Medieval History Test Questions – Flashcards
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Germanic Tribes
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-relied on by roman leaders ->military power in German hands
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Tacitus
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-56-120 -wrote about Germans vs Romans -consul, orator, proconsul of Asia -wrote History and The Germania -condescending to Romans
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German Customs
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-stone houses -equality for women -fighting as way of life -generals most powerful
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Appointing of Rule
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-kingship hereditary -generals elected by valor -king's don't have absolute power -generals command by example
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Germanic Priests
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-judge offenders -chastisement: instigation of God present with warriors
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Germanic Women
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-rallied armies -people respected veleda -Germanic priestess/deity -receive dowry -only one wife
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Germanic Omens
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-horses -superstitious -shield ceremony
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Poor in Germania
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-can be in army -fight for chief's glory -fight in war for money
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Roman Customs
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-fighting honorable, not necessary
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Tiberias
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-Roman emperor 14-37 -builds city in German territory -makes alliances with tribes -raises Germanic children as Romans
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Granicus
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-pacify Germans -Germanicus
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Romans vs Germas
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-fought -Romans could never beat German tribes
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Odoakar
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-German -became king of Italy in 476 -succeeded Romulus Augustus (last emperor of West) -many German tribes claimed rule of Italy
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King Theoderic
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-Ostrogoth (most advanced tribe) -invaded Italy and killed Odoakar in 493 -gave military positions to Goths, put civil affairs in Roman hands -peaceful reign until 526
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Franks
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-late 5th cent. developed powerful empire in Gaul -empire became largest in Europe during Medieval times -fought with Allamani -support from Catholic Church
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Gregory of Tours
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-Gregorius Florentinus from senatorial class Roman family -worked with Frankish conquerors -wrote first book during dark ages (50 years after Clovis dies) called "Ten Books of History" -no resentment for Germans -shows Hebrews, Germanic tribes, medieval kings (not much power), consensus that law abidingness is good, and Frankish laws becoming more strict after Roman influence
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Clovis
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-466-511 -became ruler of small Frankish kingdom on Rhine in 481 -defeated Romans in northern Gaul and conquered most of Germany in next 20 years -first important Germanic king to become Roman Catholic in 496 (others were Arian Christian) -prayed while losing a battle with the Allamani & said he would become a Christian if they won->won battle and had all 3000 men baptized -Pope's resentment of Arians gave Clovis an excuse to fight them->expansion of his and Pope's land -496 defeats Roman generals at Soissons->expansion -507 Battle of Vouille, conqueres visigoth kindom of Aquitania -marries 4 sons->class structure
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After Clovis's death
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-Do-Nothing kings -domains divided, combined and redivided into Austrasia, Neustria and Burgundy ->battle between Frundegunde of Neustria and Brunhilde of Austrasia -Chlothar II (son of Frun.) killed Brun.
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Carolingian dynasty
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-begins after Charles Martel has power -ends in 986 (death of last Carolingian king)
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Charles Martel
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-Mayor of Palace -took control and became ruler of kingdom but never took title of king -732 defeated Muslim invaders at Battle of Tours, saved northern Europe for Christianity
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Pepin the Short
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-son of Charles Martel -becomes Mayor of Palace -asks Pope if he is more fit to be king than another Do-Nothing king->pope declares Pepin king of Franks -Pepin defeats Lombards who were threatening papacy -756 gives part of new territory (1/4 of italian peninsula) to pope called "the donation of Pepin" -new region becomes Papal States -dies 768, leaves kingdom to Carlomon and Charlemagne -Carlomon dies-> kingdom goes to Charlemage
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Charlemagne
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-inherits throne in 771 -expands Frankish land into large empire -empire threatened mostly by Saxons -expands bounds of Christianity by taking priests with army to conquests and converting people (sometimes forcefully) -travels to Rome in 800, pope declares him Emperor of Romans (Roman empire still alive? and return of political unity) ->pope says he has power to declare ruler->struggle btwn church and state ->political and religious unity->Christendom
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Aix-la-Chapelle
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-capital city under Charlemagne -modeled after Roman cities -in present day Aachen (West Germany) -center for learning
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Christendom
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-Christianity as most powerful force in life -everyone is Christian -lasts over 700 years
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Carolingian Renaissance
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-Charlemagne urges priests to study, improve education, refine handwriting system and invents small letters -Church schools teach Christian doctrine, arithmetic, grammar and singing, help preserve Greco-Roman culture and ideas in Western Christendom
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Genevieve of Paris
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-patron saint of Paris -brings food to starving Parisians by miracle while Huns attack Paris
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Early Middle Ages
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-Western Europe in 6th cent -living standards decrease, commerce declines, merchants now poor -Roman gov't stops making coins -pirates and bandits prevent trade -workers fled to countryside, cities abandoned
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Who became serfs
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-people farming to pay off debts, security from large landowners -gives land for safety, becomes "colomus" or tenant farmer, land loaned back as "precarium" -bound to land by Roman law
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Who became lords
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-Germanic kings and aristocracy resist Roman taxes, expand property (buy small estates, farms)->lords -villas become less dependent on outside world, barter becomes method of trade -Germanic tribesmen overtook villas, adopted Roman customs, became Christians, kept Latin, preserved Roman law
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Hierarchy of nobility
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men:king, duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron women:queen, duchess, marquess, countess, viscountess, lady
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Manor
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-center of social and economic life -peasants depend on lord for protection, lords depend on peasants for labor -fortified castle, land called demesne with barns, cookhouse church etc -village for peasants -lord allotts woodlands but pasture available for everyone
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Division of farmland
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-Lord takes best parts -three-field planting system utilizes land efficiently -spring planting ground, autumn planting ground and fallow (unplanted) ground rotation -three fields divided into strips -given to lord, officials, priest and serfs
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Manorial positions
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-day to day affairs run by stewards, bailiff and reeve -serfs: lowest ranked -steward: highest ranked, lord's legal adviser, checked conditions of different manors,reviewed accounts and held courts -bailiff
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Stewards
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-highest ranked under lord -legal adviser to lord -checked conditions of different manors -reviewed accounts -held courts
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Bailiffs
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-supervised peasants and farm work -responsible for harvest of crops & collecting rents, dues and fines owed by serfs
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Reeves
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-helped bailiff supervise work -multiple reeves on manor -oversaw growing/storage of hay, care of animals and harvesting of crops -told lord complaints from peasants about manor officials
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Serfs
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-worked lord's land before their own -completed lord's tasks -repaired bridges, cut wood -could not leave manor on own free will -considered property
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Women on manor
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-peasants cared for the house, did all farm work but plowing -nobles could inherit land, hold offices, managed estate and defended manor during attack while lord was away, raised ransom if lord held hostage, acted as doctors for the manor -married young into arranged marriages, had to provide dowry for man
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Castle on manor
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-made to defend -made of stone -high walls surrounding -moat with drawbridge -dark and musty inside, warmth from fire (smoky, no chimneys til 14th cent), straw floors (dirty) -jesters, troubadors & clowns, travelers welcomed for gossip
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Manuscripts
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-handwritten -scrolls until 2nd cent when codex (bound book) invented -Rule of Benedict in 529 required monks to read 4 hrs a day -8th & 9th cent., monks made elaborate manuscripts (Byzantine influence) -Greek alpha and omega used ("beginning and end") -early Christians used fish, ichthys, acrostic stands for Jesus Christ Son of God Savior
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Role of Church
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-Christianity=center of life after fall of Rome->church took on gov't responsibilities -set up courts, claimed right to tax people
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Gregory the Great
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-pope from 590 to 604 -supervised police, directed generals of army, coined money, & kept aqueducts in repair
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Missionaries
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-spread Christianity from 3rd cent.
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Ulfilas
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-Arian Christian -preached to Gothic peoples, converted them -invented Gothic alphabet -translated bible into Germanic
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Saint Patrick
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-born in Britain in 389 -converted Celts in Ireland -founded monasteries in Ireland, centers of learning -patron saint of Ireland
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Augustine
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-Roman monk -sent by Pope Gregory to England as a missionary -converted Ethelbert, King of Kent -became first archbishop of Canterbury
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Monks
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-Secluded selves from civilization during Roman persecutions -some believed suffering purified souls -advanced civilization in German lands -preserved manuscripts -kept historical records (chronicles) -Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation by Saint Bede gives detailed history of 200 years of early English history
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Monasteries
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-where monks went to live with other monks -first in Egypt (4th cent) -served as hospitals and inns for travelers -writing rooms where manuscripts were copied and decorated
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Saint Benedict
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-lived circa 520 -founded a monastery in Monte Cassino in Italy -created rules for monks to live by: obedience and poverty, daily prayers and at least 6 hours of work a day
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Church during Middle Ages
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-believed to be the only way to salvation during Middle Ages -Christians gave tithe (a tenth) of income to church -developed beliefs/sacraments all Christians accepted
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Seven Sacraments
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1.Baptism (becomes a christian) 2.Confirmation (becomes adult member of church) 3.Penance (confessed sins to a priest, atoned for sins and forgiven) 4.Holy Eucharist (priest reenacts Jesus' Last Supper) 5.Extreme Unction (given to dying person by priest) 6.Matrimony (marriage ceremony) 7.Holy Orders (for men who became priests) -only first 5 necessary for salvation
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Church Courts
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-for protecting weak and punishing wrong -tried clergy & others for religious offenses -judged based on canon law (law of the church) -Heresy (having non Church approved opinions) considered worst crime -those guilty burned at the stake -crimes punished with excommunication-> cannot reach salvation
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Church vs State
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10th cent church depended on German king for protection-> kings interfering w/ church affairs (election of pope) -11th cent reform removing civil control over pope, forbidding sale of church positions and preventing kings and nobles from choosing bishops -1059 College of Cardinals created to elect pope
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Pope Innocent
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-reigned from 1198-1216 -increased power of church -became supreme overlord of Europe, authority above everyone else's, word of chuch final -forced king John to give up England and take it back as a fief -King John, rulers of Denmark, Portugal, Poland, Hungary and Aragon all vassals to pope
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Orders
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-2 influential orders founded 12th and 13th cent -monks became university teachers -crucial when people accused church of only being interested in power
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Franciscan Order
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-founded by Saint Francis of Assisi -stressed poverty & gentleness to all creatures
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Dominican Order
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-founded by Saint Dominic -took vows of poverty and stressed missionary among commoners
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Knights
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-appointed by nobles -honorable -had to own horse and land & be able to by armor and weapons -knighthood important from 800-1200 when nobles had power
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Decline of Carolingian Empire
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-kings weak after Charlemagne -local rule became important -inefficient tax system-> central gov't had no money -bad communication-> hard to enforce laws -German practice of dividing land among all sons->constant quarrels weakening kingdom
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Treaty of Verdun
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-843 -land divided into 3 parts between Charlemagne's grandsons -Charles the Bald got land west of Rhine (West Frankland-> France) -Louis the german got land east of rhone (east frankland-> Germany) -Lothair (eldest) given narrow strip between 2 kingdoms -gov't controlled by nobles
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Vikings
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-uneducated Scandinavian pirates -During and after Charlemagne -raided Russia, England and coastal cities in Western Europe and Mediterranean -Frankish king gave them Normandy to become Christians and stop attacking West Frankland->Normans -first raid in 796, monastery in Scotland -founded Dublin -travelled on rivers->people moved inland -settled in Iceland -came to Canada, maybe America -free culture -took gold from churches, put it in markets->trade! -last raid in 1066
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Magyars
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-nomads from west of Ural mountains -attacked Europe end of 9th cent -settled in late 10th cent in Hungary, adopted Christianity
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Muslims
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-Building an empire in south (Spain & N Africa) -moved into Italy and south coast of W Frankland -sacked towns, warships on Mediterranean stopped Christian trade by sea -Carolingian kings gave little protection
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Feudalism
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-ruling power held by lord -German custom of dividing spoils of war among warriors-> land given out to warriors-> warriors became lords -someone who received land from a lord called a vassal, land received called fief or feud -feudal contract between lord and vassal stated duties -became hereditary -divided Europe into many political territories -loyalties overlapped -kings vassals of other kings (king john to king philip)
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Feudalism in Church
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-land given to church had feudal obligations -clergy could be a servant of pope and vassal of lord -fief given to church when church official died->church had much land
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Medieval social structure
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-nobility: kings, vassals, lesser lords (status hereditary) -clergy: church officials (only people educated in things other than war), bishops and high ranking priests (lived like wealthy lords), village priests (lower class & little education) -peasants: bottom of social scale, largest group, almost all serfs -serfs: could not leave land they were born in, own land, become noble, but could become priests and rise within the church -villeins: very small group, much lower than nobility, rented land from lord, could hire laborer, could live wherever if they found a tenant to replace them
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Crusades
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-Quest to take back Holy Land which Arab Muslims conquered in 638 -11th cent, Seljuk Turks came to middle east, 1089 they conquered Jerusalem and threatened Constantinople -Byzantine emperor asked pope for help
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Pope Urban II's meeting
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-1095 called Christian nobles to meeting in Clermont, France to urge lords to become crusaders ("marked with cross) -promised forgiveness for sins, freedom of debts and land ownership
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Peasant Crusade
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-organized by preachers in France and Germany -mobs traveled to Jerusalem killing everyone on their way -killed many Jews -mob burned and looted Constantinople in 1096 -attacked by Turks, never came to Jerusalem
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First Crusade
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-organized, disciplined army -lead by Frankish nobles -3000 knights on horseback, 12,000 infantry -1099 came to Jerusalem, killed Muslims, Jews and Christians -seized Holy Land and created Crusader States
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Crusader States
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-on Eastern Mediterranean coast -Israel, Lebanon, Syria & Jordan -Attacked by Muslims 50 years after first crusade -Muslims recaptured Edessa in Armenia in 1144
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Second Crusade
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-aka the King's Crusade -began 1147 to stem Muslim resurgence -unsuccessful -1187 Jerusalem taken by Muslim army lead by Saladin -included King Richard the Lion hearted, Frederick Barbarossa and Philip II (or Augustus)
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Third Crusade
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-1189 unsuccessful -Christians given right to visit Jerusalem
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Fourth Crusade
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-began in 1202 -captured Constantinople in 1204 -Byzantine Empire restored, never recovered -30 years later, Acre, last crusader state conquered
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Negative Effects of Crusades
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-Non christians saw christians as evil -Extreme religious persecutions against nonconformists
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Positive Effects of Crusades
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-new products and ideas came into Europe -perfumes, spices, sugar, silk now in demand -began trade btwn west and east->growth of cities -development of banking and economy in Europle -enriched languages & learning -wanting to raise living standards
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Increase of Trade after crusades
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-1204 trade btwn middle east and italian city-states (venice and genoa) -brought goods to northern europe
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Use of Money after Crusades
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-bartering during middle ages -lords set up annual fairs, meeting places for merchants, money used at fairs, money changers exchanged foreign coins to local money->banking -money changers lent money to borrowers & charged interest -credit ->merchants developed businesses->commerce
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Technology
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-tandem harness, horse collar improved farming and transportation->more crops ->better living & population increase ->food where crops did not grow -land cleared for farming -landowners needed workers, promised freedom-> peasants moved to cities -towns independent from manors, everyone wanted to move to cities
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Early towns
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-first rural and empty, became crowded as people moved from manors -became unsanitary, unsafe -in 13th and 14th cent public safety laws made, roads paved, roofs fireproofed -1388 England forbade people from throwing waste onto streets -few cities had underground sewers & no garbage collection
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The Black Death
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-1347 bubonic plague began in SE Europe near black sea -caused by fleas on black rats -1348-1349 spread through Europe and Asia by caravans -corpses turn dark color -killed over 1/4 of Europe's poulation -food scarce, no workers -education, commerce declined -serfs demanded more pay
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Middle Class
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-developed after black death -people who gained wealth from business called burghers or bourgeoisie
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Guilds
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-organizations for specific services/goods -monopolized trade and prevented competition -guild courts settled disputes btwn members, built homes for poor, held social events
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Jews
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-in western european towns by 11th cent -descendants of slaves of Romans/migrators from mediterranean cities after fall of rome -skilled, some merchants, mostly artisans -welcomed by Charlemagne & other Christian rulers -given town charters and freedom of religion -status of royal serfs -sons and daughters literate
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Effect of Crusades on Jews
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-created hatred btwn religions -Black Death blames on jews -persecuted, banned from guilds -forced to become money lenders (a sin according to church) -anti-jew laws passed by church in 13th and 14th cent -jews expelled from england, france and parts of germany -went to italy, netherlands and poland
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Education in Medieval
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-by 600, little education in western christendom, only schools for priests -lasted for 500 years -growth of cities, wealthy middle class, church reforms and muslim learning encouraged rise in education
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Universities
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-began in 12th cent -univ. founded in 1158 in Bologna, Italy taught law -univ founded in Paris in 1200 taught theology -originally no set courses, no buildings, students free from military services
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Saint Thomas of Aquitaine
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-1225-127 -scholar of Dominican order -argues reason and faith are gifts of god, cannot contradict, both are truthful -wrote Summa Theologia still used by roman catholic church
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Science in Medieval
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-Greek and arab works introduced in 1100s -euclids Geometry spread math -1100s compass brought into Europe -1300s invention of glass furnace improved rudder for ships -1300s greek, persian & arab writing on medicine introduced
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Roger Bacon
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-english monk in 1200s -said to learn by observation not faith or reason, experimentation would lead to invention of machinery more helpful than man or animal labor -attacked by learned men, imprisoned for 15 years
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Language
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-latin used for international communication in middle ages -people spoke vernacular languages -romance languages developed from latin, germanic and middle eastern languages
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Literature in medieval
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-univ students wrote peotry to entertain hosts in exchange for housing and food -earliest form was the epic -long poem telling adventures of heroes -eg. beowulf written in anglo-saxon in 8th cent -short stories became popular among middle class -often either scandalous, animal stories, or ballads
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Dante Aligheri
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-italian poet and philosopher from florence in 1265 -wrote poem called Divine Comedy in italian about journey through hell, purgatory and paradise -describes religious spirit of the time -first poet to write in italian
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Geoffrey Chaucer
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-son of wine merchant, born 1340 in London -wrote the Canterbury Tales about 30 pilgrims going to canterbury cathedral in england -depicts english life in 1300s -uses midland dialect (old english)
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Arts in medieval
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-most music written for church -religious scenes performed -artists hired to decorate churches with bible stories -instructed illiterate people in christianity
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agricultural revolution
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-europe divided by alps and other mtn ranges -regions south of alps have mediterranean climate, dry hot summers, mild ward winters (good for agriculture) -regions north of alps have wet climate & heavy soil (bad for agriculture) -new techniques developed for north btwn 500-1200
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plows
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-Germanic tribes made heavier plows with iron, needed 6-8 oxen, peasants each contributed and ox and shared the plow -acre=land one team could plow in one day
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horses
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-replaced oxen, faster
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double yoke
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-stirrup from central asia
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romanesque churches
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-built from 1050-1200 in europe -thick walls, small windows, low ceilings -arches like romans
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gothic cathedrals
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-began by french in mid 1100s -used supports called flying buttresses, took weight off walls->build higher -towns competed for the tallest cathedral -cathedral at Bourges in france rises 122ft -cathedral at amiens north of paris rises 144ft -1163 notre dame built highest -19th cent american writer Henry Adams said building was like building a skeleton -1050-1359 french built 80 cathedrals as form of expression
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who did henry II marry?
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Eleanor of Aquitaine
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when was henry II reign?
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1154-1189
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who began the Plantagenet dynasty?
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william the conqueror of normandy in 1066
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who ended the Plantagenet dynasty?
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richard III in 1487
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Why did the Hundred Years War start?
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Isabel, married to Edward II, king of England, claimed the French throne through her mother
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Who was Matilda?
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-Granddaughter of William the Conqueror -Married to Geoffrey Plantagenet, count of Anjou in France
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The development of the Renaissance
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March 5, 1436 festival in Florence, cathedral, parade, popes, citizens, Florence was very nice, journeyed to see the cathedral called the Santa Maria del Fiore
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Florence
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Dominated England in 1400s creative activity, new culture in 14th and 15th centuries, Renaissance, "rebirth" Famous for art, wealthy from industrial and banking activities, in 1500 was 5th largest city in Europe, population of 130,000, many worked in fabric industry
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The Renaissance
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Secular movement, people interested in classical ideas which emphasized the importance of individual human beings and life on earth, which appealed to city dwellers. People came to believe that individual human beings could perfect selves through study and could therefore from perfect societies if they wanted to, optimistic ideas during dark time attracted many, including monarchs.
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Italy
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Renaissance style developed in Italian cities during mid 14th century. Growing trade of Europeans brought wealth to cities, which supported learning from east to west. Italy situated to take control of growing trade with East; most trade routes with East situated at eastern end of the Med, Italian merchants bought goods there and brought back to ports in northern Italy, from there they carried across Alps into northern Europe or by boat into western Europe. Political Structure of Italy contributed to spread of riches of trade; region divided into independent states, each with own territory and government, growing trade brought riches to cities, especially Venice, Florence, Milan and Genoa.
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Venice
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"Queen of the Adriatic," most powerful, situated at center of east-west trade routes, power and wealth came from sea, by 15th century Venetian merchants built up fleet of 3,000 ships, controlled most of trade in Adriatic and Mediterranean.
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Capitalism
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New wealth was key to development of Renaissance culture, money came into cities from new business methods, here modern capitalism born. Capitalism is an economic system where private individuals or companies, not the government own businesses, goal of capitalists is to make as much profit as possible and reinvest money in business to make more profit. Banking was one new capitalist enterprise, as European Merchants became rich, looked for ways to protect, invest and borrow money, many turned to Italians, who had been among first bankers, baking big in Italy in 1300s and 1400s Bills of exchange (receipts for payment of goods in one city exchanged for good in another) widely used. Florentine baking houses like the Medici loaned money to other merchants, nobles and kings at high interest rates, accumulating much capital.
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Companies
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Family affairs, small group of merchants and relatives would create company that invested capital in some enterprise. Ex: the Medici ran silk and woolen cloth factories managed papal moneys and operated the largest baking system in Europe, also ruled Florence during golden age of Renaissance art.
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Government
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During middle ages, German monarchs wanted to rejoin Italy and Germany as the Holy Roman Empire, like Charlemagne, popes strong opposed idea fearing loss of political power. Neither had strength to conquer Italian c-s, so tried to made alliances with them. City-states received special privileges, such as the right to elect own officials, make own laws and raise own taxes; republican form of government arose. Republican government meant that citizens participated fully in lives of cities and were less willing to accept authority of pope or emperor, old medieval that individual less important than society turned upside down. During renaissance, individual became more important, restrictions against freedom of thought and deed gone began to speak out against customs and beliefs, formed Renaissance.
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Despots
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Negative side to independent spirit; because no central government in Italy, each city had laws, but not many laws, arguments between wealthy merchants, noble families often joined feud, ex feud in R+J Because people wanted law and order (ha) "despots" arose in 1300s, some gained power by force while others invited by leading citizens to take control of cities, mostly interested in keeping people satisfied, provided well-run governments, helped business, etc, some despots like Medici had been wealthy merchants, others like the Sforzas of Milan had begun as condotteri, leaders of private bands of soldiers. Came to power because were strong, clever and able, once in power was very hard to stay, many "accidents"
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Niccolo Machiavelli
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Writer, diplomat, scholar, wrote The Prince, published in 1532 (five years after death), guide for how rulers are supposed to act. In Middle ages, writings on government boring, The Prince not, condemned by many as immoral, one of best known works ever written. Machiavelli born in 1469 in Florence to impoverished noble family, served as diplomat then government officer, where he met and observed most powerful leaders.
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The Prince
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Set of rules by which strong ruler could create and hold a state, described political affairs as they really were; controlled by power hungry men. Stated that ruler must forget ideals and do everything possible for power. Very debated, in reality Machiavelli did not support behavior, only said was the way successful rulers behaved, in his opinion state must be stable at all costs, term "Machiavellian ruler" common.
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Humanism
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Humanism= a system of thought or action concerned with human interests/ values. Meant the study of classical literature and languages. Partly bc Romans were ancestors of 14th century Italians, humanists modeled much from them. Reflected the philosophy that human beings were noble creatures with dignity and intelligence who could change word, optimistic attitude contrasted with diseased 14th and 15th centuries.
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Petrarch
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"Founder" of Renaissance thought and literature, Francesco Petrarca. Born to family in legal profession, didn't want to be lawyer, read Cicero and Vergil. Studied law as a loyal son, when father died in 1326 devoted life to studying classical writers, found that Romans did believe world was important for people. Collected info, ideas on classics became popular, soon monasteries searched for manuscripts, humanists sent agents to Constantinople where many Greek Manuscript were after 1453 In Early years, wrote poetry in native Italian tongue, sonnets inspired by love for woman named Laura. Believed deeply in teaching of Christianity, but thought was wrong to ignore real world where people lived, people should study humans, history, language, literature and ethics.
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Giovanni Boccaccio
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Friend of Petrarch. Wrote between poetry and prose, used the Black Death as setting for The Decameron, three men and seven women escape by going to country and telling stories, which made fun of feudal customs, even church, but some very religious. short stories clear beginnings, middles and ends.
