Final Studying Flashcards
Porphyrogenita
Who/What: The purple princess of the Byzantine Empire.
When: 1056 (last ruler of the Macedonian dynasty)
Importance: Often desired by kings and emperors for legitimacy in their ruling.
Battle of Hastings
Who/What: Battle between Harold Godwinsson and William the Conquerer over the rule of England.
When: October 14, 1066
Importance: This battle determined who would rule England after Edward the Confessor, whose descendants still rule today.
Battle of Lechfeld
Who/What: Battle between Otto I and the Magyars.
When: August 10, 955
Importance: Stopped the Magyar invasion of Western Europe.
Basil II
Who/What: Byzantine Emperor, known as the Bulgar Slayer. Had a full treasury when he died.
When: d. December 15, 1025
Importance: He blinded many of the soldiers in a victory against the Bulgars and won much territory for Byzantium.
Otto I
Who/What: Otto the Great. The first Ottonian ruler.
When: d. May 7, 973
Importance: Defeated the Magyars. Made alliances with Bishops. Married to Adelheid, princess.
Harold Godwinsson
Who/What: English king who tried taking the throne instead of William the Conquerer.
When: d. October 14, 1066
Importance: He was killed in the battle of Hastings and gave rise to William the Conquerer as king of England.
Feudalism
Who/What: Conditional land grants in return for (military) service.
When:
Importance: This decentralized the power in the empire further.
Treaty of Verdun
Who/What: Treaty that divided Francia into three parts for Louis I three sons.
When: August 10, 843
Importance: Divided CM’s empire. Showed the divide between modern day France and Germany.
William of Normandy
Who/What: Duke of Normandy, elected king by Edward the Confessor.
When: d. September 9, 1087
Importance: Was elected to become the next king of England. Killed Harold Godwinsson in the Battle of Hastings and began the modern English royal family line.
Hugh Capet
Who/What: Frankish king/King of France.
When: d. October 24, 996
Importance: Founded the Capetian dynasty which stayed in France for centuries.
Cnut
Who/What: Son of Sweyn Forkbeard. Ruled England and enforced peace.
When: d. November 12, 1035
Importance: Widely accepted Danish ruler in England with little backlash from the people.
Sweyn Forkbeard
Who/What: Danish king who sought to become king in England.
When: d. February 3, 1014
Importance: Drove out the English king and established himself as king before dying soon after, then his son, Cnut, became king and was accepted by the people.
Rollo
Who/What: Carolingian count.
When: d. 930
Importance: He had the power to enforce laws and was in charge of defense and justice.
Edgar the Peaceable
Who/What: English King who wanted a united England.
When: d. July 8, 975
Importance: He introduced monastic reform and put more emphasis of Christ and the Eucharist.
Abbasids
Who/What: Islamic Empire that drove out the Umayyads (except from Spain).
When: 750
Importance: Consolidated Islamic power and advanced the Islamic Golden Age.
Robert the Pious
Who/What: Frankish ruler. Married to Roazala of Italy, then Bertha.
When: d. July 20 1031
Importance: Had to separate from Bertha or risk excommunication. He tried to present himself as the protectot of churches.
Odo of Cluny
Who/What: Abbot in Cluny.
When: d. November 18, 942
Importance: Influenced monasteries across Europe, introduced many reforms.
Robert Guiscard
Who/What: Younger brother of William Iron Arm.
When: d. July 17, 1085
Importance: Sold a man for ransom and got his reputation, raided in N. Calabria.
Pope Leo IX
Who/What: Pope.
When: April 19, 1054
Importance: Introduced more papal reform. He traveled Europe to make bishops confess to simony. Tried to fight against the Normans in the Battle of Civitate. Lost.
Battle of Civitate
Who/What: The battle between the Normans and Pope Leo IX’s army.
When: June 18, 1053
Importance: Pope Leo IX captured. The Normans won a victory.
Vicar of St. Peter
Who/What: The idea that the Pope was the successor of St. Peter.
When:
Importance: Made the pope the stand-in for St. Peter and the supposed leader of the Church across Europe.
Peace of God
Who/What: Was an agreement on when to not fight and who to spare during times of war using relics.
When: 989
Importance: The papacy was not strong enough to enforce many rules or have much power. This convinced people when to not fight and gave more rules to fighting.
Simony
Who/What: Corruption within the church relating to money.
When: During Pope Leo IX’s papal reform, it took off.
Importance: To combat this, there was much papal reform.
Seljuk Dynasty
Who/What: Sunni Turkish Dynasty from the Steppe, which expanded into Byzantine territory.
When: Established 1037
Importance: Open warfare with the Byzantine Empire, leading to more of their decline.
