Carolingian Empire

A Frankish empire ruled by the Carolingian dynasty, reaching its greatest extent under Charlemagne before divisions among his heirs reshaped western Europe.

Carolingian dynasty: A Frankish ruling family that governed the Franks and built an empire in western and central Europe. The dynasty supplied the rulers whose authority defined the empire.
Missi dominici: Royal agents sent in pairs to inspect local administration and communicate the ruler's commands. They carried imperial oversight into regions beyond the ruler's immediate reach.
Charlemagne: King of the Franks and emperor who ruled from 768 to 814 and greatly expanded his realm. His conquests and coronation marked the empire's greatest extent and imperial revival.
Treaty of Verdun: The 843 agreement that divided the Carolingian Empire among the sons of Louis the Pious. It formalized a major division among Charlemagne's heirs.
Pepin the Short: King of the Franks from 751 to 768 and father of Charlemagne. His seizure of the Frankish throne established the dynasty's royal rule.
Capitularies: Legislative and administrative decrees issued by Frankish rulers, often arranged in chapters. These orders articulated policies that local officials were expected to enforce.
Louis the Pious: Emperor from 814 to 840 and son of Charlemagne. His succession arrangements shaped the conflicts that divided the empire.
Middle Francia: The kingdom assigned to Lothair I in the 843 partition of the Carolingian Empire. Its unstable territory shows how the partition produced competing successor realms.
Papal States: Territories in central Italy governed by the papacy from the eighth century until 1870. Pepin's donation to the pope strengthened the alliance behind Carolingian kingship.
Count (medieval): A royal official who governed a territory and exercised judicial, military, and fiscal duties. Counts administered local territories on behalf of the ruler.

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