Following the collapse of Rome in 469 C.E., Europe plunged into an era of insecurity and the near-complete cessation of learning. To make matters worse, Moorish armies from Africa conquered Spain in the 8th Century, thereby threatening Europe's very heartland.This short answer worksheet is devoted to the Early Middle Ages, when the Franks, Lombards vied for power and the Catholic Church struggled to preserve itself in Italy. Included are such historical heavyweights as: Charles Martel, Charlemag