses on the Franks and the civilization they built in what is today France and Germany. Section 1 explains how a Frankish king, named Clovis, united the Franks and converted them to Christianity. Section 2 focuses on Charles Martel, a Frankish mayor called "The Hammer" because of his strength in battles, and how his defeat of the Arabs kept western Europe Christian. Section 3 describes how a grandson of Charles Martel, named Charlemagne, brought all of western Europe under his rule. The section also covers what life was like in Charlemagne's empire and explains why the empire ultimately collapsed. |  |
