Middle Ages Flashcards
When the Roman Empire fell, what two separate empires rose to take its place?
The Byzantine Empire and the Holy Roman Empire
Which empire moved its capital from Rome to Byzantium (later known as Constantinople)?
The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the original home to what form of the Christian Church?
The Greek Orthodox church
The Hagia Sophia is a mosque, formerly a Greek Orthodox cathedral. What piece of architecture is it famous for?
its onion domes, the massive rounded roofs it has, which were invented in the Byzantine Empire
Name 3 Byzantine rulers
Constantine - First emperor of the Byzantines, moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople to be closer to his war with the Ottomans
Justinian: Warrior King, rose from peasant family to become emperor, contributed his Codex (collection of Roman laws), tried to restore the glory of Rome
Theodora - Justinian’s wife, originally an actress, active ruler and highly influential on the success of Justinian’s rule.
What does “medieval” mean?
“middle”; literally, “medieval ages” and “middle ages” mean the same thing
What were some of the affects of the Germanic invasions after Rome fell?
trade declined, no more maintenance of roads or cities, no real power of law, education was limited to monks in monasteries.
Who were the Franks?
A small group of Germanic tribes united under a single ruler, King Clovis
Who was Charles “The Hammer” Martel?
The ruler of the Franks who stopped the Islamic Caliphate from invading Europe. He wasn’t king, he ruled from behind the scenes to protect himself
Who was Pepin the Short?
The son of Charles Martel and the father of Charlemagne; was declared king by the Christian church
Who was Charlemagne?
the first true emperor of the Holy Roman Empire;
What does “Charlemagne” mean?
it means “Charles the Great”
Charlemagne was responsible for the rapid spread of what religion in Europe?
Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
What is feudalism?
Feudalism is a social government system without a central ruler (like a king), where power belongs to many individual lord. Those lords pass that power down to their vassals, who pass it down to peasants and serfs.
A knight is an example of what social class in feudalism?
A vassal to a lord.
Under the code of chivalry, who was a knight supposed to be loyal to?
To his lord, to God, and to his lady (or women in general)
What was the manor system?
the formation of a small village or town around a rich lord’s house (the manor).
in addition to the lord’s manor, what else could be found at the center of manor-system villages?
Some form of Christian church or monastery. This is where the people would go for religion, medicine, and knowledge
What was the difference between a peasant and a serf?
A peasant was a free man who made a small wage in addition to food and shelter. A serf was a peasant who needed to pay off his debt to his lord with unpaid work
What does the word “viking” mean?
“pirate”
Contrary to their name, what did most Vikings do to support themselves and their family?
Most were farmers
What did the Vikings make that made them such great explorers?
Longships
Name four places where the Vikings settled.
Greenland, Iceland, Rus (eventually became Russia) and Normandy (a bribe from a French lord)
in addition to farming and sailing, what were the Vikings known for?
Blacksmithing (making things from metal, like jewelry and weaponry)
What country’s coastline did the Vikings most commonly raid?
England
What illness was known as the Black Death?
the bubonic plague
How much of the European, Asian, and North African population did the Black Death kill?
Nearly 30%
Why was it called the Black Death?
It wasn’t called the Black Death until the 17th century (3 centuries later). It was called that because it took place during the Dark Ages (black=dark)
How did the Black Death spread?
The disease was carried by fleas, which were often carried around by rats. Historians think that many of the rats who spread the plague to Europe came on trade boats from Asia
Who was the first ruler to unify England?
William the Conqueror
Why was William’s rule the start of tension between England and France?
William was from Viking-settled Normandy, which technically meant that England was under French control, which the English hated
Eleanor of Aquitaine had two sons who became king, Richard the Lionheart and John. Which one was a terrible ruler who had the people rebel against him and force him to sign the Magna Carta?
John. The Magna Carta established Parliament, banned taxation with representation, established court trials for everyone, and limited the king/queen’s power.
What ultimately led to the English Golden Age?
The English victory over the French in the Seven Years War; this led to the English having far more global colonies and power than the French
What ultimately UNITED the English and French much later and made them allies?
The rise of Germany as a united nation.
Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Machiavelli, and Erasmus were from what period of European history?
The Renaissance
What was secularism in the time of the Renaissance?
It was the people shifting their focus away from the church as the center of their lives
What was humanism in the time of Renaissance?
It was the celebration of the individual and the rediscovery of classic Greek and Roman art, literature, and ideas
What pieces of art is Michelangelo most famous for?
The paintings in the Sistine Chapel, the statue of David, and the statue of La Pieta
What pieces of art is Leonardo da Vinci most famous for?
The Last Supper painting, the Mona Lisa painting, and the Vitruvian Man sketch
What does it mean to be a “renaissance man or woman” today?
To be extremely good at or capable in many different areas of life; someone who is a great artist, musician, engineer, and scientist all at once is a “renaissance man/woman”
What critical invention of the Renaissance helped to bring education back to the people of Europe?
Gutenberg’s printing press
What was the Reformation?
The split that occurred in the Catholic Church, creating the new branch, the Protestant Church
Why did the Reformation take place?
The Catholic Church had become extremely corrupt, and many people wanted to restore the church to what it was meant to be
Name two examples of the corruption of the church.
selling fake holy “relics” to people, nepotism (hiring family members for church positions), simony (selling church positions to the highest bidder), and selling indulgences (forgiving any sin for a price)
Who was the Renaissance-era philosopher who laid the foundation of the Reformation?
Erasmus; he was strongly against simony and nepotism, but wanted to keep the church together
Who ultimately started the Reformation by nailing 95 theses to a church door?
Martin Luther
Which king of England was responsible for removing the power of the Catholic Church in England?
Henry the 8th (Henry VIII)
Why did Henry VIII sign the Act of Supremacy in the first place?
He wanted a divorce from his wife, Catherine of Aragon, because she wasn’t giving birth to a son
What happened to Anne Boleyn, Henry’s second wife?
She was executed on Henry’s orders for treason and suspicion of witchcraft, although she was probably innocent of both.
How many wives did Henry VIII ultimately have?
6
Who were Henry’s daughters?
Mary and Elizabeth; both became queens. Mary became known as Bloody Mary for executing hundreds of Protestants. Elizabeth became queen and ruled for 44 years
