First Exam - Europe Terms Flashcards
Who was Alaric and the Visigoths?
A barbarian tribe 5th Century
Alaric lived 370-410. He was the king of the Visigoths
Joined the Roman army and fought other tribes on Rome’s behalf
Rome didnt recognize his achievments so he left
Worked his way up his tribes power ladder and became the King of the Visigoths
Alaric and the Visigoths conquered Roman territory in Greece. And in 410 they sacked rome
The Emperor ordered his citizens to fight the visigoths, around 30,000 are killed
Alaric lays siege to Rome in 408 but fails
Tries again in 409
In 410 an Allie opens the gates for him and 3 days plundered rome. Did no damage, but stole alot of things
In 410 rome wasnt the capital, ravenna was.
This was the first time that Rome had been captured in 800 and lead to the collapse of the empire
Who was Attilla the Hun?
A nomatic barbarian tribe that herded and hunted.
In early 450’s they reached western eurpope
They conquer Roman Territory. When they reach nothern Italy the Emperor sends Pope leo to reason with Attilla.
Pope leo tells him that invading christian territory is displeasing to god
Atilla leaves and never attacks rome
The huns had a oral tradition
Who were Justinian and Theodora?
The western Roman Empire falls in 476 when the Emperor was Deposed
But it continues in the East under a new name, the BYZANTINE EMPIRE. Which lasted till 1463. The capital was CONASTANIOPLE
Justinian was sometimes called the last Roman. He wad dedicated to recovering rome which was under barbarian control.
His wife was Theodora, Justinian and her become co-rulers
Theodora died of the plague relatively young
Justinian wants to re-establish the Western Empire (North Africa, Italy) and he dispatches BELISARIUS TO DO SO
They conquer but werent very stable
North Africa falls to the Islamic expansion
Taxes raised for wars destroyed the roman infrastructure
Merovingians
Many tribes have taken over bits of modern day France’s empire, but never really lasted.
The firs tribe that lasted was the Franks, which was ran by King Clovis (466-511) MEROVINGIANS was his dynasty
Clovis was in charge but the people under him were stupid, so this lead to the rise of CHARLES MARTEL. HE WAS THE MAYOR, and had power
Martel centralizes government and recovers some territory and wins BATTLE OF THE TOURS and sends muslims back to Spain
PEPIN was Charle’s son. He inherited his throne and got the Popes ZACHARY permission to take the King’s throne and power bc the Mayor had more power.
Pepin dies shortly after gaining power and Charlemagne, his son, takes over. And thats the Carolingians
What were the Carolingians?
When charlemagne gained power of the Franks when his father Pepin died. Charlemagne ruled for 35 years.
Big c reunites and expands Frankish territory, gets control of modernday france, germany, Italy, and pieces of Europe.
He practices ITINERANT KINGSHIP and had no capital
On Dec 25th, the Pope rewards him the Emperor of the Roman Empire after he defeated the Lombards in rome.
This leads to the Carolingian Reforms
Who were the Vikings?
Left their homes for many reasons, over crowding, climatic reasons, trading, and raiding for riches in the south
LONGSHIP, shallow, narrow ships that could said up rivers, they can sail up and down without turning around (Sharp sterpost as a double prow)
Sailed to greenland around 1000, climate was warmer at the time
Within Europe, the first vikng attack is the Moanastery of Lindisfarne Abbey in 793. This made christians mad, they labeled them as blood thirsty rapists .
Instead of returning home it became easier to say and develop communities on the coasts of England, Ireland, and France.
Around 1000 the Norse converted to Christianity
One of their main trading commodities was christian slaves, but that became illegal when they were christian. But not to buy apparently
Who is William the Conqueror?
When Edward the Confessor the king of England died heirless, there was a dilemma on who would suceed him.
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR (1028-1087) brought his cavalry from Franch and won HASTINGS IN 1066 and this is the last time that ENGLAND HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY INVADED
Kept most of the government structure but replaced the nobles with men loyal to him from Normandy. Now the culture was spoken Norman French, which lasts till the 1300’s
What was the Investiture Controversy?
A battle between the CHurch and the State over the power that the bishops held
The kings appointed the bishops to hold the power towards the crown. This was called LAY INVESTITURE OR SIMONY
Pope Gregory VII (1072-1085) didnt like this, and wanted the king to do his job.
The pope writes the DICTATUS PAPAE (Kings cannot appoint bishops, an indeed the pope decides if the kings are fit to rule)
Henry IV (1056-2206) said he was going to do it anyways, and the Pope gave henrys nobles permission to overthrow him, and excommunicates him
Henry eventually begs for givness in Canossa (1077)
THE CONCORDAT OF WORMS (1122) finally settles the issue. Kings may have influence but the pope has the final say.
Feudalism, and the 3 orders of Society
The classic medival society structure
Based on the land you owned or rented and your relationships and chains of loyalty
3 CATAGORIES
LORDS: own lands, in charge
Vassals: owe fealty to the lord (allegiance, commitment), has to honour the lord and do tasks
SERFS: More or lessa peasant. A farmer.
The lords in return give lands, protection, and judicial resolution
THERE ARE THREE ORDRS OF SOCIETY
1: Those who pray
2: Those who fight
3: Those who work
The three ordrs fail to cover merchants, jews, muslims, guildsment. The cities of the netherlands and italy
East-West Schism
The schism is a formal split. There had been a rift, cultural split before this, focuses on language and who you owed religious loyalty to. The BYZANTIUM felt itself more civilized, heir to the ROMAN EMPIRE. The patriarch came to resent the Pope’s claims to authourity
A substantive religious division arose over the world “FILIOQUE” (And the son) The argument was over who was the holy spirit was. Who the father was and generally speaking who the son was clear
The pope exommunicated members of the eastern church and the patriarch excommunicated members of the western church, the schism formally begins.
FIRST CRUSADE IN 1098 : Based on the speech by the pope to reconquer the holy land
SECOND CRUSADE: Attempt to recover Odessa
THIRD CRURSADE: Attempt to re-recapture the holy lands succeeded on many levels but failed to retake Jerusalem
FOURTH CRUSADE: Crusaders from eurpope displeased with their reception sacked the city instead
Who was Eleanor of Aquitaine? 1124-1204
She was one of the mos powerfull and wealthiest women
She inherited the DUCHY OF AQUITAINE, her parents had no sons
She married the King of France Louis VII in 1137 (They had no daughters to they got an annulment in 1152) saying that they were too closely related
Weeks later she marries Henry II of England (who she was actually closer related with)
Eleanor is imprisoned as she tries to help her son Henry lead a revold againts Henry II. Shes in prison until her son Richard, takes over the throne. Eleanor ruled england while he was on crusade
When she marries henry II Aquitaine was absorbed into England, and england controlled about a 3rd of France.
King John is eleanors son and he Signed the Magna Carta in Runnymede in 1215. John lost lands in France and this inspired this.
What was the Hundred Years War?
Took place from 1337-1453 (2nd Century)
Between England and France for Control of Francee
French king dies in 1328 without direct heirs. The English King was distantly related and a pssible heir and laid claim to the throne. The french nobility refuses.
England lets the matter drop untill 1337. The French support the Scotland againts England and that pisses them off
England attacks france, england won many of the early battles. (French were idiots with their archers)
France had more people and are on the defensive. Ultimately France wins the war.
Costs england most of their COntinental possessions and she is reduced to being an Island. The english nobles rebel and launch the WAR OF THE ROSES which ultimately changes the english dynasty.
France develops a sense of unity. No longer Norman or Procencais but actually FRENCH.
This is the end of feudal armies and the beggining OF STANDING ARMIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN EUROPE
Jeanne D’arc (1412-1430) was a peasant girl who claimed to have visions that helped France win the war
What was the Blood Libel
In the early middle ages, up to 1200, jews in europe were mostly left alone and independet. But as the middle ages progressed that changed
An belief developed that jews had actively consipired to kill christ and were always eager to re-enact the crucifixion
The libel was the belief that the christians claimed the jews required blood of christians, expecially children, to bake their matzoh bread for passover.
The first known example is WILLIAM OF NORWICH IN LATE 1100
What was Romanesque Architecture?
Main Style until 1200
Thick walls
Very few windows
Dark mysterious interiors
Rounded Arches
What was the Gothic Architecture?
Vaulted Arches Develop (Comes to a point)
Point allows the support for more weight, as a result thinner walls and taller buildings.
Flying Buttresses help spread the weight of higher levels.
This results with brighter and more welcoming churches
Starts in France and spreads quickly, and begins to feed christian words about LORD OF THE LIGHT
