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Chapter 23: Charlemagne, Francia, Hispania and Italia
After the death of king Wittiza in 710, the kingdom of the Visigoths faced a succession crisis. There appeared numerous claimants to the throne, among them was Roderic, who secured Lusitania and Carpetania (1), and Aquila ruling over Septimania and Tarraconense. The tribal chiefs and petty nobility took over the northern regions, such as Gallaecia and Asturias ; Bética supports yet another claimant to the royal throne. This third claimant was either murdered or died of natural causes; his domains were taken over by the forces of Roderic.
The civil war ended in 719 with the status quo, with the Ebro valley and Septimania officially confirmed to belong to Aquila, and the rest supposedly belonging to Roderic (Thus a kingdom of Iberia is established in the Ebro basin). The areas north of the upper reaches of the Ebro river, as well as the higher reaches of the Pyrennean valleys, hower broke free from any Visigothic rule, and the duchy of Pamplona assumed independence. Similarly, the Cantabri, the Astures and the Gallaecians established their own small realms.
Pelayo, or Pelagius an exiled Visigothic noble, managed to unify the Cantabric and Asturian tribes. Allied with the dukes of Gallaecia, the two have amnaged to push their borders as far south as the Duero river. Meanwhile, the duke of Tierra del Campos (2) proclaimed himself independent of Roderic and Hispania.
As for Iberia, after the Frankish conquest of Narbonensis, the kingdom was moreless confined to the Ebro valley (3) and the Balearic islands. Attempts to conquer parts of coastal Cartaginensis, around Valentia, proved to be a disaster, and by the later half of the 8th century, the valleys assumed independence (notable is the Cerdanya, a valley in the high Pyrennees still using a variety of the Old Iberian language; the valleys further west still spoke Basque). Ultimately, the kingdom was divided into the upper Iberia (around Caesaraugusta) and lower Iberia, around Tarracco (4).
By 770s, the kings of Hispania, attempting to unify the peninsula, decided for a conquest of the Ebro basin. The threatened countrs and dukes would seek support to the north.
In 768 Charles succeeded, together with his brother Carloman, who was to retire to die three years later, his father Pippin as the king of the Franks.
After marrying and subsequently repudiating Desiderata, the daughter of the Lombard king, she turned to her father. The Lombard king, Desiderius, was once more in a state of war with the Holy See. The young Frankish king took the side of the Holy Father and attacked the Lomnard kingdom. The garrison of Pavia surrendered, and Charles had himself crowned with the Iron crown of Lombardy. The extent of the donations of Peppin was confirmed. Tuscany was also incorporated into the Frankish empire, and Spoleto as well. Benevento however, was in open rebellion, yet after defeating them, they once more reasserted their independence in 787.
His focus was now set towards the south, more precisely to the Pyrennees. The western end of the mountains were home to the people who the Romans never fully subdued, and called Vascones. The area had been attached to Aquitaine, which was now ruled by his loyal followers. Thus by 778, Charles invaded the area around Pamplona, which has been formally independent for almost a century, factually since the fall of the Roman Empire.
Further eastwards, the duchies and counties of the Ebro basin were defending themselves against Hispania. Charlemagne was not to allow for a Visigothic border on the Pyrennees, and preferred to keep the area a buffer. Before Charlemagne could have arrived to the warzone, the cities of Tarracco and Caesaraugusta had been conquered. Nevertheless, he has managed to turn the course of the war in the unfavour of Hispania, which now had to accpet the border along the Ebro river.
The longest campaigns were against the Saxons, a Germanic people between the Rhine and the Elbe (divided into Westphalia, Eastphalia, Angria and Nordalbingia). (5). To the southeast, he submitted Bavaria, and set up bordermarches on its eastern peripheries.
In Pannonia, the Avars had established their rule, yset their hold over the Carpathian basin was weakenned. The Franks launched a campaign agianst them, aided by neighbouring Slavs (who had broken off of Avar rule under the Frankish merchant Samo)After twice conquering their capital fortress, the Avar khagan surrendered and became baptised uder the name Abraham. The area west of the Danube were integrated into the Frankish realm
In the year 800, Bulgaria attacks the remnants of the Avar khaganate; the Avars were allowed to settle within the borders of Francia in close proximity of Vienna. By the year 800, Charlemagnes empire extended from the Ebro to the Elbe, from Hamburg to Spoleto, and from Normandy to Sirmia. This was recognized by his coronation as Emperorin the year 800AD. Despite the Pope claimed to crown the righful ruler of the SPQR, claiming that there was a fictional continuity (empress Irene of the Rhomaic Empire not being recoqgnized), the real feat was that by this, two lines of imperial continuity were presnet: one in the west and one in the east.
Culture-wise, the legacy of Charlemagne would influence much of medieval western Europe, which by this time becomes a separate civilizational entity called Francia, based on both Roman and Germanic influences.
In religious matters, at during the reign of Charlemagne, in the Council of Aachen it was agreed that the Holy Spirit stemmed from both the Father and Son (a view seen heretical in the East). This view was quite widespread in the West, yet such a move was a step further to breaching the unity of the Chalcedonian faith.
During this time, a unique font called the Carolingian minuscule develops, by combining the Roman half-uncial script with elements taken from the Insular scripts of the British isles. The efforts in this time were set to make a standard of culture and knowledge thoughout the realm; and it has been ordered that each monastery and churhc have one copy of the Vulgate Bible; and Alcuin, who was the chief of the Carolingian scholars establishes the notion of seven liberal arts; that is of the trivium and quadrivium, and standardizes the curicullum.
As from the linguistic point of view, the empire is divided linguistically. While Latin remains the language of the educated, the contemporary documents speak of „theodisk language“ and „lingua rustica romana“ , which by this means the Germanic and Romance varieties within the borders of the Empire.
The Romance languages had by this time developped into separate branches in Iberia, Gallia and Italia, as well as Pannonia; thus one can speak of an Ibero-Romance, Gallo-Romance, Italo-Romance and Illyro-Romance branch; the existence of a separate Visigothic state in southern Gaul and even previous division of Gaul into Viennensis and Galliae have resulted into the development of Neustrian language (langue d´oil) in the north and Aquitan/Occitan language in the south; furthermore Burgundian kingdom developped its own variety along the Upper and Middle Rhone as well. Areas of contact between Occitan and Baque result in emergence of a Gascon variety as well.
In Italy, the Rimini- La Spezia line divides Italian varieties from Annonarian Romance languages. The former have more in common with eastern Romance, the latter belong to the western Romance family. Annonarian Italian can be further subdivided into Padanian or Cisalpine(6), and rhaetic.
The Padanian language is further differentiated between Lombard (extending throughout the area) (7), Romagnan (in the areas formerly ruled by the Rhomaic empire) and smaller regional varieties such as Ligurian or Venetia.
Rhaetic, or Rhaeto Romance is used to denote the latinate language of the central Alps, in the uppermost Rhine valley, upper Adige valley adjacent areas. The area was exposed to Ostrogothic and Lombard influences yet to a smaller extent than Padania.
As for Italian varieties, already the dialect of Tuscan is divergent from the rest. Further south, the dialects in the duchies of Spoleto and Benevento begin to differentiate from Mediano (In Latium and Marche) and the Latin dialects of the Rhomaic held lands.
In the Iberian peninsula, one can see observe specific dialects of Bética, Galecia and Tarraconsis (in the Ebro valley). Significant Gothic influence remains over the varieties on the Duero valley.
The continental west Germanic languages are diverging into the Rhine Frankish, Alamannian, Bavarian, Thuringian, Saxon and Frisian varieties. Langobardic, being also a West Germanic language, survives in Miland and Pavia, and the last speakers of Ostrogothic appear to survive in the region of Ravenna. The Visigothic language still survives in Tierra del Campo.
As for the Gaulish language, it survives known as the Arvern in the Massif Central. Celtic Asturian and Cantabrian varietis survive in the mountains even by the year 800. The celtic language of Galicia, however, remains only in the inaccessible northwestern part of the area. Other linguistic leics survive in the Pyrennees: mainly the Basque language and the Ceretan language in Cerdany, possibly the last relict of Old Iberian.
(1) Roughly equivalent to New Castille
(2) Partly in Old Castille and Leon
(3) That means, Catalonia and Aragón.
(4) Roughly Catalonia
(5) The campaigns continued in the same way as OTL
(6) Called Gallo-Romance in modern OTL
(7) The most commonly spread variety, incorporating Langobardic superstratum
After the death of king Wittiza in 710, the kingdom of the Visigoths faced a succession crisis. There appeared numerous claimants to the throne, among them was Roderic, who secured Lusitania and Carpetania (1), and Aquila ruling over Septimania and Tarraconense. The tribal chiefs and petty nobility took over the northern regions, such as Gallaecia and Asturias ; Bética supports yet another claimant to the royal throne. This third claimant was either murdered or died of natural causes; his domains were taken over by the forces of Roderic.
The civil war ended in 719 with the status quo, with the Ebro valley and Septimania officially confirmed to belong to Aquila, and the rest supposedly belonging to Roderic (Thus a kingdom of Iberia is established in the Ebro basin). The areas north of the upper reaches of the Ebro river, as well as the higher reaches of the Pyrennean valleys, hower broke free from any Visigothic rule, and the duchy of Pamplona assumed independence. Similarly, the Cantabri, the Astures and the Gallaecians established their own small realms.
Pelayo, or Pelagius an exiled Visigothic noble, managed to unify the Cantabric and Asturian tribes. Allied with the dukes of Gallaecia, the two have amnaged to push their borders as far south as the Duero river. Meanwhile, the duke of Tierra del Campos (2) proclaimed himself independent of Roderic and Hispania.
As for Iberia, after the Frankish conquest of Narbonensis, the kingdom was moreless confined to the Ebro valley (3) and the Balearic islands. Attempts to conquer parts of coastal Cartaginensis, around Valentia, proved to be a disaster, and by the later half of the 8th century, the valleys assumed independence (notable is the Cerdanya, a valley in the high Pyrennees still using a variety of the Old Iberian language; the valleys further west still spoke Basque). Ultimately, the kingdom was divided into the upper Iberia (around Caesaraugusta) and lower Iberia, around Tarracco (4).
By 770s, the kings of Hispania, attempting to unify the peninsula, decided for a conquest of the Ebro basin. The threatened countrs and dukes would seek support to the north.
In 768 Charles succeeded, together with his brother Carloman, who was to retire to die three years later, his father Pippin as the king of the Franks.
After marrying and subsequently repudiating Desiderata, the daughter of the Lombard king, she turned to her father. The Lombard king, Desiderius, was once more in a state of war with the Holy See. The young Frankish king took the side of the Holy Father and attacked the Lomnard kingdom. The garrison of Pavia surrendered, and Charles had himself crowned with the Iron crown of Lombardy. The extent of the donations of Peppin was confirmed. Tuscany was also incorporated into the Frankish empire, and Spoleto as well. Benevento however, was in open rebellion, yet after defeating them, they once more reasserted their independence in 787.
His focus was now set towards the south, more precisely to the Pyrennees. The western end of the mountains were home to the people who the Romans never fully subdued, and called Vascones. The area had been attached to Aquitaine, which was now ruled by his loyal followers. Thus by 778, Charles invaded the area around Pamplona, which has been formally independent for almost a century, factually since the fall of the Roman Empire.
Further eastwards, the duchies and counties of the Ebro basin were defending themselves against Hispania. Charlemagne was not to allow for a Visigothic border on the Pyrennees, and preferred to keep the area a buffer. Before Charlemagne could have arrived to the warzone, the cities of Tarracco and Caesaraugusta had been conquered. Nevertheless, he has managed to turn the course of the war in the unfavour of Hispania, which now had to accpet the border along the Ebro river.
The longest campaigns were against the Saxons, a Germanic people between the Rhine and the Elbe (divided into Westphalia, Eastphalia, Angria and Nordalbingia). (5). To the southeast, he submitted Bavaria, and set up bordermarches on its eastern peripheries.
In Pannonia, the Avars had established their rule, yset their hold over the Carpathian basin was weakenned. The Franks launched a campaign agianst them, aided by neighbouring Slavs (who had broken off of Avar rule under the Frankish merchant Samo)After twice conquering their capital fortress, the Avar khagan surrendered and became baptised uder the name Abraham. The area west of the Danube were integrated into the Frankish realm
In the year 800, Bulgaria attacks the remnants of the Avar khaganate; the Avars were allowed to settle within the borders of Francia in close proximity of Vienna. By the year 800, Charlemagnes empire extended from the Ebro to the Elbe, from Hamburg to Spoleto, and from Normandy to Sirmia. This was recognized by his coronation as Emperorin the year 800AD. Despite the Pope claimed to crown the righful ruler of the SPQR, claiming that there was a fictional continuity (empress Irene of the Rhomaic Empire not being recoqgnized), the real feat was that by this, two lines of imperial continuity were presnet: one in the west and one in the east.
Culture-wise, the legacy of Charlemagne would influence much of medieval western Europe, which by this time becomes a separate civilizational entity called Francia, based on both Roman and Germanic influences.
In religious matters, at during the reign of Charlemagne, in the Council of Aachen it was agreed that the Holy Spirit stemmed from both the Father and Son (a view seen heretical in the East). This view was quite widespread in the West, yet such a move was a step further to breaching the unity of the Chalcedonian faith.
During this time, a unique font called the Carolingian minuscule develops, by combining the Roman half-uncial script with elements taken from the Insular scripts of the British isles. The efforts in this time were set to make a standard of culture and knowledge thoughout the realm; and it has been ordered that each monastery and churhc have one copy of the Vulgate Bible; and Alcuin, who was the chief of the Carolingian scholars establishes the notion of seven liberal arts; that is of the trivium and quadrivium, and standardizes the curicullum.
As from the linguistic point of view, the empire is divided linguistically. While Latin remains the language of the educated, the contemporary documents speak of „theodisk language“ and „lingua rustica romana“ , which by this means the Germanic and Romance varieties within the borders of the Empire.
The Romance languages had by this time developped into separate branches in Iberia, Gallia and Italia, as well as Pannonia; thus one can speak of an Ibero-Romance, Gallo-Romance, Italo-Romance and Illyro-Romance branch; the existence of a separate Visigothic state in southern Gaul and even previous division of Gaul into Viennensis and Galliae have resulted into the development of Neustrian language (langue d´oil) in the north and Aquitan/Occitan language in the south; furthermore Burgundian kingdom developped its own variety along the Upper and Middle Rhone as well. Areas of contact between Occitan and Baque result in emergence of a Gascon variety as well.
In Italy, the Rimini- La Spezia line divides Italian varieties from Annonarian Romance languages. The former have more in common with eastern Romance, the latter belong to the western Romance family. Annonarian Italian can be further subdivided into Padanian or Cisalpine(6), and rhaetic.
The Padanian language is further differentiated between Lombard (extending throughout the area) (7), Romagnan (in the areas formerly ruled by the Rhomaic empire) and smaller regional varieties such as Ligurian or Venetia.
Rhaetic, or Rhaeto Romance is used to denote the latinate language of the central Alps, in the uppermost Rhine valley, upper Adige valley adjacent areas. The area was exposed to Ostrogothic and Lombard influences yet to a smaller extent than Padania.
As for Italian varieties, already the dialect of Tuscan is divergent from the rest. Further south, the dialects in the duchies of Spoleto and Benevento begin to differentiate from Mediano (In Latium and Marche) and the Latin dialects of the Rhomaic held lands.
In the Iberian peninsula, one can see observe specific dialects of Bética, Galecia and Tarraconsis (in the Ebro valley). Significant Gothic influence remains over the varieties on the Duero valley.
The continental west Germanic languages are diverging into the Rhine Frankish, Alamannian, Bavarian, Thuringian, Saxon and Frisian varieties. Langobardic, being also a West Germanic language, survives in Miland and Pavia, and the last speakers of Ostrogothic appear to survive in the region of Ravenna. The Visigothic language still survives in Tierra del Campo.
As for the Gaulish language, it survives known as the Arvern in the Massif Central. Celtic Asturian and Cantabrian varietis survive in the mountains even by the year 800. The celtic language of Galicia, however, remains only in the inaccessible northwestern part of the area. Other linguistic leics survive in the Pyrennees: mainly the Basque language and the Ceretan language in Cerdany, possibly the last relict of Old Iberian.
(1) Roughly equivalent to New Castille
(2) Partly in Old Castille and Leon
(3) That means, Catalonia and Aragón.
(4) Roughly Catalonia
(5) The campaigns continued in the same way as OTL
(6) Called Gallo-Romance in modern OTL
(7) The most commonly spread variety, incorporating Langobardic superstratum
- Tomislav Addai
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