Discuss the shift in power from the Merovingians to the Carolingians. Why did it occur, and how?
In today’s time we call the country France, but back then it was referred as Frankish kingdom of Gaul. Back then this country was ruled by a Merovingian Family. The difference between the Franks and the other Germanic tribes is the different view of religion that they had.
Clovis the ruler of Gaul at the time along with his wife Clotilde, who believed in the Catholic religion, later on Clovis considers accepting christ throughout his religious journeys. After many battles he was baptized on Christmas day. At his death bed, he split the kingdoms evenly to his sons. Throughout the later days of the Merovingian dynasty, the Carolingians obtained influence within the government. Shortly after the Pepin the Short becomes King of Gaul under the Carolingian name.
What was the significance of the Papal-Frankish Alliance? What were two factors that helped make the alliance possible?
The Popes had make allies with the Franks as an attempt to restore order in the Roman empire. Both of the civilizations had the same goal and particularly for that one of the 2 reasons had they been motivated to make this alliance.
Another factor was that the Anglo-Saxons wanted to bring religious groups into the Frankish empire. The reason im saying this is because both the Popes and the Frankish government had supported this idea, so that was the other factor that made this alliance possible.
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