Humanities Quiz #8

King John

English king who signed the landmark document known as the Magna Carta

Feudalism

the system of political organization prevailing in Europe between the ninth and fifteenth centuries and having as its basis the exchange of land for military defense

Charlemagne

aka "Charles the Great" pursued the dream of restoring the Roman Empire under Christian leadership; a great warrior and an able administrator, heir to the Frankish kingdom conquered vast areas of lan; his holy wars resulted in the forcible conversion of the Saxons east of the Rhine River, the Lombards of northern Italy, and the Slavic peoples during the Danube. He pushed Muslims back beyond the Pyrenees into Spain.; he was crowned "Emperor of the Romans" thus establishing a firm relationship between Church and state; prototype for Christian Kingship; revived trade; stabilized currency

"Song of Roland"

grandiose in its dimensions and profound in its lyric power. Its rugged Old French verse describes a culture that prized the performance of heroic deeds that brought honor to the warrior, his lord, and his religion. The strong loyalty between vassal and chieftain that characterized the Germanic way of life also resonates in Roland's declaration of unswerving devotion to his temporal overlord, Charlemagne; brings to life such aspects of early medieval culture as the practice of naming one's battle gear and weapons (often considered sacred); captures the powerful antagonism between Christians and Muslims

Magna Carta

landmark document; "great charter", the document forbade the king to levy additional feudal taxes without the consent of his royal council; guaranteed other privileges, such as trial by jury; essentially a feudal agreement between the English nobleman and their king; it became one of the most significant documents in the history of political freedom

"Beowulf"

one of the most famous epic poem from the Early Middle Ages; originated among the anglo-saxons around 700; was recorded in Old English; 3000 line epic; none as the first monumental literary composition in a European vernacular language. tale of a daring prince, brings to life the heroic world of the Germanic people with whom it originated. two-term metaphors called kennings.