Kingdoms and Empires Flashcards
The church emerged as a more what?
Powerful political and social force.
What was the result of this emergence?
Power struggle with church/state (pope/kings).
What evolved throughout Europe?
Feudal governments.
As the Church expanded its political role, strong rulers began to…
question the Pope’s authority.
What did the Christian Church act as for Medieval Europeans? When?
A stable force; during war and political unrest
What gave medieval Christians the strength to continue?
Belief in salvation; gave them strength despite harsh life
Salvation
reaching heaven and everlasting peaceful life
Sacraments
important religious ceremonies performed by priests and other clergy
What were medieval Christians subject to?
Kings and peasants were subject canon law
Canon Law
the laws of the Church
What were two of the harshest punishments offenders of canon law faced?
Excommunication; interdict
What is excommunication and what happens to someone who is excommunicated?
Banishment of political leaders by the pope; when a king was excommunicated he was denied salvation + couldn’t collect taxes
What is interdict and what did people believe if there was an interdict?
When many sacraments and religious services could not be performed in the king’s land; Christian followers believed they were doomed for hell if they could not participate in sacraments
What did the threat of excommunication and interdict mean?
force the King to go along with the pope’s demands
King Otto I was considered…. + when was he crowned?
the most effective ruler of Medieval Germany; 936
What did King Otto I do with the Church and why?
Formed a close alliance with the Church; used it to build his own political power
What did King Otto I do on the Pope’s behalf? In what year?
Invaded Italy; 962
How was he rewarded for this? When?
Crowned emperor by the pope in 962
Lay Investiture
a ceremony in which kings and nobles appointed Church officials
Lay investiture increased…
the power and influence that state had over the Church.
Pope Gregory VII believed…
kings shouldn’t have power to appoint Church officials; state had too much power over the Church
German emperor Henry IV became furious and ordered Pope Gregory VII to do what?
Ordered Pope Gregory VII to step down from the papacy
What was Pope Gregory’s response to this?
He refused.
What happens to Henry IV?
He is excommunicated.
What did Henry IV do in 1077?
Henry IV traveled from Germany to Italy to seek forgiveness from the pope.
What did Pope Gregory do to Henry?
He humiliated Henry - made him stand outside his castle for three snowy days before ending his excommunication.
Between what years, what would there be fights over?
1077 to 1122 (45 years); continued fights over lay investiture
What happened in 1122?
Representatives of the Church and the emperor met in the German city of Worms.
What was the compromise met? What did it state?
Concordat of Worms; stated that the Church could appoint a Bishop, but the emperor could veto.
What did the German princes do in 1152?
Elected Frederick to be the German king.
Frederick continuously…
invaded the rich cities of Italy.
His brutal tactics…
motivated Italian merchants to unite against him
He also angered…
the Pope.
What did the Pope and merchants do?
Joined together in an alliance called the Lombard League.
What happened in 1176?
Foot soldiers of the Lombard League fought + defeated the Fredericks Army of knights at the Battle of Legano.
What happened in 1177?
Frederick made peace with the Pope and returned to Germany.
What happened after Frederick’s death?
His empire fell to pieces.
What did German kings attempt to do
To revive Charlemagne’s empire and his alliance with the church.
What feudal states didn’t unify during the Middle Ages? Why?
Germany; war with Italian cities + clashes with the Pope
Crusade
Holy War launched by the Christians against the Muslims to gain control of the Holy Land
Quote by Pope Urban II (1095):
“All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the [Muslims], shall have immediate [forgiveness] of sins.”
What major religious groups all claimed Jerusalem in the land of Palestine as their holy city?
Christians, Muslims, and followers of Judaism
Why did Christians claim Jerusalem as their holy city?
Place where Jesus was crucified and ascended to heaven
Why did Muslims claim Jerusalem as their holy city?
Place where Muhammad ascended to heaven.
Why did followers of Judaism claim Jerusalem as their holy city?
Site of the ancient temple built by Solomon.
How many years did the Crusades last?
196 years (1095-1291)
What were the six goals of the Crusades?
- Want to take control of Jerusalem from Muslims
- Muslim Turks controlled Palestine; threatened to take Constantinople; Byzantine emperor wants them stopped
- King + church both saw opportunity to get rid of bad knights who fought each other; threaten peace in kingdoms + church
- Younger sons of European nobles who were not inheriting property to get new land in the Middle East.
- New trade routes between Europe + Middle East.
- Belief that fighting in a crusade would give you forgiveness of sins.
What were the three reasons for the Crusades?
Land, Trade, Wealth
- Control of the “Holy Land”
- Control of key trade routes between Asia-Africa-Europe
- Church has their eyes on the rich empire of the Byzantine
Who, What, When, and Where - Seljuk Turks?
- Moved from central Asia to Southwest Asia + became Muslims
- By 1071 invaded + captured much of the Byzantine Empire
- Took Jerusalem – attacks on followers of Judaism and Christians because they’re against Islamic teachings.
- Byzantine emperor in Constantinople asked Pope Urban to send knights to fight invaders. Pope agreed.
Summarize the First Crusade.
- 1097: 3 armies of knights and people of all classes outside Constantinople – not prepared (don’t know geography, culture, or climate)
- Nobles argue and do not have a leader and no strategy to take over Jerusalem.
- 12,000 troops take Jerusalem in 1099; take 650 miles of land
What was the result of the First Crusade?
4 kingdoms setup in Palestine = Edessa – Principality of Antioch – Country of Tripoli – Kingdom of Jerusalem.
(Each would be governed by a feudal lord)
Summarize the Second Crusade.
- Started when Europeans lost control of Edessa to the Muslims in 1144. (They were extremely vulnerable to counter-attack)
- The 2nd Crusade was organized to re-capture the city BUT their armies struggled in defeat – failure from a European point of view (Germany and France)
Who was Saladin?
- 1187 - Jerusalem had fallen to the Muslim leader Saladin.
- King Richard tries to persuade Saladin to return holy city to Christians and Saladin refuses
- Leader of the Muslims in the 2nd Crusade; respected because he spared civilians
Summarize the Third Crusade.
- In response to Jerusalem’s fall to Saladin in 1187.
- 3 great armies led by Europe’s 3 most powerful monarchs – Philip II (Augustus) of France - Frederick 1 of Germany, and Richard the Lion Hearted of England.
~ Philip argued with Richard and went home.
~ Frederick accidentally drowned.
~ Only Richard left - great warrior and after many battled signed a truce with Saladin in 1192 – Saladin reopened the city to Christian pilgrims.
Summarize the Fourth Crusade.
- Knights fail to capture Jerusalem … instead
- European armies looted (robbed) Constantinople and overthrew the Byzantine emperor.
- Outcome: Greek and Latin (East and West) Christianity more divided and started the Byzantine Empire’s decline
Summarize the Fifth - Ninth Crusades.
All try to free the Holy Land = FAILED
Summarize the Children’s Crusades.
- 1212 - 12 year old Stephen of Cloyed led 30,000 of children under 18 to take to Jerusalem.
- On their march south many died from cold and starvation and the rest drowned or sold into slavery.
- Nicholas of Cologne (Germany) gathered 20,000 and began marching towards Rome.
- Thousands died in the cold trying to cross the Alps. - Get to Rome and the pope told them to go home and wait until they are older. 2,000 survive the trip back.
Summarize the Spanish Crusade.
- Muslims in Spain were called Moors (control most of country until 1100)
- Reconquista = long effort by the Spanish to drive Muslims out of Spain
- Granada was the last kingdom and fell in 1492 to Isabella and Ferdinand army
Inquisition
a court held by the church to press heresy
Herectics
people whose beliefs differed from the teachings of the church
What were the 7 effects of the Crusades?
- Call to go to Holy Land encourage many to leave homes and travel far - whoever stays home manages land or operates shops and inns (women)
- European merchants who lived + traded in Crusader areas – expand trade between Europe and southwest Asia = spices, fruits, cloth
- Failure of later crusades weakens power of the pope
- Crusades weakened feudal nobility and increases power of kings
- Many knights and others lose lives and fortunes
- Muslims - the intolerance & prejudice by the Christians leaves them bitter and hatred - still seen today
- Jewish people - crusades a time of increased persecution
Which Crusade lasted the longest?
7th
Between which two Crusades did the Muslims regain Jerusalem?
2nd and 3rd
During which Crusade did the Christians capture Jerusalem?
1st
What was the average length of a Crusade?
2-4 years
During which Crusade was Constantinople looted?
4th
During which two Crusades did the Muslims wage a Holy War against Crusader states?
2nd and 3rd
Who asked the Pope to help defend his empire?
Byzantine emperor, Alexius I
What was a positive outcome of the Crusades? (2)
Increasing trade and gain of knowledge from other cultures
What are Castile, Navarre, and Aragon?
Kingdoms on Iberian Peninsula after Roman Empire fall
What is the area Christians conquered in the Reconquista known as today?
Mostly Spain; some Portugual
About how much of the Peninsula had been retaken from the Muslims by 1150?
25%
Starting in 750, with the area of Christian lands in the extreme north, describe the progression of the war in stages to 1269.
Christian kingdoms move south along peninsula to recapture their lands
How long did it take Christian forces to capture Cordoba after taking Toledo? To capture Cadiz after taking Cordoba?
151 years; 27 years
When did Christians take Granada?
1492
Why is it logical that Granada was the last Muslim stronghold?
Farthest away from Christian starting point of the Reconquista
In what way did Muslim occupation of the Iberian Peninsula contribute to European knowledge?
Greek “thought” was kept in Muslim libraries. When the Christians recaptured these libraries they had access to the knowledge.
