Europe Flashcards
north Atlantic drift
a continuation of the Gulf Stream across the Atlantic Ocean and along the coast of northwestern Europe, where it has a significant warming effect on the climate.
monastery
a building or buildings occupied by a community of monks living under religious vows.
Charlemagne
king of the Franks 768–814 and Holy Roman Emperor (as Charles I) 800–814; Latin name Carolus Magnus; known as Charles the Great. As the first Holy Roman emperor, Charlemagne promoted the arts and education, and his court became the cultural center of the Carolingian Renaissance.
holy roman empire
the empire set up in western Europe following the coronation of Charlemagne as emperor in the year 800. It was created by the medieval papacy in an attempt to unite Christendom under one rule. At times the territory of the empire was extensive and included Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Italy and the Netherlands.
feudalism
e dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord’s land and give him homage, labor, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection.
manorialism
The meaning of MANORIALISM is a system of economic, social, and political organization based on the medieval manor in which a lord enjoyed a variety of rights over land and tenants.
the battle of hastings
a decisive battle that took place in 1066 just north of the town of Hastings, East Sussex. William the Conqueror defeated the forces of the Anglo-Saxon king Harold II; Harold died in the battle, leaving the way open for the Norman Conquest of England.
William the conqueror
William the Conqueror was the Duke of Normandy who led the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings and was crowned King William I of England on Christmas Day 1066. He is known for establishing Normandy as a powerful force in France and securing his realm in England after several battles.
papacy
the office or authority of the Pope
monarch
a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: such as
a sovereign ruler
magna carta
e Magna Carta (“Great Charter”) is a document guaranteeing English political liberties that was drafted at Runnymede, a meadow by the river Thames, and signed by King John on June 15, 1215, under pressure from his rebellious barons. By declaring the sovereign to be subject to the rule of law and documenting the liberties held by “free men,” it provided the foundation for individual rights in Anglo-American jurisprudence.
the crusades
each of a series of medieval military expeditions made by Europeans to the Holy Land in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries
pope urban the second
Urban II (born c. 1035, Châtillon-sur-Marne, or Lagery, or Lagny, Champagne, France—died July 29, 1099, Rome [Italy]) head of the Roman Catholic Church (1088–99) who developed ecclesiastical reforms begun by Pope Gregory VII, launched the Crusade movement, and strengthened the papacy as a political entity.
Saladin
sultan of Egypt and Syria 1174–93; Arabic name Salah-ad-Din Yusuf ibn-Ayyub. He reconquered Jerusalem from the Christians in 1187, but he was defeated by Richard the Lionheart at Arsuf in 1191
Richard II
Richard II, also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent.