Middle Ages

what advantages did feudalism offer the fiefs?

use of land and protection

which of the following statements is true about the medieval christian church?

the church had great power and authority over people’s lives because they were illiterate and relied on Church officials to tell them what they needed to do in order to earn a place in Heaven

which statement best explains why Gothic cathedrals symbolize the highest achievements of the Medieval Era?

because they are the synthesis of multiple cultural influences, technical achievements, and artistic expression

a key design elements of gothic cathedrals is which of the following?

stained glass windows

From the french word for “wheel”, te round windows found in a Gothic elerestory were known as ___?

rose windows

are images depicting the saints, the blessed Virgin, and God himself

icons

key aspects of the gothic style shown here include which of the following?

vaults, decorative carvings, and buttresses

why was a technological development as simple as a new way of harnessing horses so significiant in the cultural development of Europe?

because by harnessing horses in this new way, a heavy plow could cut into tough soils much more vigorously and allowed for the cultivation of new lands, resulting in greater food production

why did the Gothic cathedrals contain stained-glass programs?

to tell Bible stories to a mostly illiterate audience

which of the following statements is TRUE about the medieval Christian Church?

the church had great power and authority over people’s lives because they were illiterate and relied on Church officials to tell them what they needed to do in order to earna place in Heaven

vandals

member of a Germanic people who maintained a kingdom in North Africa from 429 to 534 ce, sacked Rome in 455. Their name has remained a synonym for willful desecration or destruction.

visigoths

member of a division of the Goths who ruled Spain

Father of Europe

Charlemagne

During late antiquity, one of medieval Christianity's most important institutions was formed in the deserts and forests of the Mediterranean _____

monasticism

monasticism

religious movement whose members are bound by vows to an ascetic life of prayer, meditation, or good works

Charlemagne

his empire was the first great european empire to rise after the fall of rome in western europe

capital of Charlemagne’s Empire

Aachen, referred to as “New Rome”

Summa contra Gentiles

One of Aquinas' great works that argued that reason could be used to prove the existence of God to non-believers

Summa Theologica

 continued Aquinas' theme that reason supplements faith and that the existence of God can be recognized by human reason

 man can develop his knowledge of God by living and experiencing the material world.

 Because God created the material world, understanding this world led to an understanding of God.

St. Thomas Aquinas

• Most important medieval theologians, a very smart philosopher

• concern was with proof of the existence of God and the compatibility of faith with reason

• popular lecturer at the University of Paris and an influential figure in the Church

• Unique philosophy called Thomism → the debate surrounding the value of reason and principles of faith

• Wrote the Summa Theologica and Suma Contra Gentiles 

Aristotle

• Greek philosopher and student of plato and tutor of alexander the great

• The strength of his philosophy prompted a desire to integrate it with Christian ideas

St. Augstine of Hippo

• Most influential of Latin Church Fathers, a north african converted to christianity

• concerned himself with the resolution of many theological problems

Bacon, Rodger

• a Franciscan who lectured at the University of Oxford and Paris

• Unpopular and abrasive

• suspected of heresy because of his attacks on other scholars

• His criticisms led to his interest in science and seeking the scientific method 

Condemnations 1277

• Stephen, the bishop of Paris, issued a list of questions that were forbidden as topics of educational debate at the University of Paris.

• Most of the questions reflected on the omnipotence of God.

Demiurge

• In Platonism, the demiurge was the creator of the universe

• Medieval Christian scholars equated the demiurge with God

Ficino Marsilio

• A Florentine scholar, Marsilio, or Marsiglio, Ficino 

• studied medicine, theology, and astrology but is most noted for his knowledge of Greek, his translations of the works of Plato and his commentaries on them

• Founded the Platonic Academy in Florence 

• most influential writings were concerned with harmonizing Christian faith and Platonic philosophy

• Dominant figure in the Renaissance revival

Hermeticism

• Based on the spurious writings of Hermes Trismegister (three-times master), a supposed contemporary of Moses, 

• hermeticism developed into a search for God and the secrets of the cosmos through magical and mystical means. 

• The Hebrew alphabet, mathematics, and alchemy were important

Magnus, Albert

• Albert the Great, was an ordained Dominican who taught at the University of Paris

• Worked on translating greek adn arabic cpies of aristotle

Neoplatonism

• A compilation of platonic, aristelian and stoic ideas that experienced a revival during the late middle ages and renaissance 

• Central to the philosophy is the notion that spiritual things are real and that material things are not

•  freeing of the spiritual element, the soul, from the material element, the body, should be the ultimate goal of of mankind 

• could be achieved through knowledge and contemplation

Platonism

the philosophical idea that our physical world is not the ultimate reality, but rather an imperfect reflection of a higher, unseen realm

Plato

• An Athenian philosopher, student of Socrates 

Tertullian

• A roman citizen from Carthage, an ascentic and his works reinforce his belief that salvation required denial of the material world

•  the first of the so-called "Early Christian Fathers", 

• a group of theologians whose writings influenced Christian thought

Cosmogony

• study of the origins of the universe

• theories of earlier pagan philosophers, such as Plato, Aristotle, stood in opposition to the Creationist theory of the Christian Church 

• posed problems for medieval philosophers attempting to study the universe.

• Many aspects of pagan philosophy were utilized, medieval scholars had to exercise caution that their work w/ these aspects did not bring them into conflict with established Christian doctrine.

What was the most influential force in European Society in the medieval era?

the Christian Church

The criticism of the church spawned reform movements across Europe starting in 11th century resuluted into what?

Protestant Reformation of the 1500s

The middle ages were a transition of ___

 political + military domination of Ancient Rome to the development of states  

10 reasons why the middle ages were NOT the “dark ages”

10. Agricultural revolution

9. Rise of towns

8. decreasing violence

7. medieval renaissance

6. medieval reformation

5. cult of chivalry

4. vernaular literature

3. borrowed technology

2. new technology

1. the Gothic cathedral

towns in the middle ages had three classes, what are they?

those who fight, those who work, those who pray

carruca

in latin, it means four-wheeled carriage

“Truce of God”

• declared that there were certain times when violence should not take place: 

  • Sundays, go to church; 

  • Saturday, sone should be thinking about what sins one will be confessing tomorrow; 

  • Fridays, because that is the day Christ died, all became peace days.

  • They also provided relative safety for farmers and merchants to hold market days.

Pope circulated a document around the countryside declaring…

certain people were outside the bounds of warfare and should be left unmolested: priests, monks, women, children, peasants etc.