Chapter 11 Section 1 Flashcards
What did Western Europe consist of after the fall of the Roman Empire?
Germanic leaders seized power, and much of the region became divided into small kingdoms that were almost constantly at war.
How did Western European cultures in the early Middle Ages differ from culture during the Roman Empire?
They weren’t interested in trade and they didn’t create large centralized governments of write down their laws. Instead, they obeyed the unwritten rules and traditions of their king.
What was the only thing that united Germanic kingdoms?
The only thing that united Germanic kingdoms was christianity.
What Germanic king first converted to Christianity?
The first leader to convert was Clovis, who ruled the Franks.
How did Rome retain power in a Europe controlled by Germanic kings?
The city of Rome itself retained a certain amount of power and strength. It remained the home of the pope as well as the center of Christianity.
What did Charlemagne accomplish?
Charlemagne was the first emperor in Western Europe since the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
What were Charlemagne’s two main goals during his reign?************
He wanted to unite all the Germanic kingdoms and to strengthen Christianity throughout his kingdom.
How did Charlemagne bring order to his empire (tell two things he did)?
He established new laws to keep order and appointed official to run faraway regions of his realm.
How was Charlemagne able to spread Christianity?
He declared that he would put to death anyone who refused to convert to Christianity
How did Pope Leo III reward Charlemagne for his defense of the faith?
Leo crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans during a Christmas service in Rome.
What is feudalism?
Feudalism is a political and social system called feudalism developed by the 800s.
What role did vassals play in feudal society?
The vassals paid taxes on the land and pledged their military service to the lord.
List the social order under feudalism.****
At the top sat the king. Next came the church officials and noblemen, who included lords and some vassals. Next was knights. Lastly, there was peasants and serfs.
What three classes held the most power in feudal society? On the other end, which group made up the largest class of people under feudalism?******
The upper three classes held the most power in the feudal society. (Kings, Church Officials & Noblemen, and Knights) The great majority of people in the Middle Ages found themselves at the bottom of the social heap. (Merchants and Serfs)
Which of these classes was tied to the lord’s land?
Serfs were tied to the land and gave their lord most of whatever they produced.
