LESSON 4 (EUROPE DURING THE MIDDLE AGES)

Middle Ages

The period in Europe between the fall of Rome and the start of the Renaissance in the 14th century.

Medieval period

Another term for the Middle Ages, situated between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance.

Germanic

Tribes that lived in the north and east of Gaul and displaced Roman provinces.

Franks

A Germanic tribe that invaded the Roman Empire in the West and established a powerful Christian kingdom.

Clovis I

The king who unified the Franks and became the founder of the Merovingian dynasty.

Charles Martel

Mayor of the palace who fought the Muslim army at the Battle of Tours.

Battle of Tours

The battle where Christian Europeans defeated the Umayyad Caliphate, significant for Christian unity.

Pepin the Short

The Frankish ruler who was titled 'king of the Franks' and sought to protect the Church.

Charlemagne

Founder of the Carolingian dynasty and crowned emperor of Rome by Pope Leo III.

Treaty of Verdun

Signed in 843, it divided the Carolingian empire into three parts.

Christianity

A major religion in ancient Rome that spread rapidly during the Pax Romana.

Pax Romana

A period of relative peace and stability in the Roman Empire allowing for the spread of Christianity.

Eastern Orthodoxy

Branch of Christianity that originated from the split with the Western Roman Catholic Church.

Great Schism

The separation of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in 1054.

Roman Catholic Church

The Christian church led by the pope, which developed a powerful institution in medieval Europe.

Holy Roman Empire

Characterized by the power struggles between popes and emperors during the medieval period.

Gregory I

Pope who expanded the authority of the papacy and became involved in political affairs.

Cardinals

Counselors and administrators of the Church under the pope.

Otto I

The son of Henry the Fowler, who controlled the Roman Catholic Church in Germany and strengthened royal authority.

Concordat of Worms

An agreement stating that the Church alone could nominate bishops, but the emperor could veto appointments.

Henry IV

The emperor who attempted to remove Pope Gregory VII and sought forgiveness to maintain his crown.