Developments in Europe: High Middle Ages Overview

High Middle Ages

Period marked by intellectual pursuits and trade revival.

Middle Ages

Era from fall of Rome to Renaissance, 476-1400 CE.

Dark Ages

Early Middle Ages characterized by decline in education.

Roman Catholic Church

Central institution influencing daily life and governance.

Feudalism

Political system based on land ownership and loyalty.

Manorialism

Economic system governing self-sufficient estates called manors.

Vassal

Individual owing service to a higher status lord.

Serfs

Peasants tied to the land, not slaves.

Manor

Self-sufficient estate housing lords and serfs.

Agrarian Society

Society centered around agriculture and land ownership.

Power Shifts

Changes in authority from feudal lords to monarchs.

Magna Carta

1215 document limiting king's power, establishing rule of law.

Bureaucracy

Administrative system crucial for governing large states.

Standing Armies

Permanent military forces established by monarchs.

Hundred Years' War

Series of conflicts between England and France, 1337-1453.

Military Technology

Innovations during wars that changed warfare dynamics.

Nationalism

Sense of national identity developed during conflicts.

Charles IV

French king whose death led to succession disputes.

Pope Boniface VIII

Pope from 1294-1303, influential in church governance.

Knights

Warriors serving lords in exchange for land.

Fiefs

Land granted by kings to lords in feudalism.

Lords

Nobles who manage land and vassals in feudalism.

Peasants

Lowest class working the land for lords.

Intellectual Pursuits

Revival of learning and culture in High Middle Ages.

Decentralized Government

Power distributed among local lords, not centralized.

Succession Disputes

Conflicts over rightful heirs to thrones.

Assassination of Louis I

Event highlighting political tensions during the era.

Cannons

Artillery that revolutionized European warfare.

Chevauchée

Tactic of destroying enemy support systems.

Pillaging

Looting and plundering enemy resources.

Great Schism

1054 split between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

Eastern Orthodoxy

Branch of Christianity based in Constantinople.

Roman Catholicism

Western branch of Christianity centered in Rome.

Reconquista

Efforts to reclaim Iberia from Muslim rule.

Grenada War

Conflict ending Muslim rule in Iberia in 1492.

Crusades

Holy wars to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslims.

Jerusalem

Holy city significant to Christians and Muslims.

Papal Sanction

Approval from the pope for military campaigns.

Iberian Peninsula

Region in Europe where Muslims ruled from 711-1492.

Humanism

Focus on individual potential in Renaissance thought.

Renaissance

Cultural rebirth emphasizing classical Greek philosophy.

Byzantine Church

Eastern Christian church based in Constantinople.

Umayyad Caliphate

Muslim dynasty that conquered Iberia in 711.

Siege of Orleans

Notable battle featuring early cannon use in 1429.

Social Influence of Religion

Religion shaped all social classes in medieval Europe.

Jewish Communities

Minority groups present throughout medieval Europe.

Political Conflict

Disagreements between churches leading to the Great Schism.

Primary Source Analysis

Method to evaluate historical documents critically.

Cannon Introduction

Gunpowder from China led to cannon development.

Moor-slayer

Saint James, symbol of Christian resistance in Iberia.

Papal Authority

Power of the pope to influence wars.

Cultural Conflicts

Tensions arising from differing religious beliefs.