Medieval Europe was very far from being untied. It was a large geographical region separated into smaller and culturally several political units that were never actually controlled by any one with authority. When the Roman Empire collapsed, Christianity became the standard-bearer of Western development. The papacy started gaining secular authority; monastic communities, generally adhering to control St. Benedict, made an effort to protect antique learning and missionaries. He sent the Germans and other tribes to spread Latin development. By the 8th century, cultures centred on Christianity had been established. It incorporated both Latin traditions and German institutions, such as the Germanic laws. Charlemagne created The far-flung empire, that is what illustrated this fusion. That empire was fragile and it was shattered by a new wave of invasions from the Vikings and Magyar. As the invaders became Christian and settled into the land it was increasing with success and the population of Medieval Europe grew and grew till its big expansion.