Middle Ages Flashcards
End of the Western Roman Empire
5th century Germanic people take over control of rural areas
476: last emperor, Romulus Augustus, deposed by Odoacer
488: Odoacer killed by Theodoric the Great, leader of Ostrogoths
Western Roman Empire in hands of Germanics
Roman cultural traditions continued
Germanics took part in its benefits
Early Middle Ages: 5th-10th century
“Dark Ages” - considered an outdated and overly negative term
Key events:
Fall of the Western Roman Empire – decentralization and rise of local rulers and feudalism
Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire (8th and 9th centuries)
- King of the Franks (768)
- Father of Europe: united Western and Central Europe
- Pope Leo III crowned him as the emperor of Rome (800)
- Carolingian Renaissance: currency, art, education and literature
Holy Roman Empire
*800: Coronation of Charlemagne
*843: The empire is divided in three parts (Treaty of Verdun)
*962: Otto I was crowned as the emperor of the HRE
*Eastern part of the Carolingian empire: functions as a loose collection of mostly independent state
1. Limited power
2. Feudal system
3. New kingdoms
High Middle Ages: 11th-14th century
Feudalism and Manorialism
Feudalism: political and military system where land is exchanged for military service and loyalty - Kings and lords- vassals and knights- serfs
Manorialism: econonomic and agricultural system where land and protection is exchanged for labor and produce.
High Middle Ages: 11th-14th century
The Crusades
Religious wars between Christians and Muslims for control of the Holy Land.
Stimulated trade and economic activity between Europe and Middle East
Transfer of knowledge (medicine, science, technology, military strategies) from Islamic world to Europe
Heightened religious intolerance and persecution of heretics and non-Christians
Contributed to centralization and strengthening of monarchies and decline of feudalism
The Late Middle Ages: 14th-16th century
Kinds of states in Europe
Holy Roman Empire
Monarchies (France, England)
City-states (Italy)
Princedoms
15th century
Strengthening of western monarchies – Basis of modern states
Mutual support: kings and burgeoisie
Professional army and more complex administration
Roman Law that defends public power of the State
Economic situation 15th Century
Climate change - agrarian crisis (Little Ice Age)
The Black Death
Renaissance of urban life - burgeoisie: spaces of freedom and prosperity, civil service and collective relationships with the king.
Technological developments - expansion of trade
Capitalism: monetary economy
Ideological situation
15th century
1453: Turks take over the Byzantine Empire
Intellectuals seek shelter in Italy
Diffusion of Greek culture, values and language
The human being as the center of the universe
More access to education
Emergence of Humanism
Boosted by the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg
Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther
Catholic priest, monk, theologian and professor.
Main motives:
Demoralization
Indulgences
The concept of Purgatory
Johann Tetzel and Saint Peter’s Basilica
How to receive God’s mercy?
Martin Luther
Sola Fide
Sola Scriptura
Consequences of the theses of Martin Luther
Church starts an investigation
Luther questions the Pope’s absolute power and authority
Qualified as a heretic Luther has contact with important humanists
1520: Bula Exsurge Domine – demands to repudiate 41 sentences of the theses
Risk of excommunication
Burned books – burned bull
Diet of Worms (Reichstag)
1521: Pope excommunicates Luther
Emperor Charles V wants to save the situation Frederick III of Saxony supports Luther
Luther is summoned to Diet of Worms
Direct consequences of the thesis of Martin Luther.
May 25th 1521: Edict of Worm
Luther is declared fugitive and heretic
Luther’s work is prohibite
Frederick III takes Luther to castle of Wartburg
Luther translates the New Testament
1526: Imperial Diet of Speyer – compromise that helps expansion of Lutheranism
1529: Cancellation of religious tolerance – protests (origin name protestantism)
Consequences for the Holy Roman Empire
Martin Luther
1530: Church officially separated
end of religious uniformity in Western Europe
Kings and princes use reformation as excuse to get rid of the Pope’s and emperor’s power
Many wars between catholics and protestant
Consequences for the Holy Roman Empire
1555: Religious Peace of Augsburg
ius reformandi
Cuius regio eius religio
Weakens imperial stability again
Separation of Germany and Austria (House of Habsburg
What happened in England after the Lutheranism?
King Henry VIII (1509-1547): Fidei Defensor
Catherine of Aragon
Anne Boleyn
Jane Seymour
Personal dispute with Pope Clement VII
Separation from Catholic Church
Supreme head of the Church of England
Anglicanism: catholicism without Pope
Theological disputes in the entire country → official state church
Edward VI (1547 - 1553): theologically protestant
Mary I (1553 -1558): catholic (Bloody Mary)
Elisabeth I (1558 – 1603): moderately protestant, legally consolidate
What happened in France after the Lutheranism?
Doctrine of John Calvin (1509-1564)
Predestination
Rejection of all sacraments
“second reformation” → presbyterians
Followers: Huguenots suffered severe repression
Many religious wars 1560-1598
1589: Henry IV – huguenot converted to catholicism
1598: Edict of Nantes
Freedom of conscience
Start of secularization process
The counter-Reformation
Catholic church needs reforms
Council of Trent (1545-1563) – official reaction of the Catholic Church
Reorganization of parishes
Strenghtening of Inquisition Tribunal
Elaboration of list of forbidden books
Reaffirmation of the Holy Scripture and Tradition
Reaffirmation of the 7 sacraments and the superiority of the Pope
The Society of Jesus (Jesuits, 16th century)
The Society of Jesus (Jesuits, 16th century)
Part of the Catholic reforms
Vows of chastity, poverty and obedience
Vow of absolute obedience to the Pope
Fight against heresy
