Medieval History Midterm Exam (Lesson 1) – Flashcards

1)Political instability caused by the problem of succession, a divided empire, and lack of central control 2)Civil and economic breakdown caused by widespread unemployment and harsh economic policies 3)The rise of Christianity. When citizens began to abandon the static Roman pantheon for a new mystical religion, Rome fell apart

Christianity became popular because it offered a better afterlife, it included elements of other religions, it was based upon a real figure, and it allowed women to participate fully. It also gave hope to the downtrodden

The Germanic peoples. The Roman Empire's wealth attracted them, and they were brought in first as slaves, then free peasants, then soldiers/officers

1) To restore the old Roman Empire 2) To revise Roman laws (Corpus Iuris Civilis) 3) To complete public works in the city

1) The Codex, an easily consulted arrangement of all imperial edicts according to topics 2) The Digest or Pandects, a summary of legal opinions 3) The Institutes, a textbook to introduce students to the reformed legal system 4) The Novellae, a collection of the new imperial edicts issued after 534. These works are the last major ones written in Latin in the East, since the language of the Empire was now Greek

1) A formal contract between rulers and subjects 2) An honorable relationship between warlords and warriors 3) Trial by ordeal 4) An elective kingship

The economy of the Roman Empire had been firmly established as a market economy, with money in wide use and slavery in practice. The breakdown of the Roman economy and the rise of manors gave way to a gift economy, where goods were used as a source of exchange. After the end of the Roman Empire, the economy also became firmly rooted in agriculture

The Church offered hope in a desperate world. It helped to preserve learning, which was seriously threatened by barbarians. Monks were instrumental in saving texts, developing new agricultural techniques, and contributing to industrial arts

1) Pope Gregory wrote about penance and purgatory. 2) St. Augustine was a major philosopher who wrote about predestination and was considered a Father of the Roman Catholic religion. 3) Clement of Alexandria wrote about the reconciliation of reason and faith

Learning during the Middle Ages was mainly focused on religion

They wished to prevent unrest caused by unemployment

Barbarian leader who founded a successful kingdom and ruled for 30 years of peace; ruled Italy

Established Merovingian Dynasty, was the ruler responsible for the first political unification of almost all of Gaul, then ruled Gaul (modern France). His successors lacked his political acumen and true interest in Gaul. The worthless Merovingian descendants eventually delegated their power to their immediate subordinates, the mayors of the palace.

One of the first Merovingian mayors of the palace to become king, he united more of Gaul in 687; ruled Frankish Empire

Drove back Muslim advance in 732 and spread Christian and Frankish rule over Germanic tribes; ruled Frankish Empire

Crowned emperor by Pope Stephen in 754; ruled Frankish Empire. He consolidated the power of his office by forming an alliance with Pope Stephen. In return for papal recognition and legitimacy, Pepin secured Rome from the Lombards, a barbarian tribe that had been menacing the ancient city. This relationship between Pepin and Stephen foretold the hand-in-glove alliance maintained by political and religious leaders throughout the Middle Ages

Divided the empire into two parts to facilitate administration. He ruled the East and appointed a ruler for the West. His reforms to stave off the empire's collapse included increasing the size of Roman armies, fixing prices and wages, and persecuting Christians as a means of restoring faith in Roman gods.

The ruler is associated with the true end of the Roman Empire. He deposed Romulus Augustus, the last Roman emperor in the West