Middle Ages

What is vernacular language, and what caused the shift to literature being written in the vernacular?

- The language of everyday speech in a region. Before, most literature was written in Latin. - A market for vernacular literature appeared in the twelfth century when educated people at courts and in the cities took an interest in new sources of entertainment.

How did the church shape medieval society?

1. After the fall of Rome, the Church took over the central role in society. 2. The Church provided a sense of unity and stability for the people through a common religion - Roman Catholicism. 3. The Church, despite its faults, did a lot of work in medieval communities.

What led to the revival of trade during the 1000's and 1100's?

1. Agricultural revolution that took place during the Middle Ages because it allowed peasants to produce more crops. 2. Merchants in medieval cities formed guilds, or business associations.

Describe the relationships between the monarchs and church.

1. As the Middle Ages went on the church became more involved in political affairs. 2. Church officials were often appointed to high government positions. a. The Papal States were the territories surrounding Rome, which were controlled by the Pope and the Church. b. During the medieval period in Europe, the political power of the kings and great nobles was often constrained by the actions of high church officials.

What were 2 instances of power struggles between the church and state?

1. Henry VI and Pope Gregory argued over lay investiture - Henry was excommunicated but then readmitted after an apology. 2. In 1122, the Concordat of Worms passed: the Church won the power to appoint church officials and the emperor got to give the bishop new symbols of the government while the church gave spiritual symbols.

What is feudalism?

1. Kings controlled all of the land in the kingdom -They leased land to lords called a fief in exchange for military service and taxes 2. Lords who took care of the fief and provided knights to the king -Lords gave land to vassals, or "lesser lords" in exchange for military service. Knights protected lords and served in the king's military in exchange for land. A fief was an estate granted to a lord or vassal that was worked by peasants. 3. Knights gave out land to the peasants, called serfs -Chivalry was the code of conduct a knight was supposed to follow once he was a knight (Fight bravely, demonstrate loyalty to their lord, and treat other knights with loyalty were a few of the traits of chivalry). 4. Serfs had no rights, were not allowed to leave their manor, and provided the knight with free labor, food, and service. -Serfs: The common people -The language of the common people was called "vernacular."

List the powers the church had at its height in power.

1. People believed they needed to receive the sacraments of the Catholic Church in order to achieve salvation. 2. Tithe - Tax the Church required Christians to pay 3. To excommunicate is to deny sacraments to one person. To interdict was to deny the holy sacraments to an entire area. Popes would do this to put pressure on kings/lords. 4. Any belief that went against church doctrine was referred to as heresy. 5. The Church had great power over people during the Middle Ages because it decided who could achieve salvation.

What were 2 causes of the Crusades?

1. Securing holy sites sacred by both Christians and Muslims 2. Merchants and Pope want trade routes 3. European nobles fighting amongst themselves 4. Turks invade Jerusalem, Turks kill Christians

Describe the impact of the Black Death on Europe.

1. The plague contributed to Anti-Semitism in Europe. People blamed the Jews for the plague. a. The plague led to the rebirth of Christianity, as people sought salvation and hope during a time of crisis. b. It caused economic and social instability by drastically reducing the workforce. 2. The plague was good for land ownership - more death = more farmland available, deflation allowed people to buy land, cities grew, merchants explored new businesses. 3. The Black Death was the most devastating natural disaster in European history. 4. The Black Death, or bubonic plague, was a bacterial infection, which killed 38 million people throughout Europe out of a pre-plague population of 75 million. 5. In urban areas, the death rate was 50-60% of the population.

How did the fall of Rome impact Western Europe?

An end of learning and education, movement out of urban areas, and a period of economic disorder and weak government. Warfare disrupted trade throughout Europe Travel became unsafe because of violence cities, towns, and villages were abandoned

What was the role of women on the estate?

Aristocratic women had many opportunities to play important roles. Because the lord was often away at war or court, the lady of the castle had to manage the estate, including large numbers of officials and servants. The lady of the castle was also responsible for overseeing the food supply and maintaining all the other supplies needed for the household. Many strong women would advise, and even dominated, their husbands.

What were the achievements of the Carolingian Empire?

Charlemagne had a strong desire to promote learning in his kingdom. His efforts led to an intellectual revival sometimes called the Carolingian Renaissance, or rebirth. A political system using counts and royal agents helped to govern the realm, and unite the kingdom. missi dominici (messengers of the lord king)—two men sent out to local districts to ensure that the counts carried out the king's wishes. The development of feudalism is credited to Charlemagne.

How did Charlemagne briefly unite much of Western Europe?

Charlemagne, as king of the Carolingian Empire, was a fierce warrior, a strong statesman, and a pious Christian. Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas day in 800 A.D. He expanded it into an empire by joining Roman, Christian, and German elements into one kingdom. He promoted a renewed interest in Latin culture.

What technological innovations developed in Western Europe during the Middle Ages?

Climate changed - better growing conditions (technically not technology). Iron - labor-saving devices, early plows (Carruca). The "three-field system" contributed to the agricultural revolution - crop rotation. One field can lay fallow and regain its fertility.

How did Clovis gain the support of his people?

Clovis converted to Christianity. This helped him politically because he gained the support of the Catholic Church and the people. Clovis built a large kingdom, but after his death his sons divided up his lands

What were some new agricultural practices developed in the Middle Ages, and how did they impact society?

Crop Rotation

What led to the Great Schism?

Debate between the Catholic Church which resulted in multiple popes claiming to be the true leader of Christendom at the same time. Split in the Christian Church - Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox

What led to the spread of the bubonic plague?

During the 13th century the middle ages had reached a high point, the population had grown and there was an explosion of learning and culture. Europe had become overpopulated and people were beginning to feel the effects of that overpopulation.

What led to the Downfall of Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire?

Following his death, Charlemagne's empire basically collapsed and fell apart. The empire was divided among Charlemagne's grandsons; into three major sections. Local nobles gained power while the Carolingian rulers (grandsons) fought each other. Invasions in different parts of the old Carolingian world added to the process of disintegration.

What is Common Law, and who initiated its development?

Henry II: People who traveled could be sure they knew the law since it would no longer be different from place to place.

Define fief:

Heritable property or rights granted by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the personal ceremonies of homage and fealty.

What was the impact of this revival of trade?

In Europe during the Middle Ages, increases in trade and commerce resulted in the development of towns and cities.

Manor

It was an agricultural estate run by a lord and worked by peasants. The manor economy was based on farming and self-sufficiency.

What is the representative body in England's government?

Parliament - It was composed of two knights from every county, two people from every town, and all the nobles and bishops throughout England.

What are 2 characteristics of Medieval architecture?

Pointed Arches, Stained glass windows, ribbed vaulting Flying Buttresses - allows for thinner walls and larger windows, Cathedrals could have more natural light.

Papal supremacy

Pope has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise

What are the lasting effects of the Crusades?

Positive -Increased trade between east and west - furthered cultural diffusion -A revival of learning -The growth of a money economy to undermine serfdom Negative -Led to the legacy of bitterness between Christians and the Muslim world -They hurt the Byzantine Empire

What was the goal of scholasticism?

Scholasticism tried to reconcile faith and reason—to show that faith was in harmony with reason. Its chief task was to harmonize Christian teachings with the works of the Greek philosophers.

What was the central focus of Germanic customs and social institutions?

The crucial social bond among the Germanic peoples was the family, especially the extended family. subservience of women new social customs, such as the German family structure new legal customs, such as wergild (man for money) and the ordeal (determining guilt based on divine intervention) Crimes were considered to be against society in the Roman system but against the family in the Germanic system.

Why is the Magna Carta an important document?

The ideas contained in the Magna Carta continue to impact governments in the present day. Politically, it gives strength to the idea that the power of a government is limited, not absolute. Legally, the Magna Carta limits the king's power to punish people outside the rule of law. Punishments for crimes cannot be random and must be based on laws. Signed in 1215

What was a result of growth of cities and towns?

The revival of trade led to the revival of cities. More independence and governments developed. Commercial trade and guilds began to develop.

Excommunicate

To excommunicate is to deny sacraments to one person.

Interdict

To interdict was to deny the holy sacraments to an entire area.

What was the main goal of the Vikings?

Trade and Plunder Norsemen, or Northmen, of Scandinavia, also called the Vikings. They were a Germanic people, whose great love of adventure and search for spoils of war and new avenues of trade may have led them to invade other areas of Europe.

Who had complete control of the fief?

Vassal: held political authority within a fief.

Who is responsible for spreading feudalism in Europe after the Battle of Hastings?

William the conquerer - First norman king of England, brought French language to Anglo-Saxon land, eventually blended and created modern English.

What is the manorial system?

agricultural estate run by a lord and worked by peasants. economy was based on farming and self-sufficiency.

Lay Investiture

was when secular rulers (Kings/Emperors) chose nominees to church offices/ high-ranking church officials, instead of the Pope, and gave them the symbols (a ring and staff) of their office.