History Unit 5 Study Guide

What was the century of turmoil?

The period of time during the 14th and early 15th century marked by the Black Death, the Western Schism and the 100 years war.

What was the battle of Manzikert?

The battle between the Seljuk Turks and the Byzantines in 1071, leading to the Byzantine Empire losing control over Anatolia and the Holy land.

What was the Bubonic Plague?

A plague that devastated the population of Europe and Asia during the mid 14th century

Who were the Burghers?

The local English representatives from each region of the country invited to help set taxes in 1295 by King Edward I, creating a model parliament.

What is the Church of the Holy Sepulcre?

The most sacred site in all of Christianity, located in Jerusalem

What is the Dome of the Rock?

One of the most sacred holy sites for Muslims, located in Jerusalem

What is the Western Wall?

The most sacred holy site for Jews, located in Jerusalem in the place where the second temple of Jerusalem used to be.

What is the Estates General?

A collection of three estates established by King Philip IV of France in 1302 to help run the government and go against the Pope. It is similar to the model parliament of England at the time.

What is feudalism?

An inherently defensive system in which serfs would work for vassals on pieces of land called fiefs. These fiefs would be protected by knights, and each fief had a church where the bishops and priests taught Christian teachings.

What was the Great (Eastern) Schism?

The official split between the Western Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox Church that took place in 1054.

What was the hundred years’ war?

The war between England and France from 1337-1453 regarding the inheritance of the French throne.

Who was Jan Hus?

A skeptic of the Church who argued that the authority of the bible was higher than that of the Church, leading to his excommunication and subsequent assassination in 1412 and 1415 respectively.

Who is John Wycliffe?

A skeptic of the Church who claimed that the Papacy should remain secular and that the power of Jesus was above that of the Catholic Church.

Who was king Edward I?

The King of England who reigned from 1272-1307 who established the model parliament in England in 1295.

Who was king Henry II?

The King of England from 1154-1189 who established the system of courts and juries in England and married Eleanor of Aquitaine, allowing England to acquire a great amount of territory in France

Who was king John?

The King who reigned from 1199-1216 and was forced to sign the Magna Carta in 1215

Who was king Philip II?

The King of France from 1180-1223 who established the French court system and captured Normandy from the English in 1204

Who was king Philip IV?

The King of France from 1285-1314 who created the estates general in order to go against the Pope

What was the longbow?

A new weapon used by the English during the 100 years war that caused arrows to be deadly upon impact from great distances while also being quick to reload

What is the Magna Carta?

A document signed by King John in 1215 which outlines the rights of nobles and the people of England and provides restrictions to the powers of the king.

What is nationalism?

Great patriotism in one’s country and leader, often to the point of feeling that one’s country is superior

What was the Norman Conquest?

The conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066

What is the model parliament?

The collection of representatives from every English province. It included the house of lords and the house of Commons and had the primary purpose of setting taxes

What were the Peace of God and the Truce of God?

Documents issued by the Pope in 987 and 1027 respectively which attempted to keep knights in check to stop them from raiding fiefs. These attempts were unsuccessful.

Who was Pope Urban II?

The Pope who called for the crusades in 1095

What was the siege of Acre?

The “last crusade.” It took place in the Holy land in 1291 and definitively ended Christian prospects of reclaiming the region

What was the inquisition?

The attempt by the Church to combat so-called heresy in Spain. It included the execution and deportation of thousands of Jews and Muslims from Spain

What was the reconquista?

The 750 year struggle by the Christians in Spain to reconquer the region from the Muslims, beginning in 732 and ending in 1492

Who was Thomas Aquinas?

A man who attempted to synthesize science and Christianity in a unique way never done before

What was the three field system?

The system adopted by farmers during the beginning stages of the high middle Ages to grow land on 2/3 of their territory at a time rather than 1/2.

What does laying fallow mean?

It means letting land rest and reabsorb nutrients from the soil to provide a plentiful harvest in the following season

What is the vernacular?

It refers to the commonly spoken languages throughout Europe during the time. Literature written in the vernacular rather than in Latin was instrumental in helping to bring literacy to the public

Who was William the Conqueror?

The Conqueror of England who would then become king. He kept 1/5 of England for himself and distributed the rest among his nobles

What were the short-term causes of the crusades?

1. The Seljuk Turks had captured the Holy Land and, unlike previous Muslim kingdoms, were disallowing Christian entry into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

2. The knights were ravaging Europe because they had nowhere to fight, and this was greatly weakening to the feudal system

What were the long-term causes of the Crusades?

1. The Pope wanted to assert power over secular forces by uniting Christianity against a common enemy

2. The Papacy was weakened by the Great (Eastern) Schism and hoped that the Orthodox Church would rejoin the Catholic church if they worked together

What happened in the first Crusade?

Pope Urban II called for the Crusade in 1095, and Jerusalem was successfully captured in 1099. They pillaged Jerusalem and the Dome of the Rock. The Christians then made several alliances with many Muslim kingdoms, leading to the Pope getting angry and sending in more crusaders.

What happened in the second Crusade?

The crusaders attempted to maintain control over the territories gained in the first crusade, but they lost the city of Edessa in 1144 and eventually lost control over Jerusalem in 1187

What happened in the third Crusade?

The crusaders, led by Richard the Lionheart of England, attempted to recapture Jerusalem from the Muslims, led by Emperor Saladin. The two sides fought hard, but the Christians were ultimately unsuccessful, and the two figures agreed to a peace deal in 1192

What happened in the fourth crusade?

Rather than going to Jerusalem, the crusaders went to Byzantium and sacked the city. This greatly weakened the Byzantine Empire and temporarily split the empire up into several pieces.

How did the Crusades affect kings?

The kings were aided by the crusades due to the knight problem being solved, ending raiding on their territory. Additionally, loot plundered from Jerusalem helped to enhance the wealth and power of the kings

How did the Crusades affect the Papacy?

The power of the Pope began to be questioned, as people were unhappy about the sending of knights and Christians to die in the Holy Land. However, the Papacy itself gained a large amount of wealth from the plundering

How did the Crusades affect the Byzantine empire?

The Byzantine empire was greatly weakened by the fourth Crusade, so they declined heavily following the Crusades. Additionally, the Fourth Crusade exacerbated the split between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches

How did the Crusades affect trade?

The Crusades led to the rise of several major trading cities including Venice and Genoa. It led to the spread of Muslim technologies to Europe during this time.

How did the Crusades affect learning?

The Crusades helped to create more learning, as information and knowledge from the Muslim world was plundered and acquired through trade. This helped to advance the learning in Europe and helped the eventual kickstart of the Renaissance

What does the Estates General consist of?

It consists of three separate estates; the first is for the Church officials, the second is for the nobles, and the third is for the commoners.

Why was the estates general created?

king Philip IV needed approval from the people in order to go against the Pope, so he created the estates general in 1302

What was Philip IV fighting with the Pope about?

The Pope (Pope Boniface XIII) wanted Philip IV to stop taxing priests, and when he refused, the Pope issued a document stating that kings must obey the Pope in 1300. This led to the king imprisoning the Pope in 1303 and the subsequent death of Pope Boniface XIII

Why was the Pope moved to Avigon?

In 1305, following the death of Pope Boniface XIII, king Philip IV asked for a French man to be chosen as the Pope. In turn, the Cardinals elected Robert of Geneva, a French speaking man who would take the name Clement V and move to Avignon where the Popes would remain until 1378.

What led to the Western Schism?

Following the death of Pope Gregory XI in 1378 in Rome, the Romans demanded that the new Pope be a Roman. The Cardinals elected Pope Urban VI, but he was too reformist, so the Cardinals later also elected Pope Clement VII to live in Avignon. These two popes both called the other pope illegitimate.

How did the Western Schism end?

In 1414, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire stepped in to help solve the issue. He forced all three Popes to resign (another Pope had been elected in Pisa) and called for another election. in 1417, the cardinals elected Martin V, ending the schism

What was the effect of the Great Schism?

It led to the creation of the Estates General and the decline of Papal authority in France. The Papacy was greatly weakened, and questions began to be asked about the legitimacy of the secularity of the Papacy

What caused the Bubonic Plague to spread?

1. The Crusades led to increased trade, leading to a Genoan boat bringing the Bubonic Plague to Europe in 1347

2. The rise of towns and cities increased the population density and trade within Europe, allowing the plague to spread faster

3. The Pax Mongolica allowed for the plague to quickly spread all across Asia and into Europe

4. Poor hygiene conditions of the cities and towns caused the plague to spread quickly

What was the effect of the Bubonic Plague on the population of Europe?

The population of towns began to decline greatly, and about 1/3-1/2 of European population died from the outbreak. A total of 25 million people died across Europe and Asia

What was the effect of the Bubonic Plague on the Feudal system?

Feudalism was greatly weakened due to a decrease in serf population, leading to serfs demanding more money and better rights due to increased demand and lower supply.

What was the effect of the Bubonic Plague on the Church?

The Church was greatly weakened by the plague, as many clergymen died and the Pope failed to stop the outbreak, bringing questions to his true divinity. Many lost faith in the Church, and the decreased population lowered the amount of money in tithes going to the Church.

What three factors contributed to the increase in food production?

1. The “interglacial” period of warming, creating better farming conditions

2. The creation of the three-field system to increase crop production, as 2/3 of land was able to be used rather than 1/2

3. The invention of a harness to be able to utilize horses to help with farming rather than oxen

What was the result of the ending of the Viking, Magyar, and Muslim invasions?

The knights were no longer needed and the Feudal system declined, as the defensive system was no longer necessary, allowing for towns and cities in Europe to grow

Why did the population of towns grow so high?

Serfs were given freedom if they could escape their lords for over a year, so they moved to the cities and towns in droves

What was the effect of towns and cities on medieval Europe?

Towns and cities created more trade, leading to a commercial revolution. This brought Europe closer together and helped bring a VERY emerging middle class to European society

What is a guild?

a collection of merchants, artesans, or craftsmen who came together to set standards for price, quality of goods, and working conditions. They also helped give financial protection to one another and created standardized systems of training.

What was the commercial revolution

The increased trade that took place due to the rise of guilds which caused merchants to travel from place to place selling goods, helping the economy of Europe prosper.

How did the rise of towns and cities affect the Church?

The Church was negatively affected by the rise of towns and cities because the construction of universities and hospitals in said cities meant that the Church was no longer needed to operate those places of learning. Additionally, Burghers in these cities would fight for increased political power and independence from the Church

Why was the Magna Carta created?

King John was a bad leader, losing Normandy, raising taxes, imprisoning political enemies, and threatening to take away charters, so his lords imprisoned him and forced him to sign the Magna Carta, placing limitations on the powers of the king

What were the rights outlined in the Magna Carta?

1. The people must have a say in their taxation

2. Every citizen should be given protection under the law

3. Every citizen is entitled to a fair trial

What is common law?

The law developed through the decisions of juries and judges overtime, leading to the establishment of laws by which the people must abide. Common law developed in both England and France

What was the significance of the Magna Carta, the model parliament, the estates general, and common law?

The power of the kings was beginning to be limited, and the people were beginning to take increasing control over their governments and political systems. This is the first step towards democracy in Europe, as the people are fairly represented, have guaranteed rights, and have a say in the actions of the government.

What was the biggest cause of the 100 years war?

The final Capetian died in 1328, so the grandson of Philip IV who was also king of England, Edward III, claimed the French throne. This led to the 100 years war from 1337-1453

What weapon was used by the English in order to win three major battles early on in the 100 years war?

The longbow

What three major battles ended in English victories during the 100 years war?

Crecy (1346), Pointiers (1356), Agincourt (1415).

What were the French forced to do in 1420?

Charles VI of France was forced to promise his throne to king Henry V of England following his death due to repeated losses in battles during the 100 years war

Who was Joan of Arc?

A girl who started to get visions of angels telling her to save France when she was just thirteen years old. She helped the French beat back the English and played a key role in the siege of Orleans and the recoronation of king Charles VII of France.

What was the effect of the 100 years war on the Feudal system?

The Feudal system greatly declined, as nationalism set in and people began to identify more heavily with more centralized nation states. Additionally, the longbow had rendered knights virtually obsolete and thus ended the age of chivalry, a key component of feudalism

What was the impact of the 100 years war on England?

England was soon plunged into a civil war known as the war of the roses, but nationalism within England soared.

Why did learning increase throughout Europe?

1. The Crusades brought valuable sciences and information from the Muslim world to Europe

2. The rise of towns and cities helped contribute to increased trade and the construction of universities

3. Trade with the Muslim world increased, bringing even more information from the Muslim world

What allowed for literature to reach the public?

People began writing in the vernacular, allowing for the people to understand what was written and bringing them literacy.

What effect did increased learning have on the Church?

Increased learning led to people questioning Church practices to a greater degree, weakening the establishment

Which king of England established the system of juries and judges?

Henry II

Which king of England married Eleanor of Aquitaine?

Henry II

Which king of England created the model parliament?

Edward I

Which king of England signed the Magna Carta?

King John

Who was Richard the Lionheart?

King of England from 1189-1199 who fought valiantly in the third crusade

who was Louis IX?

King of France from 1226-1270 who created the court of appeals in France, weakening the Feudal system and giving more power to the central government. He also was known for his piety

When was the battle of Orleans and the subsequent coronation of king Charles VII?

1429

How did Joan of Arc die?

She was captured by the English in 1430 and burned on the stake in 1431

Who were the two main Popes who led the effort for gregorian reform

Pope Gregory VII and Urban II

What were the three biggest aspects of Gregorian reform?

1. Creation of a Papal court system

2. Banning of ecclesiastical purchases and priests marrying

3. The assertion of Popes and priests over Secular powers

Who called the Pope to ask him to launch a crusade?

Emperor Alexius of Byzantium

What is Aquitaine?

A region in southern France acquired by the English by King Henry II following his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine

Who began the Capetian dynasty and when?

Hugh Capet began the Capetian dynasty in 987

When was the fall of the Capetian dynasty in France?

1328

Why was the Capetian dynasty able to expand despite poor leadership early on?

They were situated in the region surrounding Paris, and so they were stronger than the other French states. The rest of France was even more disorganized, being composed of 47 different feudal regions

What was the bailiff system?

The bailiff system was a system of tax collection in France established by Philip II in which royal officials known as bailiffs went around to enforce law and collect taxes

What was the childrens crusade?

A crusade that took place in 1212 consisting of 30,000 children in manpower. They all were either killed or sold into slavery

When was the end of the first wave of Bubonic Plague?

It end was in 1351, but outbreaks continued at huge levels for hundreds of years

What battle marked the start of the reconquista?

The battle of Tours

Which city states grew extremely powerful due to the crusades?

Venice and Genoa

Who defeated the Christians and retook Jerusalem in 1187?

Emperor Saladin

Which French king strengthened French relationships with the Church and was given sainthood for his impressive piety?

Louis IX

Which king of England was the grandson of Philip IV of France and thus claimed the French throne in 1328?

Edward III

How many people died as a result of the Black Plague?

25 million people died, including 1/3-1/2 of the population of Europe