Important People for the Middle Ages

Saint Peter

The inheritor of Christ's keys to the kingdom and the supreme Church authority.

Constantine

Roman Emperor whose reign marked the Church's significant shift in monetary status.

Saint Patrick

Missionary to Ireland who converted many and established Christian structures.

Benedict of Nursia

Father of Western monasticism who wrote the Rule of St Benedict.

Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great)

Expanded papal authority and emphasized ministry to the poor, known as the 'first medieval pope'.

Charlemagne

Christian King who formed an alliance with Pope Leo III and revived Greek and Roman texts.

Pope Leo III

Crowed Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor, establishing papal influence over emperors.

William the Conqueror

Duke of Normandy and King of England who created the Domesday Book.

Pope Gregory VII

Engaged in the Investiture Controversy, symbolizing the struggle between church and state.

Emperor Henry IV

Kneeling at Canossa, he sought absolution from Pope Gregory VII.

Pope Urban II

Called for the First Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land and increase papal influence.

Alexios I

Byzantine emperor whose request for military assistance catalyzed the Crusades.

Henry I

English king who consolidated royal administration by creating the exchequer.

Valdes of Lyons

Inspired early mendicant movements advocating for poverty and simplicity.

Henry II

First of the Angevin dynasty, known for his conflict with Thomas Becket.

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Influential queen who brought extensive French territories under English control.

Thomas Becket

Archbishop of Canterbury who symbolized resistance to royal interference.

Saladin

Muslim leader who captured Jerusalem, triggering the Third Crusade.

Richard the Lionheart

Key leader of the Third Crusade who secured Christian pilgrim access to Jerusalem.

Pope Innocent III

Embodied the height of papal supremacy and convened the Fourth Lateran Council.

King John

English king whose actions led to the Magna Carta, a foundation for the rule of law.

Francis of Assisi

Founder of the Franciscan movement, advocating for poverty and service to the needy.

Dominic de Guzman

Led the Dominicans, focusing on combating heresy through preaching.

Roger Bacon

English scholar who made significant scientific advancements, especially in optics.

Edward I

English king who simplified the parliamentary process, creating the Model Parliament.

Philip IV (France)

French king whose actions led to the Avignon Papacy.

Boccaccio

Italian writer who described the symptoms of the Black Death.

King Edward III of England

His claim to the French throne sparked the Hundred Years' War.

Philip VI of Valois

First Valois king of France, his reign sparked the Hundred Years' War.

Catherine of Siena

Mystic who urged Pope Gregory XI to return the papacy to Rome.

Pope Gregory XI

Returned the Holy See from Avignon to Rome, preceding the Great Schism.

Pope Urban VI

Italian pope whose election led to the outbreak of the Great Schism.

Clement VII

French antipope established a rival papacy during the Great Schism.

Charles V (France)

French king known for his strategy in avoiding major confrontations during the Hundred Years' War.

John Ball

English preacher who articulated ideas leading to social reform and peasant revolts.

John Wycliffe

Theologian who argued for the authority of Scripture and Bible translation into English.

Alexander of Pisa

Antipope elected during the Great Schism by the Council of Pisa.

Jan Hus

Proponent of Wycliffe's ideas, condemned and burned at the stake for heresy.

Henry V

English king who reignited the Hundred Years' War with a major invasion.

Joan of Arc

Young peasant girl who played a pivotal role in the Hundred Years' War.

Martin V

Pope elected by the Council of Constance, ending the Great Schism.