history

Middle Ages

the era in european history that followed the fall of the Roman Empire, lasting from about 500 to 1500 – also called the medieval period.

franks

a germanic people who settled in the roman province of gaul(roughly the area now occupied by France) and established a great empire during the Middle Ages.

monastery

a religious community of men (called monks) who have given up their possessions to devote themselves to a life of prayer and worship.

secular

concerned with worldly rather than spiritual matters

Carolingian Dynasty

a dynasty of Frankish rulers, lasting from A.D. 751 to 987

Charlemagne

king of the franks and the holy roman emperor; conqueror of the lombards and saxons(742-814)

What were three roots of medieval culture in Western Europe?

The classical heritage of Rome, the customs of various Germanic tribes and the belief of the Roman Catholic Church were the three roots of medieval culture in Western Europe.

Why were most of the spanish explorers drawn to the Americas?

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What was the most important achievement of Pope Gregory I?

Pope Gregory broadened the authority of the papacy, or pope’s office, beyond its spiritual role.

How was the relationship between a Frankish king and the pope beneficial to both?

Being unpopular with the pope can ruin your relationships with the Catholic countries. Being popular with the pope means you might be able to get some allies when you start a war if you appeal.

Why was Charles Martel’s victory at the battle of Tours so important for Christianity?

The victory at the Battle of Tours prevented Islam from spreading into Europe. This preserved Christianity for many centuries because if the Muslims had one Western Europe might have become part of the Muslim empire.

What was Charlemagne’s greatest achievement?

In 800 when Charlemagne traveled to Rome to crush a mob that attacked the pope. It was a very historic event when Pope Leo 111 crowned him the emperor. Charlemagne got the title "Roman Emperor" and they joined the Germanic power, the Church and the heritage of the Roman Empire.

lord

in feudal Europe, a person who controlled land and could therefore grant estates to vassals.

fief

an estate granted to a vessel by a lord under the feudal system in medieval Europe.

Vassal

in feudal Europe, a person who received a grant of land from a lord in exchange for a pledge of loyalty and services.

knight

in medieval Europe, and armored warrior who fought on horseback.

serf

a medieval Peasant legally bound to live on a lord’s estate

manor

estate in feudal Europe

tithe

a family’s payment of one-tenth of its income to a church.

What groups invaded Europe in the 800’s?

The Muslims, Magyars and Vikings invaded Europe in the 800s.

What obligations did a peasant have to The Lord of the manor?

The peasants obligations to the Lord of the Manor were based mostly on farming work. The peasant would work large portions of the day on the land of their Lord. In exchange for working on the Lords land, peasants were given small plots of land for themselves and their family .

What were the three social classes of the feudal system?

The three classes with the clergy, nobility and the serfs.

How were the vikings different from earlier Germanic groups that invaded Europe?

The Vikings were the first Germanic people to travel and Conquer Iceland, Greenland, and North Eastern Canada. They also were very advanced in shipbuilding and battle tactics.

How was a manor largely self-sufficient both militarily and economically during the early Middle Ages?

This is a system called the Manor system. The Lord of the Manor would hire the knights. To attract workers the Lords soldiers would protect the serfs who lived on the farm. In return the serfs would have to farm on the land. So the knights made the manner militarily self-sufficient and the surfs farming them economically self-sufficient.

What benefits do you think a medieval manor provided to the serfs who lived there?

It provided homes and jobs for them.

chivalry

a code of behavior for nights in medieval Europe, stressing ideas such as courage, loyalty and devotion.

troubadour

a medieval poet and musician who traveled from place to place, entertaining people with songs and courtly love.

tournament

a mock battle between groups of nights.

What were 2 inventions from Asia that changed the technology of warfare in Western Europe?

Leather, saddles, and stirrups change the technology of warfare in Western Europe.

Who were the occupants of a castle?

Lord and Lady, their family, knights and other men-at-arms, and servants made their home in the castle.

What were some of the themes of medieval literature?

Some of the themes were epic poetry, the glorified knighthood and chivalry, tournaments and battles.

How important of a role did knights play in the feudal system?

They helped protect cities or towns and had a civil duty to serve their King.

How was the code chivalry like the idea of romantic love?

Knighthood and chivalry, acquired aim mystique that combined aristocratic qualities, Christian virtues, and courtly love of women.

In what ways were the lives of a noblewoman and a peasant woman the same? different?

Noblewoman would have lived in luxury and peasant woman would’ve shared one room with family and animals.

clergy

a body of officials who perform religious services- such as priests, ministers or rabbis.

sacrament

One of the Christian ceremonies in which God’s grace is transmitted to people.

canon law

The body of laws governing the religious practices of a Christian church.

Holy Roman Empire

An empire established in Europe in the 10th century A.D., originally consisting mainly of lands in what is now Germany and Italy.

lay investiture

The appointment of religious officials by Kings or Nobles.

What were some of the matters covered by canon law?

It covered matters such as marriage and religious practices.

How did Otto the great make the crown stronger than the German nobles?

Magyars invaded the empire in 954, and this invasion forced the nobility to reunite with Otto in order to defend themselves.

Why did lay investiture cause a struggle between kings and popes?

Pope Gregory VII condemned lay investiture in 1078 as an unjustified assertion of authority over the church.

How was the structure of the Church like that of the feudal system?

Pope Gregory VII condemned lay investiture in 1078 as an unjustified assertion of authority over the church.

Was the Concordat of worms a fair compromise for both the emperor and the Church?

It was fair because it gave the church the right to appoint bishops.

Why did German kings fail to unite their lands?

The system of German princes electing the king weakened royal authority, so states of Germany didn’t unify during the Middle Ages.

simony

the selling or buying of a position in a Christian church.

Gothic

relating to a style of church architecture that developed in medieval Europe, featuring ribbed vaults, stained glass windows, flying buttresses, pointed arches, and tall spires.

Urban II

French pope from 1088 to 1099 whose sermons called for the First Crusade.

Crusade

one of the expeditions in which medieval Christian warriors sought to recover control of the Holy Land from the Muslims.

Saladin

sultan of Syria and Egypt; reconquered Jerusalem from the Christians in 1187 but was defeated by richard coeur de lion in 1191.

Richard the Lion-Hearted

son of Henry II and King of England from 1189 to 1199; a leader of the Third Crusade; on his way home from the crusade he ws captured and held prisoner in the Holy Roman Empire until England ransomed him in 1194.

Reconquista

the effort by Christian leaders to drive the Muslims out of Spain, lasting from the 1100s until 1492.

Inquisition

a Roman Catholic tribunal for investigating and prosecuting charges of tribunal for investigating and prosecuting charges of heresy, especially the one active in Spain during the 1400’s.

What were three main causes of the need to reform the Church?

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Which Crusade was the only successful one?

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How did the goals of the Crusades change over the years?

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Which of the following do you think best represent the spirit of the Age of Faith – Church reform, the crusades, or the gothic cathedrals?

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What evidence supports the idea that the church functioned like a kingdom?

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How did the crusades change the history of Europe?

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three – field system

A system of farming developed in medieval Europe, in which farmland was divided into three fields of equal size and each of these was successfully planted with a winter crop, printed with a spring crap, and left unprinted.

vernacular

The everyday language of people in the region or country.

burgher

A medieval merchant class town dweller.

Thomas Aquinas

Italian theologian and Dr. of the church who is remembered for his attempt to reconcile faith and reason any comprehensive theology; presented his philosophical proofs of the existence of God.

scholastics

scholars who gathered and taught medieval European universities.

guild

A medieval Association of people working at the same occupation, which controlled its members’ wages and prices.

Commercial Revolution

The expansion of trade and business that transformed European economics during the 16th and 17th centuries.

How did guilds influence business practices in medieval towns?

The guilds provided security and trading and reduce losses.

How were Muslim scholars linked to the revival of learning in Europe?

Muslim scholars were linked to the revival of learning in Europe by making important and original contributions and mathematics astronomy and medicine.

In what ways did burghers expand their freedom from landlords?

As trade expanded, the burghers, resented the interference in their trade. They organize themselves and demanded privileges.

What was the effect of the development of towns on the feudal system?

Surplus production allowed the growth of medieval towns, centers of nonagricultural craft production, learning and religion.

Why would writers choose to produce works in the vernacular instead of in Latin?

It makes it easier for the reader to understand on the writer prefers to write like that.

How did the Commercial Revolution lay the foundation for the economy of modern Europe?

Commercial revolution was a period of European economic expansion, colonialism, and mercantilism which lasted from approximately the 16th century until the early 18th century.

William the Conqueror

duke of Normandy who led the Norman invasion of England and became the first Norman to be King of England; he defeated Harold II at the battle of Hastings in 1066 and introduced many Norman customs into England (1027-1087)

parliament

a body of representatives that makes laws for a nation

Hugh Capet

King of France elected in 987 and founding the Capetian dynasty (940-996)

Philip II

son of Louis VII whose reign as king of France saw wars with the English that regained control of Normandy and Anjou and most of Poitou (1165-1223)

Henry II

king of France from 1547 to 1559; regained Calais from the English; husband of Catherine de Medicis and father of Charles IX (1519-1559)

Common law

a unified body of law formed from rulings of England’s royal judges that serves as the basis for law in many English-speaking countries today, including the United States

Estates-General

an assembly of representatives from all three of the estates, or social classes, in France.

Magna Carta

the royal charter of political rights given to rebellious English barons by King John in 1215