unit 1 & 2 vocab

Great Famine

a devastating period of widespread hunger and food shortages that affected Europe, particularly from 1315 to 1322

Black Death

A catastrophic plague that swept through Europe in the mid-14th century, killing millions and further exacerbating the social and economic instability that began with the Great Famine.

The Decameron

a collection of 100 tales written by Giovanni Boccaccio in the 14th century, framed by a narrative of ten young people who flee plague-stricken Florence to a secluded villa.

Hundred Years’ War

a series of conflicts fought between England and France from 1337 to 1453, primarily over territorial disputes and claims to the French throne

Agincourt

the Battle of Agincourt, a decisive English victory in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War where an English army under King Henry V defeated a French force, due to the effectiveness of English longbows.

Avignon (Papacy)

refers to a period from 1309 to 1377 when seven successive popes resided in Avignon, France, instead of Rome.

Conciliarists

reform movement within the Catholic Church that emerged in the late Middle Ages, advocating for the authority of church councils over the pope.

Jacquerie

refers to a violent peasant uprising that occurred in France during the 14th century, particularly in 1358, as a response to social and economic injustices inflicted by the nobility.

English Peasants’ Revolt

a massive uprising in England in 1381, protesting the poll tax (a flat tax on individuals) imposed to fund the expensive Hundred Years' War

Vernacular

refers to the native language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a specific region, contrasting with formal or literary language.

Divine Comedy

Dante Alighieri's epic 14th-century poem that narrates a symbolic journey through hell, purgatory, and heaven

Canterbury Tales

a late 14th-century collection of Middle English stories by Geoffrey Chaucer, framed by a pilgrimage to Canterbury, that offers a satirical cross-section of medieval English society. The work serves as a vital primary source for understanding the diverse social classes, religious practices, and vernacular language of the era, capturing the materialistic focus of many characters and contrasting it with their spiritual purpose. 

Renaissance

the European cultural, artistic, and intellectual movement of the 14th to 17th centuries that marked a "rebirth" of classical Greek and Roman thought after the Middle Ages

Patronage

where a wealthy or influential person provides financial assistance or encouragement to an artist, writer, or a deserving cause. 

communes

a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution.

Popolo

a pressure group instituted to protect the interests of the commoners.

Signori

A government ruled by one man in Italian cities such as Milan

Courts

royal courts of monarchs who centralized power and authority in their hands, often embodying the principles of absolute monarchy.

Humanism

a Renaissance intellectual movement focused on the study of classical antiquity—ancient Greece and Rome—to understand human nature and potential

Virtu

the quality of being able to shape the world according to one's own will, often encompassing power, skill, and boldness

Christian humanists

a movement that emerge emphasizing the importance of human values and ethics grounded in Christian teachings.

New Christians

a term for a Jew or Muslim living in the Iberian Peninsula who converted to Christianity, often under pressure or to avoid persecution

Anticlericalism

opposition to the political and social power, privileges, and influence of the clergy, often the Catholic Church, and religious institutions in general

Indulgence

a grant by the Catholic Church that allowed a person to reduce the temporal punishment for their sins, often in exchange for money or acts of piety, and could reduce time in purgatory

Protestant

refers to the branches of Christianity that originated from the Reformation in the 16th century, emphasizing individual faith and the authority of the Bible over Church traditions.

Spanish Armada

the massive 1588 naval fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain to invade England, overthrow Queen Elizabeth I, and restore Catholicism.

Predestination

the Calvinist doctrine that God has eternally determined who will be saved and who will be damned, making human actions and efforts irrelevant to one's eternal fate

The Institutes of the Christian Religion 

John Calvin's foundational text of Protestant theology, published in 1536. It systematically outlined his beliefs, including the absolute sovereignty of God, predestination, and justification by faith alone,

Holy Office

the Catholic Church's official agency established by Pope Paul III in 1542 to defend the Catholic Church's teachings and to investigate and eradicate heresy

Jesuits

a Catholic religious order founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1540, known for their intellectual rigor, education, and missionary work to spread Catholicism

Huguenots

French Calvinists

Politiques

public figures and statesmen in the 16th and 17th centuries who prioritized the political stability and unity of their state above religious dogma

Edict of Nantes

a decree by King Henry IV of France that granted religious toleration and some civil rights to Huguenots (French Protestants) to end the French Wars of Religion, thereby promoting peace and national unity after decades of conflict

Union of Utrecht

a treaty that united the seven northern provinces of the Netherlands in a military alliance against Spanish rule during the Dutch Revolt