Europe = Middle Ages Flashcards

the eastern continuation of the Roman Empire that blended Roman traditions, Greek culture, and Christianity for about 1,000 years

the capital city of the Byzantine Empire and one of the most important cities in the medieval world.

emperor who was appointed a committee of eminent jurists to sort and organize laws

a multipart collection of laws and legal commentary issued in the 6th century by the emperor Justinian

a religious practice or belief judged unacceptable by church officials

heads of the Roman Catholic church who became political as well as religious authorities. The period of a pope’s term in office is called a pontificate

is the break of communion between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church since 1054

another name for the Eastern Christian church, over which emperors continued to have power

also called monachism or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual activities

certain rituals of the church believed to act as a conduit of God’s grace, such as baptism

terrible theological conflict that split the Byzantine Empire world for a century; conflict over the veneration of religious images in the Byzantine Empire

people who were venerated for having lived or died in a way that was spiritually heroic or noteworthy

(comes from the Greek Barbaros) someone who did not speak Greek

was king of the Franks and ruler of much of Gaul from 481 to 511, a key period during the transformation of the Roman Empire into Europe

a dynasty of rulers that took over the Frankish kingdom from the Merovingians in the 7th century; it derives from the Latin word for “Charles” the name of the several members of the dynasty

was the founder of the Carolingian Empire, and was best known for uniting Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire.

was a multi-ethnic complex of territories in central Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806.

(about 500–1500 CE) were the period between ancient and modern history when Europe was shaped by feudalism and strong Church influence, while Western Asia experienced powerful Islamic empires and major advances in trade, science, and learning.

were Scandinavian sailors and warriors during the Middle Ages who raided, traded, and settled across Europe and traveled into Western Asia through major trade routes.

a medieval European political system that defines the military obligations and relations between a lord and his vassals and involves the granting of fiefs

were part of a medieval system where a lord gave land to a vassal in exchange for loyalty, protection, and military service.

were highly trained mounted soldiers in the Middle Ages who fought for a lord or ruler in exchange for land, payment, or protection.

a peasant who lost his or her freedom and became permanently bound to the landed estate of a lord

was a 1215 English document that limited the king’s power and helped establish the idea that even rulers must follow the law.

a 14th century term used to describe the long Christian crusade to wrest Spain back from the Muslims; clerics believed it was a sacred and patriotic mission

Holy wars sponsored by the papacy to take the holy city of Jerusalem from the Muslims

a holy city in Western Asia that was important to Jews, Christians, and Muslims and became the center of conflict during the Crusades in the Middle Ages.

a code of conduct that was supposed to govern the behavior of a knight

associations of artisans organized to regulate the quality, quantity and price of the goods produced as well as the number of affiliated apprentices and journeymen

the transformation of the economic structure of Europe, beginning in the 11th century, from a rural, manorial society to a more complex mercantile society

literature written in the everyday language of a region rather than Latin; this included French, German, Italian, and English

the plague that first struck Europe in 1347, killing perhaps one-third of the population

the longest war in European history from 1337 to 1453 between England and France – lasted 116 years

was a time in the Catholic Church when there were two — and at one point even three — popes at the same time, and people did not agree on who the real pope was. It lasted from 1378 to 1417.

was the Holy City of the West, the seat of the visible head of the Catholic Church

transformed from a provincial town into the center of Western Christianity, serving as the seat of seven successive popes from 1309 to 1377.

A 10,000-strong force made up of yeomen, skilled craftsmen, and laborers marched on London to demand the heads of those they blamed for the tax.

The Treaty of Verdun was an agreement in 843 that divided Charlemagne’s empire among his three grandsons.

Lothair received the Central Kingdom.

Louis the German received the East Frankish Kingdom, which later became part of modern Germany.

Charles the Bald received the West Frankish Kingdom, which later became part of modern France.

It comes from a Greek word meaning someone who did not speak Greek.

The Celts and the Germans, including tribes such as the Visigoths and Franks.

The Huns, led by Attila, moved west after drought in Central Asia and attacked the Byzantine Empire and parts of Europe.

1. Cultural blending, 2. The fall of the Western Roman Empire, 3. Wars between barbarian groups

Wergeld was a payment made for causing someone’s death or injury in many barbarian law codes.

The Byzantine Empire.

It survived partly because it had a strong government and a well-fortified capital, Constantinople.

The Corpus Juris Civilis simplified Roman law, shaped Byzantine law, and influenced modern European legal systems.

was a powerful Byzantine weapon, similar to a flamethrower, used in naval battles.

Constantinople was the capital city of the Byzantine Empire.

The Black Death was a deadly plague that spread across Europe in the 1300s and killed millions of people.

Northern Europe suffered a terrible famine between 1315 and 1322.

It first arrived in Italy, likely through trade routes and ships.

Many people blamed Jewish communities, leading to persecution and violence.

Many peasants died, which led to labor shortages, higher wages for workers, and major economic changes.

The plague caused fear, population decline, weakened the feudal system, and led to social unrest.

was a long conflict (1337–1453) between England and France over territory and control of the French throne.

Conflict began after the Norman Conquest, when William of Normandy conquered England, leading English kings to control land in France.

It was a dispute over territory and who had the right to rule parts of France.

Joan of Arc inspired the French army and helped them win important battles, turning the war in France’s favor.

The English saw Joan of Arc as a threat because she boosted French morale and helped lead French victories.

The Western Schism was a period when there were two (and later three) rival popes claiming to lead the Catholic Church.

After Pope Gregory XI died, Roman citizens demanded an Italian pope, but French cardinals later chose a different pope, creating division.

The Schism weakened many people’s faith in the Church because they were unsure who the true pope was.

Church leaders met at the Council of Constance (1414–1418), removed the rival popes, and elected one pope to reunite the Church.

Many people relied heavily on prayer and asked the Church for salvation during times of uncertainty.

Peasant revolts were uprisings by poor farmers in the 1300s who protested heavy taxes, unfair laws, and harsh living conditions.

During wars like the Hundred Years' War, armies destroyed crops, burned villages, and increased taxes, causing peasants to suffer the most.

Heavy taxes and unfair laws, especially the poll tax, led to the English Peasants' Revolt.

In 1380–1381, Parliament imposed a heavy poll tax on individuals to pay for war expenses, angering many poor citizens.