Transition from Rome to Medieval Times

[The_Enigma]

I am wondering how exactly did the transition between Rome to the Medieval times actaully happen. I know that once Rome fell all that was left of the Roman empire was the eastern half with its capitol located at Constantinople. But I know eventually/suddenly Karl the Big(Charlemaigne) is crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and basically all of western Europe. How did this transition happen between these 2 periods?

Thanks

[dgoodman]

Um, charlemange was cowned over 400 years after Rome fell. After rome fell, The area once held was split up and controled by various barbarian tribes. Lmbards got italy, visigiths got spain, franks get gaul and most of present germany, saxong get britain and vandals get north africs.

The barbarians keep many of the roman institutions intact but also plundered much of the infrastructure. The christian church had enormous power than and was beginning to gain authority over the barbarians. Kings popped up in the tribes and began to have enormous power. The easern roman empire tried to reconquer the west but was too weak to do so.

The major event in this trime period was the rise of Islam. Mislims swept from arabia through africa and took over spain. They entered france and were finally defeated by a frankish noble. They remained in spain for ob=ver 700 years and greatly influenced the course of european history. They also attacked the eastern roman empire and destroyed the sassanid persian empire.

Feudalism was growing dring the end of the roman empire and during this time it started becoming the main form of governance. After the failure of charlemange to pass his empire oin to his sons, whick broke up his empire into eastern frankonia, now france, western, now germany, and burgundy, which is between the two, and the viking raids over most of europe, the continant became permanantly divided under the authority of many kings and the pope, and under a constant thread of foreign invaqsion from vikings, muslims, and magyars.