The Fall of Rome and the Rise of Two Worlds

Flashcards of key vocabulary terms and definitions from the lecture notes.

Vandals and Visigoths

Germanic tribes who invaded and helped bring down the Western Roman Empire.

Byzantine Civilization

The Eastern Roman Empire that survived after the fall of Rome. Known for the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Papacy

The political influence of the Pope and the Church's administrative authority.

Latin Christendom

Western European society under the influence of the Catholic Church before the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation.

Justinian

Byzantine emperor who later became a saint.

Feudalism

A decentralized political system where local lords held power.

Manorialism

The economic system during feudal times where peasants (serfs) lived on and worked land owned by a lord.

Muhammad

The prophet and founder of Islam.

Allah

The Islamic name for God.

Islam

A monotheistic religion founded by Muhammad in Arabia.

Mecca

Islam’s holiest city, Muhammad’s birthplace, and the destination for his pilgrimage.

Medina

The city where Muhammad gained followers after being rejected in Mecca.

Quran

The holy book of Islam.

Muslims

Followers of Islam

Jihad

Holy wars for the spread or defense of Islam.

Muslim Golden Age

A flourishing period of intellectual, scientific, and cultural advancements for muslims.

Yahweh

The Hebrew name for God in Judaism.

Vassalage

The system where knights (vassals) pledged military service and loyalty to a higher-ranking lord.

Liege homage

A formal oath of loyalty from a vassal to a single lord.

Fiefdom

Land, often operating like a “mini-kingdom,” granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and military service.

Hierarchy

The rigid social structure of medieval society—king at the top, followed by nobles, knights, and peasants.

Monks

Religious men who preserved classical and Christian texts by copying them in Latin. Later helped translate texts into the vernacular.

Normans

Vikings who settled in northern France and later invaded England.

Charlemagne

The first Holy Roman Emperor.

Holy Roman Emperor

the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire

Carolingian Renaissance

A revival of learning, culture, and arts during Charlemagne’s reign.

The Great Schism

The official split between the Roman Catholic Church (based in Rome) and the Eastern Orthodox Church (based in Byzantine Empire).

Gregorian Reforms

Church reforms to reduce corruption.

Cardinals

High-ranking clergymen who elect the pope.

Concordat of Worms

Resolved dispute between popes and emperors over who could appoint bishops.

The Crusades

A series of religious wars launched by European Christians to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslim control and support the Byzantine Empire.

Frederick Barbarossa

A powerful Holy Roman Emperor and military leader in the Crusades

Excommunication

A severe punishment where a person is cut off from the Church, effectively excluding them from Christian society.

The Rise of States

The gradual return to centralized monarchies and stronger kingdoms as feudalism declined.

The Revival of Trade

Increased trade across Europe, aided by more secure travel routes.

The Rebirth of Towns

As trade grew, towns re-emerged as centers of commerce and culture, leading to a decline in feudalism.

Guilds

Associations of craftsmen or merchants who regulated trade, set standards, and trained apprentices.

Agricultural Revolution

Innovations like the three-field system and better plows increased food production

Anglo-Saxons

The early medieval inhabitants of England.

William the Conqueror

Duke of Normandy who won the Battle of Hastings and became King of England.

Domesday Book

A census initiated by William the Conqueror

King John

The unpopular English king forced to sign the Magna Carta.

Magna Carta

Document that limited the English king’s power and established basic legal rights for nobles.

English Common Law

A nation-wide legal system based on customs and judicial decisions.

House of Lords

The upper house of English Parliament, composed of nobles and clergy, often hereditary.

House of Commons

The lower house of English Parliament, made up of elected representatives of the common people.

Hugh Capet

The first king of the Capetian dynasty in France, who laid the foundations for modern French monarchy.

Estates General

The representative assembly in France split into the first, second, and third estates.

The Black Death

A devastating plague that killed around one-third of Europe’s population.

The Hundred Years’ War

A long conflict between England and France over territory.

Joan of Arc

A peasant girl who claimed divine visions, led French forces to victory, and was later executed for heresy.

Renaissance

A cultural rebirth that began in Italy, focused on rediscovering classical texts, humanism, and advances in the arts.

The Ottoman Empire

What the Byzantine Empire turned into