With the decline of the Western Roman Empire, Western Europe was a disjointed land that had no true unifying structure until the rise of Christianity. In ancient Roman times people used the state or empire of Rome to define themselves and give them a sense of unity despite having a diverse group of people within the empire. When Western Rome fell, this belief based on a Roman cultural identity disappeared and people were no longer able to identify with any particular group as they once did. The Christian religion was able to fill this void by making people associate with a religion instead of a given state or cultural group. During medieval Europe Christianity became the unifying force that would define what it meant to be European. Christianity gave legitimacy to political leaders by demonstrating that they were favored by the gods. The priest who recorded the stories surrounding the kings of medieval Europe also provided a link to the Roman Empire to give the kings a link to the Roman Empire of antiquity. Christianity became the center of cultural life in Western Europe and created a new social elite in Europe that would dominate literacy and knowledge in Europe for centuries. Christianity provided Europe with an escape from the disorder of the Middle Ages and gave a spiritual outlet for its fears and desires for a better life, both in physical life and in the spiritual world after death. The Roman Empire was able to extend its borders and create a civilization based on the cultural belief that they were the civilized people and everyone else was barbarians. Although many people in Rome were not well educated, the Empire's elites “went from forum to forum, s...... middle of paper ...... n & Company. 1989.Collins, Roger. Early medieval Europe 300-1000. 3rd ed. Palgrave Macmillan. 2010.Einhard. The life of Charlemagne. David Ganz. London. Penguin books. 2008.Eusebius of Caesarea. The life of the blessed emperor Constantine. Ernest Cushing Richardson, Ph.d..Fordham University. 1997. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/vita-constantine.asp. (accessed 12/13/2013) Gregory of Tours. The history of the Franks. Lewis Thorpe. London. Penguin books. 1974. Markale, Jean. The Celts, discovering the mythical and historical origins of Western culture. Rochester, Vermont. Internal traditions. 1993.Notker the Stammerer. The exploits of Charlemagne. David Ganz. London. Penguin books. 2008. Suetonius Tranquillus. The life of Augustus. Loeb Classical Library. 1913. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html. (accessed 12/13/2013).