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Chapter 19

Terms in this set (48)

How Medieval Europeans Lived
In an ordered society of monarchs, nobles, and peasants.
During The 400's
Germanic groups invaded the Western Roman Empire. In a.d. 476, these groups overthrew the last emperor in Rome and brought the Empire to an end. Europe then entered a new era called the Middle Ages, or medieval times, during...
The Medieval Times
A 1,000-year period between ancient and modern times.
During The Middle Ages
Western Europe was divided into many kingdoms, and Catholic Christianity strongly influenced society during...
Most Land In Europe Lies Within ________ Of a Seacost
300 miles. This encouraged trade and helped the European economy to grow. It also gave protection.
The Celtic Peoples
Lived in Britain.
After Roman Armies Abandoned The Area That Is Today England
Germanic groups known as Angles and Saxons settled there. In time, they became the Anglo-Saxons.
Descended From The Celts
The Scottish, Welsh, and Irish peoples of today.
Clovis
In 481, He became king of the Franks. Fifteen years later, he became the first Germanic ruler to accept Catholic Christianity. Before long, nearly all of the Franks became Catholic. After He died, Frankish kings lost much of their power. By 700, power had passed from kings to government officials known as mayors of the palace.
Charles Martel
In 714, He became mayor of the palace. His first move was to halt the spread of Islam into Europe. His son was Pepin.
Pepin
After Charles Martel died, his son became mayor of the palace. With the support and blessing of the pope, he became king of the Franks. He then gave the pope a large strip of Lombard land in Italy. These lands became known as the Papal States. After he died in 768, his son Charles became king of the Franks.
Charles
After Pepin died in 768, his son became king of the Franks. In the years that followed, he sent his armies into neighboring lands. He nearly doubled the size of his kingdom to include what is today Germany, France, northern Spain, and most of Italy. By 800, his kingdom had grown into an empire. For the first time since the fall of Rome, most Western Europeans were ruled by one government.
Charlemagne
In 800, he became emperor by the power of the pope. He wanted to advance learning in his kingdom. He had tried late in life to learn to write and wanted his people to be educated too. He established a school for the children of government officials. His forceful personality held the empire together. After he died in 814, his empire did not last long. It was soon divided into three kingdoms.
In The 800's and 900's
In this time, waves of invaders swept across Europe. Muslims from North Africa raided France and Italy. Fierce nomads called Magyars from Hungary invaded eastern parts of France and Italy. Vikings launched raids from their homeland in Scandinavia.
The Vikings
These people, known as Norsemen or "north men," lived in villages near the fjords. Scandinavia has little farmland, so these people had to depend on the sea for food and trade.
They attacked villages and churches, seizing grain, animals, and other valuable items. They burned whatever they could not steal.
Monks
They provided schools and hospitals. They taught carpentry and weaving, and they developed improvements in farming. Many of them copied Christian writings as well as Roman and Greek works. They also made illuminations, which are manuscripts decorated with beautiful lettering and miniature religious paintings. These people helped preserve knowledge of the classical and early Christian worlds. They lived in communities headed by abbots.
Nuns
Lived in their own monasteries called convents. Convents were headed by abbesses. These people were much like monks.
Pope Gregory
Elected pope in 1073, he declared that only the pope had the power to appoint high-ranking Church officials. His order angered Henry IV, the Holy Roman emperor. For many years, the Holy Roman emperor had chosen bishops in Germany. Henry insisted on naming his own bishops. The pope then declared that Henry was no longer emperor and excommunicated him. When the German nobles supported the pope, Henry changed his mind. He traveled to Italy and begged the pope for forgiveness.
In 1000
Europe's kingdoms were divided into hundreds of feudal territories.
Feudalism
Was based on ties of loyalty and duty among members of the nobility. Nobles were both lords and vassals. A lord was a high-ranking noble who had power over others. A vassal was a lower-ranking noble who served a lord. Peasants were the lowest class, made up of serfs and freemen.
Chivalry
Knights followed this code. These rules stated that a knight was to be brave and obey his lord. A knight was also required to respect women of noble birth, honor the Church, and help people.
Peasants
A class in feudalism made up of freemen and serfs. They lived in villages clustered around an open area called a village green. Their homes were simple cottages. The poorest of these people lived in a single room. They worked year round. In late winter and spring, they planted crops of beans, peas, barley, and oats. In early summer, they weeded fields and sheared sheep. In late summer, they harvested grain. They also slaughtered livestock and salted the meat for winter storage. Many of them tended small vegetable gardens. During times of leisure, their life centered on the church and the village green. They took a break from work and went to church on Sunday and Catholic feast days. Certain feast days were celebrated with singing and dancing on the green. The men took part in sports such as wrestling and archery. Besides working in the fields, the women raised children and prepared the family's food. They made dark, heavy bread, which peasants ate with vegetables, milk, nuts, and fruits. They also ate eggs and meat, washed down with ale.
Freemen
Paid the noble for the right to farm the land. They worked only on their own land and had rights under the law. They moved wherever and whenever they wished. Were a type of peasant.
Serfs
Most peasants were these people. they and their descendants were tied to the manor. They could not own property, move to another area, or marry without the noble's permission. They were not enslaved, however. Nobles could not sell them or take away the land they farmed to support themselves. Nobles were also expected to protect them. They worked long hours in the fields and did many services for the nobles. They spent three days of the week working the noble's land and the rest of the week farming their own. However, they had to give part of their own crops to the noble. They also had to pay him for the use of the village's mill, bread oven, and wine press. It was not easy for them to gain their freedom. One way was to escape to the towns. If one was not caught and remained in a town for more than a year, he or she was considered free. By the end of the Middle Ages, these people in many areas were allowed to buy their freedom.
Guilds
They controlled business and trade in a town. They set the price for a product or service. They also set and enforced standards of quality for products. In addition, they decided who could join a trade.
Common Law
The courts created this, or law that was the same throughout the whole kingdom. It helped unite England by replacing laws that differed from place to place.
William The Conqueror
In 1066, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England died without an heir. A noble named Harold Godwinson claimed the English throne. In France, a relative of the Anglo-Saxon kings, said that he, not Harold, was the rightful king of England. He was crowned king of England and became known as _______ the Conqueror. At first, the Anglo-Saxons resisted his rule. To stop the Anglo-Saxon revolts, he seized the land of Anglo-Saxon nobles and divided it among his Norman knights. He wanted to learn as much as possible about his new kingdom. To decide taxes, he carried out the first census since Roman times. The Normans who ruled England kept many Anglo-Saxon laws and practices. However, they also brought many customs from mainland Europe. After his death, English kings further strengthened their power. From 1154 to 1189, King Henry II ruled England as well as most of Wales, and Ireland.
Henry
After the death of William, English kings further strengthened their power. From 1154 to 1189, this king ruled England as well as most of Wales, and Ireland. He set up a central royal court with lawyers and judges. Circuit judges, who traveled across the country to hear cases, brought the king's law to all parts of England. The courts created a body of common law, or law that was the same throughout the whole kingdom. Common law helped unite England by replacing laws that differed from place to place. He also set up juries of citizens to settle disputes. Traveling circuit judges met with a grand jury. It decided if people should be accused of a crime. Next came a trial jury to decide whether a person was innocent or guilty. His son John became king of England in 1199.
John
Henry's son became king of England in 1199. He increased taxes in England and punished his enemies without trials. English nobles began to rebel against the king. In 1215, the nobles met with him at Runnymede, a nearby meadow. There they forced him to put his seal on a document called the Magna Carta, or the Great Charter. The Magna Carta placed limits on the king's power. The king could collect taxes only if a group of nobles called the Great Council agreed.
The Magna Carta
In 1215, the nobles met with King John at Runnymede, a nearby meadow. There they forced John to put his seal on this document. The document placed limits on the king's power. The king could collect taxes only if a group of nobles called the Great Council agreed. It also forced the king to uphold the rights of freemen, including the right to fair trials by jury. It relied on the feudal idea that the king and his noble vassals both had certain rights and duties. Over time, however, it helped strengthen the idea that all people, regardless of rank, have rights, and that the power of government should be limited.
Edward
This king of England in the late 1200s, increased the authority of his council. This group of lords, church leaders, knights, and townspeople became known as Parliament.
Philip
This king wanted to raise taxes to pay for his wars. In 1302, he gained approval for this plan from representatives of the three estates, or classes, of French society.
The Slavs
In Eastern Europe, these people established villages and towns along the rivers of that region. They consisted of three important groups: the southern _____, the western _____, and the eastern _____. In the 800's, the eastern's began to expand the city of Kiev. The medieval state of Kievan Rus grew wealthy from its river trade with Scandinavia and the Byzantine Empire. About 1240, Mongol warriors from Central Asia conquered Kievan Rus. The city of Novgorod was the only major city to be spared attack by the Mongols. However, Novgorod's rulers had to pay tribute to the khan, the Mongol leader, and accept the Mongols as their rulers.
The Crusades
Attacks on Jerusalem to free the holy land from the Muslims. They brought Western Europeans into contact with Byzantines and Muslims. As a result, Western Europeans gained new knowledge. In architecture, they learned how to build domes and create mosaics. They discovered how to build better ships and make more accurate maps. They also learned how to use the compass to tell direction. The attacks, however, weakened feudalism. Nobles who joined them sold their lands and freed their serfs. This reduced their power. Kings were able to build stronger central governments. They lasted over a period of more than two hundred years. They caused bitter feelings between Christian Western Europe and the Islamic world. By the 1100s, the attacks and the rise of strong governments made medieval Europeans more confident and secure. As a result, trade, banking, and businesses thrived. A better economy meant more money to spend on building and learning.
The First Crusade
Thousands of European soldiers on horseback and on foot headed east for this attack. They reached Jerusalem in 1099. In a fierce battle with Muslims, they stormed the city. They conquered several regions. They set up four states controlled by Europe: the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the Holy Land, Edessa and Antioch in Asia Minor, and Tripoli in what is now Lebanon. These states were surrounded by Muslim territory. They depended on supplies from the Italian cities of Genoa, Pisa, and Venice.
The Second Crusade
After Muslim forces retook Edessa, this battle began. This time, the Muslims easily defeated the Europeans. In 1174, led by a brilliant general named Saladin, Muslims recaptured Jerusalem.
The Third Crusade
The battle before this one triggered this one, which was also a failure. Throughout the 1200s, Europeans continued to organize these battles. They made few gains. By the end of the century, the Muslims had regained all the land conquered by the fighters.
Romanesque Style
Early medieval churches were this, a style that combined the features of Roman and Byzantine buildings. These churches were rectangular buildings with long, rounded ceilings called barrel vaults. These ceilings were supported by heavy walls and thick pillars set close together. The churches' small windows let in little light.
Gothic Style
About 1150, builders began to construct churches in this style. They replaced Romanesque heavy walls with flying buttresses. These stone arches extended off the outside walls of the church and supported the weight of the building. They made it possible to build churches with thinner walls and large stained glass windows. These churches were taller and had more space than Romanesque churches.
Latin
In medieval times, this was the language of educated people, both for speaking and writing. It was also the language of the Church and of university teachers and scholars.
Vernacular
Besides Latin, each region in Europe had its own local language. People used this language in everyday life. Starting in the 1100's, writers created much new literature in this. A second important type of literature in this type of language was the heroic epic.
Jews In Medieval Europe
In medieval Europe, these people became scapegoats, or people blamed for other people's problems. Hostility toward them is called anti-Semitism. In troubled times during the Middle Ages, anti-Semitism flared up. In towns and villages, Christians often discriminated against and even killed these people. As a minority, they were often forced to live in separate neighborhoods called ghettos. Often, they were forbidden to own land and to practice certain trades. Beginning in the 1100's, rulers in England, France, and central Europe even drove out these people. Many of them settled in Eastern Europe, especially Poland. Over the centuries, these people Eastern Europe developed thriving communities.
The Great Famine
Medieval Europe enjoyed prosperity and growth during the 1200's. Then, early in the next century, disaster struck. Extremely cold winters and rainy summers created miserable conditions. Crops rotted in the fields, and herds of livestock died from diseases. Soon, there was not enough food for Europe's growing population. The result was this in northern Europe that lasted from about 1315 to 1322. During this time, many people died from starvation and epidemics.
The Plague/The Black Death
During the 1300's, this spread from Asia across Europe. It is a disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people. This illness is caused by a type of bacteria spread by fleas. Rats carry the fleas. This probably began in central Asia and spread to other places through trade. It first broke out in China in the 1330's. Between 40 and 60 million people eventually died, nearly half of the Chinese population. Trade between China, India, the Middle East, and Europe was greatly encouraged by the Mongols. Merchants used the Silk Road and other trade routes. Expanded trade also made it possible for this to spread quickly. In 1346, it reached the trading city of Caffa on the Black Sea. Italian ships carried it to the island of Sicily. From there, it spread to the Italian mainland and onto the continent of Europe. By the end of the 1340's, it had surfaced in France, Germany, and England. By 1351, it had reached Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Russia. Estimates of the dead in Europe between 1347 and 1351 range from 19 to 38 million people— nearly one out of every two Europeans. People at the time did not know why this had happened. Some people thought God was punishing them for their sins. Others blamed the Jews. For this reason, the Germans expelled many Jews from some of their cities. It had an enormous effect on the economy of Europe. With so many deaths, trade declined. Wages rose steeply because of a high demand for workers. Fewer people, though, meant less demand for food, so food prices fell sharply. Like the Crusades, it weakened feudalism.
Joan Of Arc
The French prince Charles wanted to take back French lands held by the English. In 1429, a 17-year-old French peasant girl came to his palace. She persuaded Charles to let her go with a French army to the city of Orléans. Shortly after, with her at his side, Charles was crowned king. A few months later, however, the English army captured her. The English accused her of being a witch. Shed was burned at the stake for heresy. She became a French national hero and Catholic saint. Her courage led the French to rally around their king. By 1453, French armies had driven the English out of most of France.
The Reconquista
During the Middle Ages, Muslims ruled much of the Iberian Peninsula. They set up schools and built beautiful mosques and palaces, such as the Alhambra in Granada. The Christians drove out the Muslims in this struggle. By 1250, there were three Christian kingdoms: Portugal, Castile, and Aragon. The only remaining Muslim kingdom was Granada.
Prince Ferdinand And Princess Isabella
In 1469, this prince married this princess. They united their kingdoms into one Catholic country called Spain. In order to avoid persecution by Christians, many Jews became Christian. The prince and princess, however, believed that some of the Jews secretly practiced Judaism. To force obedience to the Catholic Church, the rulers put the Spanish Inquisition into place.
The Spanish Inquisition
In order to avoid persecution by Christians, many Jews became Christian. Ferdinand and Isabella, however, believed that some of the Jews secretly practiced Judaism. To force obedience to the Catholic Church, the rulers put this into place. It tried and tortured thousands of people who were accused of being disloyal to the Catholic Church in Spain.
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