Chapter 1: Migration in Medieval England Flashcards
Anglo-Saxon
People who migrated from Europe and lived in England from the 5th century.
Viking
People from the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden and Denmark) who raided and finally invaded England in the 9th century.
Wessex
An Anglo-Saxon kingdom established in southern England in 519.
Fertile
Land that is able to support farming and the growing of food.
Fortified
Surrounded by defences against possible attacks.
Succession
The process that decided who should be the next king or queen and so ‘succeed’ to the throne.
Witan
An Anglo-Saxon assembly of ‘wise-men’ - nobles and clergy (churchmen) summoned by the king to advise him.
The Pope
The leader of the Christian church. The pope was based in Rome, Italy.
The Old Testament
The first part of the Bible.
Diaspora
The scattering of a population that had once lived in one place.
Usury
Charging interest on a loan; in medieval times Christians were told by the pope that was a sin.
Synagogue
A building where Jewish people met for worship and teaching.
Black Death
A pandemic more accurately called the bubonic plague, it reached England in 1348, killing between 30% and 60% of the population.
Guild
An association of merchants or tradesmen who all work in the same trade. The guild works to create local rules for its members. You had to be a member of your trade’s guild to sell your goods or services.
Jarldom
A large area of land ruled by a jarl (a king or an earl)
Saga
A story, usually told and sometimes written down, that mixes hsitory and mythology.
Things
Regional and local meeting held by important families where laws were made and criminal disputes were settled.
Danegeld
Money paid to the Saxons to the Danes in order to make them stay away.
Earldom
A large area of land ruled by an earl.
Jewries
Separate areas of towns and cities where Jews lived.
Kehila
Jewish community council.
Kosher
Food that is prepared according to Jewish laws.
Anti-Semitism
Hostility to, and prejudice against Jewish people.
Crusade
A series of European military expenditures in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries to take the Holy Land back from Muslims.
Hanseatic League
An organisation of north German towns and German merchant communities that traded in northern Europe. the League dominated commercial activity in northern Europe from the 13th century to the 15th century.
Customs tariff
A tax placed on goods that are imported or exported in or out of a country.
Craft guilds
Craftsmen such as weavers and bakers, goldsmiths and candlemakers had their own guilds. There were organisations that set prices, wages and standards of work.
Peasants’ Revolt
In 1381, thousands of English peasants rebelled, demanding freedom from their lords and higher wages.
Geld
This land tax was the most important tax in Saxon England.
Shire
A division of land in Saxon England.
Hundred
In Saxon England, shires were divided into smaller areas called hundreds.
Hierarchy
A system where members are ranked according to their status and authority.
Ransom
A sum of money demanded for the release of a captive.
Dowry
The money, land and/or goods that a woman’s family gives to her husband’s family when she marries.
Pawnbroker
A person who lends money in exchange for an article.
Mint
A place that legally produces coins.
