front 1 Charlemagne (c. 747–814) | back 1 Also known as Charles the Great, he was the King of the Franks (from 768) and Lombards, and the first Holy Roman Emperor (crowned in 800). He united much of Western Europe, establishing the Carolingian Empire. |
front 2 Basil II (958–1025) | back 2 A highly successful and long-reigning Byzantine Emperor (976–1025) known as the "Bulgar-slayer" for his military victories. His reign marked the peak of Byzantine power in the Middle Ages. |
front 3 Alfred the Great (c. 847–899) | back 3 King of Wessex (871–899) who successfully defended his kingdom against the Vikings, laying the groundwork for the unification of England. He is also known for promoting education and law. |
front 4 Capetian Dynasty | back 4 A ruling house of France founded by Hugh Capet that controlled the French throne from 987 to 1328. Their rule marked the slow consolidation of royal power in France. |
front 5 Ottonian Kings | back 5 A dynasty of German kings (919–1024), starting with Otto I, who revived the imperial title and established the Holy Roman Empire as a major power in Central Europe. |
front 6 Carolingian | back 6 The dynasty founded by Charlemagne, ruling the Frankish realm from the mid-8th century to the 10th century. |
front 7 Abbasids | back 7 An Islamic caliphate (750–1258) that succeeded the Umayyads. They ruled from Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. |
front 8 Fatimids | back 8 An Isma'ili Shi'a Islamic caliphate (909–1171) that ruled over North Africa and parts of the Middle East, with their capital initially in Tunisia and later in Cairo. |
front 9 Treaty of Verdun (843) | back 9 The treaty that formally divided the Carolingian Empire among Charlemagne's grandsons, laying the foundation for modern France, Germany, and a middle kingdom. |
front 10 Feudalism | back 10 The dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which land (fief) was exchanged for military service and loyalty. |
front 11 Fief | back 11 A term for a piece of land held on condition of feudal service; the central element of feudalism. |
front 12 Castellan | back 12 The governor or warden of a castle; they often wielded significant local power, sometimes acting independently of the king. |
front 13 Primogeniture | back 13 A system of inheritance where the eldest son inherits all or the majority of the parents' estate or title. |
front 14 Patrilineal | back 14 Relating to or based on kinship with the father or the male line. Rights or property typically pass from father to son. |
front 15 themes (Byzantine) | back 15 Administrative and military districts established in the Byzantine Empire from the 7th century onward, where a general governed and the land was often given to soldiers in exchange for service. |
front 16 dynatoi (Byzantine) | back 16 A term for the powerful provincial magnates or "powerful men" in the Byzantine Empire, whose growing influence challenged central imperial authority, particularly during and after Basil II's reign. |
front 17 Peace of God | back 17 A medieval religious movement (beginning c. 975) promoted by the Catholic Church aimed at limiting the violence of feudal lords and knights against the non-combatant population (clergy, women, peasants). |