European Flashcards
Hessian
soldiers from the German state of Hesse who were hired as mercenaries by the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
Congress System or the Concert of Europe
the political framework established in Europe after the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. It aimed to maintain stability and prevent major conflicts by promoting cooperation and balance of power among the major European powers. The key elements of this order included regular congresses and conferences where major issues were discussed, diplomatic negotiations, and the intervention of major powers to uphold the status quo and suppress revolutionary movements.
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
a kingdom in Southern Italy that existed from 1816 to 1860 consisting of two regions: the Kingdom of Naples (including the island of Sicily) and the Kingdom of Sicily. The unification of the two regions occurred in 1816 when Ferdinand I of the Kingdom of Naples became Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The kingdom had its capital in Naples and was ruled by the Bourbon dynasty.
The Magyars
also known as the Hungarians, are an ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. They have a distinct language and cultural identity.
Diets
representative bodies where different social groups, nobility, clergy, and sometimes urban representatives, would convene to discuss and make decisions on matters of governance, legislation, and taxation.
Moravia
historical region located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic in Central Europe. It is one of the three traditional historical lands that make up the Czech Republic, alongside Bohemia and Czech Silesia
The Posen Uprising,
also known as the Greater Poland Uprising, was an armed rebellion that took place in the region of Posen (now Poznań) in western Poland, which was then under Prussian rule. The uprising occurred in 1848 during a period of widespread political and social unrest across Europe.
barricade figher/defender
refers to an individual who actively participated in the construction, defense, and manning of barricades during periods of civil unrest or uprisings. Barricades are makeshift barriers typically constructed in the streets using materials such as overturned vehicles, debris, or barricade-specific structures to obstruct the movement of opposing forces or authorities. Barricade fighters play a significant role in popular uprisings, revolutions, or protests, where they engage in direct confrontation with security forces or counter-revolutionary elements.
Grossdeutschland
meaning “Greater Germany,” advocated for the inclusion of all German-speaking territories, including Austria, within a unified German state. Proponents of Grossdeutschland believed in a broader definition of Germany that encompassed not just the German Confederation (a loose union of German states), but also the Austrian Empire. This approach emphasized a pan-Germanic identity and sought to unify all German-speaking peoples under a single political entity.
Kleindeutschland
meaning “Smaller Germany,” advocated for the exclusion of Austria from a unified German state. Proponents of Kleindeutschland argued for the formation of a German state that excluded Austria, focusing only on the German-speaking states of the German Confederation. This approach aimed to create a German nation-state without the inclusion of non-German territories, particularly the multi-ethnic Austrian Empire.
Kingdom of Saxony
a state located in the eastern part of present-day Germany. It emerged as a political entity in the early Middle Ages and was named after the Germanic tribe of the Saxons. Saxony was a significant power within the Holy Roman Empire and played a crucial role in medieval and early modern European history. It encompassed a region roughly corresponding to the modern German state of Saxony, along with parts of neighboring regions such as Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. Dresden, Leipzig, and Meissen were among its important cities.
The Holy Roman Empire
a complex political entity that existed in Central Europe from the Middle Ages to 1806. It was neither holy, Roman, nor an empire in the traditional sense. The empire originated from the coronation of Charlemagne as Emperor of the Carolingian Empire in 800, and ended with the abdication of the last emperor, Francis II, following pressure from Napoleon Bonaparte’s French Empire.
Bohemia
the Kingdom of Bohemia was a historical region in Central Europe. It corresponds to the western and central parts of the present-day Czech Republic. Bohemia was an important political and cultural entity throughout history. It emerged as a distinct kingdom in the 13th century and became part of the Holy Roman Empire. The Kingdom of Bohemia had its capital in Prague.
Feudalism
prevalent in medieval Europe from the 9th to the 15th century. It was based on a hierarchical structure of reciprocal relationships and obligations between different social classes. In this system, land was the primary source of wealth and power, and it was granted by a lord (typically a noble) to a vassal (usually a knight or lesser noble) in exchange for military service, labor, and other forms of support. The vassal pledged loyalty and allegiance to the lord, forming a bond known as a feudal contract. Feudalism created a decentralized system of governance, where local lords held authority over their lands and exercised control over the peasants who worked on them.
Galicia
Galicia was a region in the southeastern part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, including present-day Poland and Ukraine. After the partitions of Poland in the late 18th century, Galicia became part of the Habsburg Empire, later known as Austria-Hungary. It was called the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, with Lviv (formerly Lwów or Lvov) as its capital.
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was a bi-national state that existed from 1569 to 1795. It emerged as a result of the Union of Lublin, a formal merger between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It encompassed a vast territory that included parts of present-day Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, and Russia.
Silesia
Silesia is a historical and geographical region located in Central Europe, encompassing parts of present-day Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany. It is around the upper and middle Oder valley. It was mostly annexed by Prussia in 1742 but became almost wholly Polish in 1945.
Wallachia
Wallachia, also known as The Romanian Land, was a historical and geographical region located in present-day southern Romania. Wallachia was initially under the suzerainty of various neighboring powers, including the Hungarian Kingdom and the Ottoman Empire. However, it maintained a degree of autonomy through the appointment of local rulers known as voivodes. Wallachia gained international notoriety through its ruler Vlad III, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula. He ruled Wallachia in the 15th century and is known for his often brutal methods of maintaining order.
voivodes
Prussia
Prussia was a historical state that emerged in the 13th century and was originally a small territory located in what is now northeastern Poland and western Russia.
The earliest form of Prussia was the Baltic tribal land of the Prussians, inhabited by a Baltic-speaking people. In the 13th century, the Teutonic Knights, a Germanic military order, conquered the region and established the State of the Teutonic Order, commonly known as the Teutonic Knights’ State. This marked the beginning of Prussian history.
After World War I, the German Empire collapsed, and the monarchy in Prussia ended. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 dismantled Prussia as a political entity, reducing its territory and influence. The remaining territory became part of the Weimar Republic and later Nazi Germany. Following World War II, the territory of Prussia was divided between Poland and the Soviet Union, effectively extinguishing the state of Prussia.
The Bourbon Kingdom
The Bourbon Kingdom refers to a number of monarchies that were ruled by the Bourbon dynasty, a European royal family of French origin. This including the Kingdom of France, Kingdom of Spain, Kingdom of Naples, and the Kingdom of Sicily (Kingdom of the Two Sicilies). The Bourbons were a prominent European royal family with significant influence during the 17th to 19th centuries.
Reign of Terror
refers to a period during the French Revolution (September 1793 to July 1794) following the creation of the First Republic characterized by severe repression and violence. Led by the Committee of Public Safety, it involved mass arrests, trials, and executions of perceived enemies of the revolution. The Reign of Terror aimed to eliminate counter-revolutionary elements and establish revolutionary control. It ended with the overthrow of Maximilien Robespierre and a shift away from radical policies.