Western Civilization Midterm Study

Crusades

A series of wars called by the Catholic Church against infidels in the Holy Land to reclaim it for the Church.

Pope Urban II

The pope who called the 1st Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land, help the Byzantine Emperor, and undermine secular leaders' power.

1st Crusade

The only successful Crusade.

4th Crusade

An unsuccessful Crusade that resulted in the attack on the Christian city of Constantinople.

Holy Land

Includes the areas around Jerusalem, which is the holiest city in Christianity and Judaism.

Avignon Papacy

Period when the pope was kidnapped by King Philip and installed in Avignon, France.

Black Death

The Plague that killed over 25 million people and demonstrated the Church's powerlessness over disease.

Vernacular Literature

Written work in the common language that increased literacy in Europe.

Universities

Centers of learning that opened education to more people.

Agricultural Revolution

New farming tools and techniques that increased agricultural production.

Three field system

Farming strategy allowing land use rotation for better soil replenishment.

Burghers & bourgeoisie

Terms referring to city-dwellers and the middle class.

Longbow

A weapon effective against knights, contributing to the feudal system's decline.

Crossbow

A weapon easy for peasants to use, which pierced armor and reduced knights' roles.

Gunpowder & cannon

Weapons that made castles and fortifications obsolete.

Nationalism

A feeling of pride in one's country.

The Hundred Years War

A series of battles between England and France that fostered national unity.

William the Conqueror

The first Norman king of England who invaded in 1066.

Magna Carta

A charter guaranteeing certain rights in England that limited the king's power.

Joan of Arc

A French national hero who played a key role during the Hundred Years War.

The Reconquista

Spain's effort to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula for Catholicism.

Inquisition

A court used by the Catholic Church to root out non-Christians.

Renaissance

A cultural revival in Europe that emphasized classical art, literature, and philosophy.

Humanism

An intellectual movement focusing on human potential and classical education.

Renaissance Man

A person skilled in multiple fields, embodying the Renaissance ideal.

Milan

A powerful city-state known for military strength and artistic patronage.

Genoa

A major port city that was a hub for trade and banking.

Florence

The cradle of the Renaissance, known for its art and intellect.

Perspective

An artistic technique that creates the illusion of depth on a flat surface.

Chiaroscuro

A technique using light and shadow contrasts to create volume in artworks.

Michelangelo

A Renaissance artist known for works like the David and the Sistine Chapel Ceiling.

Machiavelli's The Prince

A political treatise offering practical advice to rulers on power maintenance.

Northern Renaissance art

Art focusing on detailed realism and everyday life rather than classical themes.

Albrecht Dürer

A German painter known for detailed woodcuts and engravings.

Symbolism in art

Objects with religious or moral significance used in Northern Renaissance artwork.

Memento Mori

Artistic reminders of death prevalent in Northern Renaissance art.