Exam II Flashcards
The five pillars of Islam
Professional of faith, prayer, alms giving, fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca
How many crusades were there
There were eight
Who were the five good emperors
Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, antonius, Marcus Aurelius
Why were they known as the five good emperors
They brought about peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire
What was Pax Romana
It was a period of piece that started with Augustus’ victory at actium in the Roman Empire
What is jihad
It is a Holy War fought by the Shia Muslims against those who do not hold the Islamic faith
What is gained by the Carolingian Renaissance
The want for classical learning brought about by Charlemagne
What is feudalism?
The dominant social system in medieval Europe where nobility held lands from the crown in exchange for military service; vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles while the peasants were obliged to live on their lord’s land and give him homage, labour, and share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection
What were the causes of the third century crisis?
Invasion, civil war, the plague, and economic depression
What was Greek fire?
A secret weapon used by the Byzantine empire In naval warfare and sieges
Who was pope Gregory I?
Practically invented medieval papacy, which exercised both secular and spiritual power
The crusades
A series of religious wars initiated by the church primarily aimed at recapturing Jerusalem and the Holy land from Muslim control. They lasted from the 11th to the late 13th century. The most well known are 1-9 but there were smaller ones too
The high Middle Ages
A period of European history roughly from the 11-13th century characterized by the expansion of feudalism, rise of monarchies, the spread of Christianity, and the growth of towns and trade. This era saw the height of the crusades, the development of universities, and a flourishing of culture and religion.
Viking invasions in the west
From the late 8th century to the early 11th century, Vikings, primarily from Scandinavia, launched raids on costal regions of Europe. These invasions are considered one of the factors contributing to the breakdown of the Carolingian empire and the instability in Western Europe. The Vikings attacked places like England, Ireland, France (Normandy too), and even parts of Italy and Spain. In the long term, Viking settlers established kingsdoms, such as the danelaw in England and the duchy of Normandy
The growth of papal power:
The growth of papal power refers to the increasing influence and authority of the Pope during the Middle Ages. The Pope, as the head of the Roman Catholic Church, gained significant political, religious, and social power. This growth was partly due to the Church’s role in unifying Europe under a single religious institution. Popes like Gregory I (590-604) and Innocent III (1198-1216) pushed for greater papal authority, sometimes challenging secular rulers. By the 12th and 13th centuries, the Pope had not only spiritual power but also political sway, controlling vast territories and influencing the rulers of Europe.
Seljuk Turks and manzikurt
The Seljuk Turks were a Central Asian Turkic-speaking people who began migrating into the Middle East in the 11th century. They became a dominant military force in the region, particularly in Persia, Iraq, and Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). Their rise is significant because they defeated the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of Manzikurt in 1071. In this battle, the Seljuk Turks, under Sultan Alp Arslan, decisively defeated the Byzantine army, which weakened the Byzantine Empire and led to the loss of much of Anatolia. This opening of the Anatolian Peninsula to the Turks was a key event that eventually led to the creation of the Ottoman Empire and increased tensions between the Christian and Muslim worlds.
Pope urban the II and the first Crusade
Pope Urban II is most famous for calling for the First Crusade in 1095. The Pope’s motivation was to aid the Byzantine Empire, which had been under attack by the Seljuk Turks, and to reclaim Jerusalem, which had been taken by Muslims. Urban’s speech at the Council of Clermont in France urged knights and common people to take up arms to liberate the Holy Land from Muslim rule. He promised spiritual rewards, such as indulgences (forgiveness of sins), for those who participated. This call to arms led to the mobilization of thousands of Europeans, starting the series of religious wars known as the Crusades.
The era of the crusades
The Era of Crusades refers to the series of military campaigns between the 11th and 15th centuries aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and other territories from Muslim control. The Crusades were initially launched by the Catholic Church, with the first Crusade (1096-1099) resulting in the capture of Jerusalem. Over the next few centuries, there were several Crusades, each with varying success. Some Crusades targeted Muslim territories in the Middle East, while others were aimed at other religious or political objectives, such as the Baltic region or the Iberian Peninsula. While the Crusades helped spread European culture, they also had long-lasting effects on relations between Christians and Muslims and contributed to the weakening of the Byzantine Empire.
The emergence of western kingdoms
France, England, and the Holy Roman Empire emerged as the dominant political entities in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. By the early Middle Ages, these kingdoms began to consolidate power and form distinct identities.
France: After the Treaty of Verdun (843), which split the Carolingian Empire, the West Frankish Kingdom became the core of what would become France. The Capetian dynasty, beginning with Hugh Capet in 987, strengthened royal authority and laid the foundation for the French monarchy.
England: England formed as a unified kingdom in the early 10th century under King Æthelstan. The Norman Conquest of 1066, led by William the Conqueror, dramatically changed England’s political structure and strengthened the monarchy. The establishment of feudalism in England led to the creation of a centralized system of governance.
Holy Roman Empire: The Holy Roman Empire was established in 800, when Charlemagne was crowned Emperor. It was a loose confederation of territories in central Europe, with the emperor being seen as the secular counterpart to the Pope. Over time, the empire faced internal divisions, but it remained a significant political entity in medieval Europe.
These developments helped shape the medieval world and had lasting impacts on European politics, religion, and culture
What were the key actions of Charlemagne’s reign
Uniting most of Europe under his rule by the power of the sword, and helped restore the western Roman Empire by becoming its first emperor
Who was Cassiodorus
Historian, statesman, and monk who helped save the culture of Rome at the time of impending barbarianism
How were christian’s and Jews treated under Muslim
Granted the status of dhmmi, or “protected people” meaning they were able to practice their religions but under certain restrictions and obligations
What are the differences between Sunni and Shia
Shia: members of the second largest tradition of Islam, which split from the majority Sunni tradition in the seventh century as a result of a disagreement over the succession; especially significant in Iran and Iraq. “By the mid-tenth century, the Islamic empire led by the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad was disintegrating. An attempt was made in the tenth century to unify the Islamic world under the direction of a Shi’ite dynasty known as the Fatimids. Their origins lay in North Africa, but they managed to conquer Egypt and establish the new city of Cairo as their capital. In establishing a Shi’ite caliphate, they became rivals to the Sunni caliphate of Baghdad and divided the Islamic world”
Who was Mohammad
The last prophet of God and founder of Islam
