Key Historical Figures and Concepts

A set of flashcards summarizing key figures and concepts from historical events and movements.

Bartolome De Las Casas

Advocate for Native American rights and the first to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.

Christopher Columbus

First to sail to the Americas in search of Asia, sailing for Spain.

Erasmus

Dutch humanist and Catholic priest who criticized the Italian Renaissance.

Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain

Catholic monarchs whose marriage marked the unification of Spain.

Filippo Brunelleschi

Italian architect who created linear perspective and is a founding father of Renaissance architecture.

Habsburg Family

Wealthy landholders instrumental in European affairs by the mid-15th century.

Isabella d'Este

Political figure known as the 'First Lady of the World,' attracting artists to Mantua.

Johannes Gutenberg

Inventor of the printing press, pivotal to the Renaissance.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Florentine philosopher who separated politics from ethics.

Pope Julius II

Known as the 'Warrior Pope,' involved in military campaigns.

Vasco da Gama

First to sail from Europe to Asia, establishing a major trade route.

Columbian Exchange

Exchange of goods, resources, and diseases between the Americas and Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Court of the Star Chamber

English court for trying powerful individuals beyond regular courts' reach.

Encomienda

System allowing Spanish monarchs to grant conquistadors labor from native peoples.

Feudalism

Social system in medieval Europe where land was held in exchange for service.

Linear Perspective

Artistic technique for creating the illusion of depth on flat surfaces.

New Monarchies

Governments of France, England, and Spain that centralized royal authority at the end of the 15th century.

Spanish Inquisition

Institution established to ensure the orthodoxy of converted individuals.

Taille

Tax on French peasantry that provided income for the royal government.

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Powerful ruler during the Reformation and overseer of a vast empire.

Elizabeth I of England

Last Tudor monarch known for strong leadership and cultural growth.

Henry IV of France

Converted to Catholicism for acceptance, known for the Edict of Nantes.

Henry VIII of England

Known for establishing the Church of England and his six marriages.

Martin Luther

Challenged the Catholic Church with his 95 Theses, initiating the Reformation.

Mary I of England

Attempted to restore Catholicism in England, infamously known as 'Bloody Mary'.

Philip II of Spain

Expanded Spanish influence and Catholicism across Europe.

Anabaptism

Christian movement advocating for adult baptism.

Calvinism

Religious doctrine emphasizing God's sovereignty and predestination.

Catholic Reformation

Movement aimed at reforming the Catholic Church from within.

Council of Trent

Key meeting addressing church doctrine during the Catholic Reformation.

Dutch Revolt

Rebellion against Spanish rule leading to the independence of the Netherlands.

Edict of Nantes

Granted religious freedom to Huguenots in France.

French Wars of Religion

Conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in France.

German Peasants' War

Revolt against feudal oppression in Germany.

Huguenots

French Protestants influenced by Calvinism.

Index of Prohibited Books

List of texts Catholics were forbidden to read.

Indulgences

Payments to the church for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesuits

Religious order focused on education and missionary work.

Lutheranism

Denomination founded by Martin Luther emphasizing salvation by faith alone.

Peace of Augsburg

Agreement allowing German princes to choose between Catholicism and Lutheranism.

Predestination

Belief that God has predetermined who will be saved.

Puritans

Group seeking to purify the Church of England of Catholic practices.

Spanish Armada

Failed attempt by Spain to invade England in 1588.

Thirty Years' War

Destructive conflict in Europe over religion and territorial disputes.

95 Theses

List of grievances against the Catholic Church that sparked the Protestant Reformation.

Louis XIV of France

Absolute monarch known for his rule and the Palace of Versailles.

Oliver Cromwell

Leader of the Parliamentarian victory in the English Civil War.

Peter the Great of Russia

Tsar who modernized Russia through extensive reforms.

Baroque

Highly decorative art and architectural style flourishing from the late 16th to the early 18th century.

Divine Right

Doctrine that monarchs derive their authority directly from God.