Early Medieval Europe and the Renaissance

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from Early Medieval Europe through the Renaissance.

Clovis

King of the Franks who converted to Christianity, helping spread it in Gaul.

Charles Martel

Frankish leader who stopped Muslim expansion into Europe.

Battle of Tours (732)

Battle where Charles Martel defeated Muslim forces; halted Islamic advance into Western Europe.

Carolingian Renaissance

Revival of learning and culture under Charlemagne.

Feudal Society

Political and social system based on land ownership and loyalty.

Vikings

Scandinavian raiders, traders, and explorers from the 8th to 11th centuries.

Fiefs

Land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for service.

Vassal

Person who received land (fief) and gave loyalty/service to a lord.

Manor

Self-sufficient estate that was the basic unit of medieval economy.

Serfs

Peasants bound to the land who owed labor to the lord.

William the Conqueror

Norman ruler who conquered England in 1066 during the Battle of Hastings.

Scholasticism

Medieval method of learning using reason to understand faith.

7 Liberal Arts

Education system consisting of grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy.

Vernacular Literature

Writing in everyday language instead of Latin.

Chaucer

English writer known for The Canterbury Tales.

Guilds

Associations of craftsmen or merchants that regulated trade.

Romanesque

Architectural style characterized by thick walls, small windows, and rounded arches.

Gothic

Architectural style featuring pointed arches, flying buttresses, and large stained glass windows.

Reconquista

Christian reconquest of Spain from Muslims.

Lay investiture

Practice of kings appointing church officials, causing conflict with the pope.

Crusades

Religious wars aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land.

Black Death

Bubonic plague that killed about 1/3 of Europe's population.

Great Schism

Split in the Catholic Church leading to multiple popes.

Hundred Years' War

Conflict between England and France over territory and power.

Joan of Arc

French heroine who led troops to victory but was later executed.

Pogroms

Violent attacks against Jewish communities.

Renaissance

Rebirth of classical learning and culture that began in Italy.

Individualism

Focus on personal achievement and uniqueness.

Humanism

Study of classical texts with an emphasis on human potential.

Secularism

Focus on worldly matters as opposed to religious ones.

Medici Family

Powerful banking family that financed Renaissance art in Florence.

New monarchies

Strong centralized states in France, England, and Spain.

Christian Humanism

Movement blending humanism with Christian reform ideas.

Protestant Reformation

Religious movement that challenged the Catholic Church.

Martin Luther

German monk who initiated the Reformation with his 95 Theses.

John Calvin

Reformer known for his belief in predestination.

Jesuits

Catholic order focused on education and missionary work.

Anabaptists

Radical reformers advocating for adult baptism.

Henry the Navigator

Portuguese prince who promoted exploration along the African coast.

Conquistadors

Spanish soldiers who conquered parts of the Americas.

Columbian Exchange

Transfer of goods, diseases, and people between the Old and New Worlds.

Triangular Trade

Trade network involving Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Middle Passage

Brutal sea journey transporting enslaved Africans to the Americas.

Spanish Armada

Spanish fleet defeated by England in 1588.

Mercantilism

Economic system focused on accumulating wealth through trade.

Joint-stock company

Business owned by shareholders who share both profits and risks.