German History

Homo heidelbergensis

Ancient human species discovered in Heidelberg, Germany.

Neanderthal man

Extinct archaic humans lived in Eurasia until 40,000 years ago.

Wotan

Supreme god in Germanic mythology, counterpart to Odin.

Donar

Germanic god of thunder, equivalent to Norse Thor.

Freya

Goddess of love, fertility, battle, and death in Norse mythology.

Die Walküre

Daughters of Wotan in Germanic mythology.

Valhalla

Hall of fame in Germanic mythology for slain warriors.

runes

Ancient Germanic alphabet used for writing.

Ding/Thing

Governing assemblies in ancient Germanic societies.

Cherusci

Germanic tribe near the Weser River in 1st century BC/AD.

Alemani

Confederation of Germanic tribes on Upper Rhine River.

Tacitus

Roman historian who documented Germanic tribes.

Varus

Roman general defeated in the Battle of Teutoburg Forest.

Arminius

Cherusci chieftain who led tribes against Rome in AD 9.

Battle of the Teutoburger Wald

Major battle where Germanic tribes ambushed Roman legions in AD 9.

Bonna/Bonn

Roman fortress built by Drusus near Rhine River.

Trier

Germany's oldest city, founded as Augusta Treverorum.

Colonia Agrippinensis

Roman capital of Germania Inferior, known as Köln.

Agri Decumates

Region captured by Alemanni during Roman campaigns.

Clades Variana

Latin term for the Varian Disaster in Roman history.

Castellum Confluentes

Military post built in 9 AD near Koblenz.

Vindobona

Roman camp located near modern Vienna.

Donau

Second largest European river flowing East.

Limes

Northern border between Romans and tribes.

Germania Inferior

Roman Province renamed Germania Secunda in 4th century.

Germania Superior

Southern Roman Province established in 85 AD.

Raetia

Roman Province east of Germania Superior.

Noricum

Province east of Raetia, known for Noric steel.

Marcus Aurelius

Roman Emperor from 161

Constantine

First Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity.

Völkerwanderung

Migration period 300

Odoacer

Overthrew Romulus Augustulus, ending Western Roman Empire.

Theodoric the Great

King of Ostrogoths, defeated Odoacer to rule Italy.

Ostrogoths

Germanic people formed under Theodoric the Great.

Visigoths

Western European power united under Alaric I.

Atilla

Ruler of Huns who invaded Gaul in 451.

The Huns

Nomadic people from Eastern Eurasian Steppes.

Battle of Chalons

Key battle against Attila in 451.

Bishop Wulfila

Translated Bible into Gothic, converted Goths to Christianity.

Sachsen

Germanic people involved in conflicts with Charlemagne.

Franken

People who controlled Germania Inferior, founded Merovingian Empire.

Merovingians

Dynasty formed by Childeric I and Clovis I.

Clovis I

First true ruler of all Franks, baptized Catholic.

Charles Martel

Mayor of the Palace, expanded Frankish kingdom.

Carolingians

Dynasty ruling over Frankish kingdom starting from 718.

Pepin the Short

Son of Charles Martel, became King in 751.

Papal States

Territory governed by the Pope in Italy.

Charlemagne

King of the Franks crowned in 800.

King of the Franks

Title held by Charlemagne from 768.

Roman Emperor

Title given to Charlemagne in 800.

Roland

Military leader under Charlemagne in Brittany.

Battle of Tours

732 battle stopping Muslim expansion into France.

Aachen

Political center of the Carolingian Empire.

Dec. 25, 800

Date Charlemagne was crowned Emperor.

Saint Boniface

Missionary who converted Germanic tribes.

Treaty of Verdun

Divided the Frankish Empire into three parts.

Vikings

Scandinavian seafarers known for raiding Europe.

Mittelalter

German term for the Middle Ages.

Feudalism

Social system based on land ownership.

Kaiser

Emperor, most powerful in Feudalism.

König/Königin

King/Queen, second most powerful after Kaiser.

Herzog/Herzogin

Duke/Duchess, ruler of a duchy.

Graf/Gräfin

Count, nobleman and official.

Ritter

Knight, a mounted soldier.

Priester

Priest, religious leader in Christianity.

Mönch

Monk, member of a religious community.

Erzbischof

Archbishop, senior bishop overseeing other bishops.

Bischof

Bishop, church leader in Christianity.

Papst

Pope, leader of the Catholic Church.

Otto I

Holy Roman Emperor who defeated the Magyars.

Battle of Lechfeld

Otto I's victory ending Magyar invasions.

Holy Roman Emperor, 962

Otto I crowned as Emperor in 962.

Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation

German name for the Holy Roman Empire.

Magyars

People from the Urals, settled in Hungary.

Salian Dynasty

German kings ruling from 1024 to 1125.

Henry IV

Holy Roman Emperor involved in investiture dispute.

Investiture dispute

Conflict over bishop appointments between Church and Empire.

Walk to Canossa

Henry IV's submission to Pope Gregory VII.

The Great Interregnum

Period of contested succession in the Holy Roman Empire.

Frederick II

Holy Roman Emperor whose death sparked succession conflicts.

Charles IV of Luxembourg

Elected emperor, ending succession disputes in 1300s.

Concordat of Worms

1122 agreement regulating bishop and abbot appointments.

Hohenstaufen Dynasty

Royal family ruling Holy Roman Empire from 1138

Frederick I

Prominent Hohenstaufen ruler, crowned in 1155.

Henry VI

Hohenstaufen emperor who reigned from 1191.

Frederick II (Hohenstaufen)

Significant emperor, ruled from 1220 to 1250.

Deutscher Ritter Orden

Teutonic Order, a military Catholic institution founded in 1190.

Teutonic Knights

Crusading military order supporting Catholic rule in Holy Land.

Baltic Crusades

Campaigns to Christianize pagan Baltic and Slavic peoples.

Prussian Crusade

13th

Königsberg

Capital of Duchy of Prussia, now Kaliningrad.

Riga

Capital of Latvia, major Hanseatic League city.

Friedrich Barbarossa

Holy Roman Emperor known for campaigns in Italy.

Third Crusade

Crusade to reclaim Holy Land, partially successful.

Dürnstein

Castle where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned.

Eastern March

Borderland of the Holy Roman Empire, 10th

Battle of Marchfeld

Decisive 1278 battle between Bohemia and Germany.

Ottokar II of Bohemia

Led Czech army in Battle of Marchfeld.

Rudolph I of Habsburg

German king who defeated Ottokar II at Marchfeld.

Hanseatic League

Commercial alliance of trading cities in Northern Europe.