Middle Ages Flashcards
What was the capital of the Byzantine Empire?
Constantinople
Who founded Constantinople?
Emperor Constantine I
In what year was Constantinople founded?
330 CE
Which emperor codified Roman law?
Emperor Justinian I
What is the name of the law code Justinian I created?
Corpus Juris Civilis
Who was Empress Theodora?
Wife of Justinian I
What significant building did Justinian I construct?
Hagia Sophia
When did Justinian I reign?
527–565 CE
Who legalized Christianity through the Edict of Milan?
Constantine
What did Theodosius I make Christianity?
State religion
Which church influenced the Christianization of Eastern Europe?
Byzantine Church
What year did the Great Schism occur?
1054
What two branches emerged from the Great Schism?
Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy
What caused the decline of the Byzantine Empire?
Internal strife, economic troubles, external threats
What event in 1204 severely weakened the Byzantine Empire?
Fourth Crusade
When did the Byzantine Empire fall to the Ottoman Turks?
1453
What marked the end of the Middle Ages?
Fall of Byzantine Empire
In which century did Islam emerge?
7th century CE
Who was the prophet of Islam?
Muhammad
What helped Islam expand beyond Arabia?
Military conquests, trade, missionary activities
What were the major Islamic empires that expanded influence?
Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates
What contributions did Islamic scholars make?
Science, medicine, mathematics, philosophy
What initiated the Crusades?
Religious wars for Holy Land
Who launched the First Crusade?
Pope Urban II
When did the First Crusade begin?
1096
What was a result of the First Crusade?
Captured Jerusalem in 1099
How successful were subsequent Crusades?
Less successful
What was the impact of the Crusades?
Increased trade and cultural exchanges
What societal structure dominated Medieval Europe?
Feudalism
What did kings and nobles grant to vassals?
Land (fiefs)
What was exchanged for military service in feudalism?
Land (fiefs)
Who worked the land in medieval society?
Peasants (serfs)
What limited rights did peasants have?
Limited rights and freedoms
What was the manorial system?
Economic structure of feudalism
What did manors include?
Lord’s house, farmland, village, church
Who provided labor on manors?
Serfs
What role did the Catholic Church play in medieval Europe?
Most powerful institution
What were monasteries centers of?
Learning
What did the Church hold significant of?
Land and wealth
What was the Investiture Controversy?
Conflicts between rulers and Church
Who unified much of Western Europe and became Emperor in 800?
Charlemagne
What major event killed about one-third of Europe’s population?
The Black Death
What years did the Hundred Years’ War take place?
1337-1453
What did the Hundred Years’ War lead to?
Decline of feudalism