History 3/12 Flashcards

Cluniac Reform

A movement in the 10th and 11th centuries that sought to free the Church from secular influence by emphasizing monastic purity and obedience to the pope.

Pope Gregory VII

A reformist pope (r. 1073–1085) who fought against lay investiture, asserting papal supremacy over secular rulers.

Lay Investiture

The practice of secular rulers appointing bishops and abbots, which led to conflict between church and state.

Excommunication

A severe Church punishment that cut individuals off from the sacraments and Christian community.

Papal Curia

The administrative body of the Church, assisting the pope in governance.

Pope Innocent III

A powerful pope (r. 1198–1216) who expanded papal authority and called the Fourth Lateran Council.

Interdict

A Church sanction that forbade the administration of sacraments in a particular region to pressure rulers.

Monasticism

A religious practice involving the renunciation of worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work.

Sacraments

Sacred rituals of the Church, such as baptism and the Eucharist.

Relics

Holy objects associated with saints, believed to have spiritual power.

Indulgences

Grants from the Church that reduced time in purgatory, sometimes abused for financial gain.

Purgatory

A place where souls were purified before entering heaven.

Crusade

A series of holy wars launched by Christians to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslims.

Anti-Semitism

Hostility toward Jews, often leading to persecution.

Bedouins

Nomadic Arab tribes that played a key role in early Islamic society.

Muhammad

The founder of Islam, believed to be God’s final prophet.

Qur'an

The holy book of Islam, believed to contain God’s revelations.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca, required of Muslims.

Caliph

The leader of the Muslim community after Muhammad.

Umayyads

The first major Islamic dynasty (661–750), centered in Damascus.

Shi'ites

Muslims who believe leadership should stay within Muhammad’s family.

Sunnis

Muslims who follow the consensus in choosing leaders.

Harun al-Rashid

A great Abbasid caliph known for cultural and scientific advancements.

Inquisitors

Church officials who investigated heresy.

Knights Templar

A military-religious order protecting pilgrims.

Manzikert

A battle in 1071 where the Seljuks defeated the Byzantines.

Sufism

Islamic mysticism emphasizing direct experience of God.

Jihad

The struggle for faith, interpreted as both spiritual struggle and holy war.