Middle Ages Exam Flashcards
Changes that occurred in Europe after the Western Roman Empire Fell (5)
- Lack of central government
- Feudal System
- Bubonic Plague
- Long religious wars
- Little access to education
- Lack of technological/cultural developments
- Loss of language (Latin become romantic)
Why did feudalism develop?
To offer protection at a time of weak central leadership
What is a fief
land given from lord to vassal
manorialism
economic system based on the self-contained feudal manor
Squire
14 yo kid knight becomes a servant to a knight (apprenticeship)
Page
7 yo kid knight sent to castle of another lord to train
Code of Chivalry
Knights serve 3 masters, feudal lord, heavenly lord, and the ladie
Upperclass women vs Peasant women
Upper class: arranged marriages to build alliance and wealth. Could inherit property, be a lord/vassal if there was no male heir.
Women in church.
Inferior, but nuns lived an independent life of scholarship
The Franks founded the _____ dynasty and unite most of Western Europe
Merovingian
Who was Charlemagne?
King of the Franks, emperor of the Carolingian (Holy Roman) empire
Tithe
Church tax from peasants
Lay investiture
A practice that went back to the Roman Empire where political leaders – emperors of nobles – appointed church officials
Story of Lay investiture
Pope Gregory wanted to end lay investiture King Henry was furious, king got excommunicated, forgiven, excommunicated again, and then named a new Pope
What was the Concordant of Worms
1122 - an agreement that Church officials had the sole power to appoint Church officials, but the Holy Roman Emperor could Veto that power.
Characteristics of Gothic Cathedrals
stained class
tall spires
pointed arches
ribbed vaults
flying buttresses
Kickstarter of the Crusades
Eastern Orthodox asked the Roman Church for help defending the Byzantine from the Muslims.
Who supported the Crusades?
pope Urban - take Jerusalem and demonstrate Pope’s power
knights - religious zeal and glory
merchants - expand trade in the East
Result of the Crusades
The Europeans got Jerusalem for a time, but they soon lost it and were unable to take it back
How did the Crusades end?
Crusaders felt betrayed after little success and the Byzantine emperor breaking his promise on paying their debts so they sacked Constantinople.
Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition was mainly established to identify and punish converts (conversos and moriscos) suspected of secretly practicing their old faith (Judaism or Islam).
