Chapter 6 Early Midieval Western Europe Flashcards
Atilla
Leader of the Huns.
Huns
Nomadic tribes from Mongolia. Ransacked Western Europe until they were defeated by the Franks at Chalons.
Visigoth
Settles by Danube river then moved south and west. Ended in the Iberian Peninsula until 711 when Muslims defeated them.
Vandal
Savage people. Went through Spain, France, North Africa, Hippo Regius (Augustine) and Rome.
Ostrogoth
Peaceful tribe. Agriculture and trade.
Lombards
Elbe river, then Italy, sustained culture for 2 centuries.
Franks
Belgium. Created by uniting small tribes. Expanded to south and east.
Clovis
Leader of the Franks. Merovingian Dynasty. United small tribes. Built army. Capital=Paris. Expanded south and east. Wiped out Roman civilization. Converted Franks to Roman Christianity, which led to an alliance between them and Rome.
Saint Martin of Tours
Pagan Roman soldier. Gave a piece of his cloak to a beggar and saw a vision if Christ. Concerted to Christianity, founded a monetary, and preached the gospel.
Saint Patrick
Converted Ireland to Christianity.
Pope Gregory I
Greatest early Pope. Last of Church Fathers. Wanted to convert Britain.
Church Fathers
Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine, Pope Gregory I
Rule of Benedict
Moderate guidelines made by Benedict of Nursia, 529
Beowulf
Founding epic of English nation. About a great warrior who battles Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon.
Intermingles Christian and Pagan themes.
Pagan: celebrating war heroes, loyalty to kin, leaders reward tribes generously, Pagan burials
Christian: the poet directly addresses God. Poet, not characters recognize Beowulf’s struggle between good and evil, and it’s religious implications.
Northern German surroundings
Cold, rocky, wild
Germanic tribal artwork
Small objects. High complexity of decoration. Weapons, shields, helmets, clasps, etc.
Sutton Hoo
7 century burial mound. Site of King Raedwald, 625.
Animal style
Intricate abstract patterns that take on the form of animals.
Cloisonné technique
Metal frames with colorful liquid glass poured in.
Manuscript illuminations
Beautiful illustrations inside religious books.
Book of Durrow, Symbol of Saint Matthew
680, four gospels, illustrations, 2 dimensional, abstract, checkerboard field
Lindisfarne Gospels, St. Matthew
700, greatest Irish illuminated manuscript, larger, Mediterranean influence, 3 dimensional illusionism, more natural, more emphasis on human experience.
Matthew writing in a book, someone peeking from behind the curtain, surrounding space is I decorated, which draws our attention to the figure.
Lindisfarne, Carpet Page with a Cross
Cross, blue and yellow background with animals. Red and green foreground on the cross with no animals. Very intricate.
Book of Kells, Chi-Rho Monogram Page
Masterpiece of Irish illuminations, island off of western Scotland, 100 years after Lindisfarne, XPI, found at the beginning of Matthew where “Christ” appears for the first time.
