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Period: 400 to 700
The Franks
Clovis
Led the Franks and wiped out the last vestiges of Roman authority in Gaul
Military campaigns against other Germanic peoples
Many other Germanic peoples converted to Arian Christianity after Clovis's conversion.
The Franks converted to Roman Christianity
Alliance with the Roman church greatly strengthened the Franks -
Period: 500 to 1500
Postclassical Period
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Period: 850 to 1267
The Chola Kingdom
a larger kingdom; ruled Coromandel coast
At its high point, conquered Ceylon and parts of southeast Asia
Navy dominated waters from South China Sea to Arabian Sea
Not a tightly centralized state; local autonomy was strong -
Period: 960 to 1279
The Song Dynasty
Song Taizu (reigned 960-976 C.E.) was the founder
Financial problems: enormous bureaucracy and high salary devoured surplus
Military problems: civil bureaucrats in charge of military forces
External pressures: semi nomadic Khitan and nomadic Jurchen
The Song moved to the south, ruled south China until 1279 -
Period: 1200 to 1260
Mexica Society
Most information comes from Spanish sources, recorded after the conquest
Mexica warriors were the elite at the top of a rigid social hierarchy
Mexica women had no public role, but were honored as mothers of warriors
Priests also among the Mexica elite
Read omens, presided over rituals, monitored ritual calendar
Most of the Mexica were either cultivators or slaves -
Period: 1230 to 1490
The Mali Kingdom
Sundiata, or lion prince, built Mali empire (reigned 1230-1255 C.E.).
Controlled and taxed almost all trade passing through west Africa
Enormous caravans linked Mali to north Africa
Mansa Musa, Sundiata's grandnephew (reigned 1312-1337 C.E.)
Decline of Mali due to factions and military pressure from neighbors and nomads
The Songhay empire replaced Mali by the late fifteenth century