All Empires Split Up.
And the Carolingian Empire was no different. It ruled over modern-day France and Germany, and even parts of norther Italy. But as soon as the last strong leader died, there was a power struggle, and the empire ended up being carved up into West, Middle, and East Francia.
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(Feature Photo: A reconstructed Viking house in Iceland; Credit: Anjali Kiggal, Wikimedia Commons)
830
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome – Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
831
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome –Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
832
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome –Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
833
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome –Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
834
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome –Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
835
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome –Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
836
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome –Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
837
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome –Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
838
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome –Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
839
RULERS & ROYALTY: – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome – Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
840
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin becomes king of the Picts (Scots) – Louis "The Pious" is emperor of the Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome – Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
June 20, Louis "The Pious," emperor of the Carolingian Empire
841
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) –The Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) is in the middle of civil war, no clear emperor – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome – Theophilos is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
842
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) –The Carolingian Empire (France and Germany) is in the middle of civil war, no clear emperor – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome – Theophilos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire, dies, and Michael III succeeds him – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
January 30, Theophilos, emperor of the Byzantine empire, dies, aged 30, and is succeeded by Michael III
Viking Raids on London begin, according to The Anglo Saxon Chronicle (compiled in 890): “In this year there was a great slaughter in London and Quentavic [near Etaples, France] and Rochester”
843
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) – Lothair becomes emperor of the Carolingian Empire (though now the empire is split up into three parts): Charles II "The Bald" becomes king of West Francia (the western part of the Carolingian empire) and Louis II "The German" is now king of the East Francia – Gregory IV is pope/bishop of Rome – Michael III is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
Theodora ends Iconoclasm (destroying of relics and images) within the Byzantine empire with Synodikon of Orthodoxy (Byzantium, Pg. 358)
The Duchy of Burgundy is established and is allotted to Charles the Bald, king of West Francia, it is a small portion of traditional lands of the Burgundians west of the river Saône
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Dividing Up the Empire
August 10, The Treaty of Verdun divides the Frankish Empire--also called the Carolingian Empire because it's been ruled by the Carolingian Dynasty of kings since the 750's--into three parts: West Francia, Lotharingia and East Francia; These three kingdoms are given to the three surviving sons of Louis I "The Pious", who is the son and successor of Charlemagne (Photo: 15th century painting of Louis I "The Pious" blessing the division of the Carolingian Empire; Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Handy Dandy Cheat Sheet:
East Francia / Kingdom of Aquitaine = Modern-day western France
Lotharingia = Modern-day eastern France, western Germany, northern Italy
West Francia / Kingdom of the West Franks = Modern-day Germany
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The ban on images in the Byzantine Empire ends, marking the middle Byzantine period and a new renaissance in art,
“This ‘renaissance’ is mainly represented by some particularly fine ivory carvings and a few important items of jewelry, on which the technique of cloisonné enamel, new to Byzantine craftsmen, is used to remarkable effect. Other metalwork includes bronze reliquary-crosses, belt-buckles, and seals.”
(Collections of the British Museum pg.127)
844
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) – Lothair becomes emperor of the Carolingian Empire (though now the empire is split up into three parts): Charles II "The Bald" becomes king of West Francia (the western part of the Carolingian empire) and Louis II "The German" is now king of the East Francia – Pope Gregory IV dies, and is succeeded by pope Sergius II – Michael III is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
January 25, Pope Gregory IV dies and Pope Sergius II succeeds him
845
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) – Lothair becomes emperor of the Carolingian Empire (though now the empire is split up into three parts): Charles II "The Bald" becomes king of West Francia (the western part of the Carolingian empire) and Louis II "The German" is now king of the East Francia – Sergius II is pope/bishop of Rome – Michael III is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
846
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) – Lothair becomes emperor of the Carolingian Empire (though now the empire is split up into three parts): Charles II "The Bald" becomes king of West Francia (the western part of the Carolingian empire) and Louis II "The German" is now king of the East Francia – Sergius II is pope/bishop of Rome – Michael III is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
847
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) – Lothair becomes emperor of the Carolingian Empire (though now the empire is split up into three parts): Charles II "The Bald" becomes king of West Francia (the western part of the Carolingian empire) and Louis II "The German" is now king of the East Francia – Pope Sergius II dies, and is succeeded by Leo IV – Michael III is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
January 27, Pope Sergius II dies and Pope Leo IV succeeds him
848
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) – Lothair becomes emperor of the Carolingian Empire (though now the empire is split up into three parts): Charles II "The Bald" becomes king of West Francia (the western part of the Carolingian empire) and Louis II "The German" is now king of the East Francia – Leo IV is pope/bishop of Rome – Michael III is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –
849
RULERS & ROYALTY: Kenneth MacAplin is king of the Picts (Scots) – Lothair becomes emperor of the Carolingian Empire (though now the empire is split up into three parts): Charles II "The Bald" becomes king of West Francia (the western part of the Carolingian empire) and Louis II "The German" is now king of the East Francia – Leo IV is pope/bishop of Rome – Michael III is emperor of the Byzantine Empire – The Ghana Empire in West Africa is thriving under the Soninke rulers of the Cissé Tounkara Dynasty (name of current ruler unknown) –