Middle Ages Flashcards
Franks -
Held power in Gaul, led by Clovis (who brought Christianity)
Middle Ages
Started about roman decline, also known as the dark ages or medieval period, 500-1500
Charles Martel
(Charles the hammer) who held power as a domo (mayor of the palace which held more power than the king) who extended the Franks region to the north south & east, he won the battle of Tours a giant the Muslims (if the Muslims won the USA would be muslim)
Clovis -
Led the Franks, and brought them Christianity through because his wife, Clothilde, appealing him to convert to her faith, Christianity. Clovis was fighting the Germanic army & appealed the Christian God and the franks won. Then Clovis & his army were baptized and eventually the whole nation.
Pepin the short -
Charles Martel’s son, Pepin wanted to be king, fought off the Lombards for the church, then the pope anointed Pepin “king by the grace of God” which began the Carolingian Dynasty, led by Pepin’s family
Charlemagne -
(Charles the great) Pepin the Short’s son, 6’4, built an empire greatest han Any known Since ancient rome, spreading Christianity, Charlemagne traveled to Rom to crush an unruly mob that attacked the pope. In gratitude, the Pope Leo 3 crowned him emperor (joined Germanic power, the church and the to Roman Empire heritage)
Monasteries -
house for monks
Problems with church -
- priests marry
- simony: bishops sold church positions
- lay investiture: kings appointing bishops
Battle of Tours
In 719, under Charles Martel’s rule, the franks defeated the Muslims, which is important because if Muslims had won, Western Europe and America might have become part of the Muslim empire, and we would be at Muhammad prep
Viking invasions and impact
Vikings attacked the Carolingian Empire from the north (Scandinavia). They raided with terrifying speed on boats that held 300 warriors going in and taking, striking quickly and were out before the Local could defend themselves.
Impact: kings could not protect their people, so people were loyal to local leader
Vikings are also called…
Norsemen & Northmen
Tithe -
Tax of 10% (1/10) of all you make that goes to the church
Feudalism -
Political system where nobles use kings land in exchange for loyalty, army and protection
chart: gives fief
Fief
Land grant in the feudal system
Lords -
Landowner who got a fief from the king, who grants a fief to a serf, who controls knights and his manor
Manors -
Lord’s estate
Vassal -
Person who is granted a fief (lords, knights, serfs)
Knights -
Mounted horsemen who pledged to defend their lords’ lands in exchange for fiefs
Serfs -
Peasants who could not lawfully leave the place they were born & worked on the land, most of the population, one of the reasons Middle Ages was called the dark ages
Chivalry -
Complex set of ideals demanding knight fight for 3 masters
- lady
- heavenly Lord
- earthy lord
Tournament
Knights mock battles
Troubadours
Traveling poet-musicians at the castles and courts of Europe
Siege weapons
Siege (military blockade to capture)
- stirrups
- warhorses
- caltrops: iron spikes on enemy’s battlefield
- hurled rocks & fired arrows