THE BIRTH OF EUROPE I. The Dark Age ? A. Invaders 1. Settled close to Rome – Vandals etal 2. Settled away from Rome – Franks etal B. Period of Recovery 1. Europe becomes self reliant 2. Charlemagne & revival 3. Western debt to Islamic Culture II. Developing Christian Church Church leaders fill power vaccum Unifying force Monastic culture 1. Strength of Church 2. Benedictine Rule 520 – Rules for Monasteries 3. Model centers of Christian living 4. Missionaries – organized Frankish Churches Doctrine of Papal Primacy 5. Imperial residence moved from Rome 6. Byzantine Patriarch sees Pope as equal Division of Christendom 7. Doctrinal Authority 8. Nicean Creed 9. Iconoclastic Controversy III. Kingdom of the Franks Clovis – 1st Frankish Dynasty Charles Martel – cavalry, 732 Battle of Poitiers