Chapter 11 - High Middle Ages Flashcards
Define the Medieval State.
The going power of monarchs led to states organized along lingual/cultural/ethnic lines. Lesser nobles also sought to check the power of the monarchs. Nation-state formation was not, however, complete.
Who built a massive wall in Britain to hold-off the Celts?
Hadrian of the Roman Empire.
What was the wall Hadrian built in Britain?
Hadrian’s wall.
What was the largest Roman city in London and what was its population?
London; It had a population of about 30,000 people.
By what year had Rome withdrawn from Britain?
Approximately 400 AD.
What characterized the Anglo-Saxon “mini-civilization” that resulted from Roman departure?
1) Society valued glory and honor.
2) People engaged in perpetual fighting
3) An economy was created based on plunder.
When were most Anglo-Saxon pagans converted?
Around 600 AD.
How many small and independent kingdoms could be found in Great Britain around 500 AD?
Between five and eleven.
Who introduced Christianity to Northern England?
Irish Monks.
Who introduced Christianity to the Irish?
St. Patrick
Who introduced Christianity to Southern England?
Missionaries sent from Rome.
What ended England’s isolation from mainland Europe?
The Christianization of England.
How was learning preserved in Great Britain?
Through monasteries.
Were the people of England literate?
Largely no.
Who was the most famous Monk between 650-800 AD?
The Venerable Bede.
What did the Venerable Bede do?
1) Wrote a history of Christianity in England
2) Wrote a history of the English People
3) Devised the BC-AD system of dating all history from the time of Christ.
What were other names given to the Vikings?
Norsemen and Northmen.
Where did the Vikings hail from?
Scandinavia.
List all the civilizations the Vikings came into contact with.
1) Ireland.
2) England.
3) Russia.
4) The Byzantine Empire.
5) Muslim Merchants.
Where did the Vikings settle?
Greenland and Iceland.
When did the Vikings visit North America?
Around 1000 AD.
During what years were Viking raids common?
700-800 AD.
What did Viking raids encourage?
1) Political Decentralization
2) Empowerment of Large Landowners
Why did Viking attacks come to an end around 900?
A Frankish ruler gave the Vikings territory around the Seine River (Normandy) and converted the Vikings to Christianity. The Vikings defended Europe against further Viking attacks.
Why did the Vikings start to assimilate into European civilization?
Christianity.
Who conquered much of Anglo-Saxon England around 850?
The Danes (Who were Vikings).
What area of England were the Danes not able to subdue?
Wessex.
Who was Wessex ruled by?
Alfred the Great.
How did Alfred the Great defeat the Danes?
1) Built a Strong Army and Navy
2) Established a Court Palace to Preserve Learning.
Who conquered England in 1066?
The Normans.
Who were the Normans?
Vikings that had settled in Northern France.
Who led the Normans?
William the Conqueror.
What did William the Conqueror introduce to England?
A strong centralized monarchy.
How did William the Conqueror maintain a strong centralized monarchy?
1) He retained 1/6 of the land for himself.
2) The nobles swore absolute allegiance to William alone.
3) Only William had enough resources to compel obedience if a noble resisted.
What system did William use and how was it organized?
William used the shire (county) system and used royal agents (sheriffs) as his governors in the shire. He established bureaucratic efficiency in England.
What was the Domesday Book?
A census book containing the number of all the people, pigs, and plows that existed on a piece of property.
What became noticeable about England after the Normans?
National Unity under the banner of the English.
Why was National Unity prominent in Britain?
1) William the Conqueror subdued England in one quick movement as opposed to hundred of years.
2) The legal reforms of Henry I and Henry the II of using royal judges in all cases and creating a de facto “common law”.
3) The Magna Carta
Who signed the Magna Carta and when was it signed?
King John in 1215 AD.
Why was the Magna Carta created?
King John tried to raise more money for his war with France by over-taxing his vassals and punishing some vassals without a trial.
What did the Magna Carta actually stipulate?
That the King was bound to obey his feudal obligations and must respect the rights of barons.
What happen to the Magna Carta in future generations?
It would be interpreted more broadly.
What principles were later drawn out of the Magna Carta?
1) The King is not above the law and must submit to the laws of the State.
2) Protects Civil Rights against government oppression.
3) The King must consult with Parliament before Levying Taxes.
4) The Right to a Trial by Jury.
5) Protection Against Arbitrary Arrest and Imprisonment.
Who was a successor of the old Carolingian King Louis?
Otto.
What did Otto do during his reign to gain the title “Emperor of the Romans”?
1) Entered Into Political Alliances With Local Church Leaders
2) Received soldiers and civil administrators from conquered territories.
3) Forced various landowners and dukes to submit to his authority.
4) Extended his influence into Italy in 962 and protected the pope from various Italian enemies.
What created a link between the Papacy and the German throne that would continue throughout the Middle Ages?
The Pope crowning Otto the “Emperor of the Romans”.
What concept did the granting of Title to Otto create?
The Holy Roman Empire.
What two factions would come into conflict during the Holy Roman Empire and why?
The Dukes and Church against the Emperor. German Emperors tried to extend control over Italy and that drew the ire of the church.
Why was the Catholic Church so powerful in the Middle Ages?
1) Virtually all people in Western Europe after 900 were professing Christians.
2) Commoners throughout the west took their religion seriously.
What was medieval Catholic Christianity reliant on and why?
Ritual, ceremony, and even superstition. Because clear Bible reading and teaching were rare due to massive illiteracy.
How was God’s grace given in Medieval Catholic Christianity?
Through the sacraments.
Name all the sacraments and describe what each did.
1) Baptism - cleansed the infant of sin and gave them a clean slate before God.
2) Confirmation - granted adolescents additional grace.
3) Matrimony - conferred upon marriage a holy status.
4) The Eucharist - Communion eating the literal body and blood of Christ and receiving forgiveness.
5) Penance - Confessing and Working Off Sins That Were Forgiven by the Priest.
6) Extreme Unction - Administered to the dying as an effort to remove all last remains of sin.
7) Ordination - Conferred special grace on men who were becoming priests.
What was excommunication?
Removal from the church that barred them from gaining the sacraments.
Why were people excommunicated?
1) Flagrant violation of the church’s rules.
2) Resisting church authority.