Middle Ages/intro to the reformation/renisance study guide

Feudalism

A land-based social system characterized by lords, vassals, and serfs.

Primogeniture

The right of the firstborn son to inherit all of a parent's estate.

Patriarchal

A society dominated by male authority.

Serfs

Peasants bound to the land, neither fully enslaved nor free.

Divine Right

The doctrine that monarchs derive their authority directly from God.

Crusades

A series of religious wars aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land, which also stimulated trade and weakened feudalism.

Saladin

The Muslim leader known for recapturing Jerusalem during the Crusades.

Richard the Lionheart

The English king prominent in the Third Crusade.

Black Death

The plague that caused the death of about one-third of Europe’s population between 1347 and 1351.

3 Types of Plague

Bubonic (affects lymph nodes), pneumonic (affects lungs), and septicemic (affects blood).

Dar al-Islam

The Islamic world unified by religion, trade, and language.

Marco Polo

A traveler who inspired European interest in Asia after his journey to China.

Ibn Battuta

A Muslim scholar known for his extensive travels across the Islamic world.

House of Wisdom

A famous center of learning located in Baghdad.

Machiavelli (The Prince)

A political treatise suggesting that rulers should be feared rather than loved.

Thomas More

Author of Utopia, who criticized societal corruption.

Vernacular

The use of a local language in writing, as opposed to Latin.

Medici Family

Wealthy patrons of Renaissance art based in Florence.

Reformation Groups

Various groups emerging during the Reformation, including Lutherans, Anglicans, and Calvinists.

Jesuits

Members of a Catholic religious order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola, known for education and missionary work.

Louis XIV

The 'Sun King' of France known for his absolute power and the construction of Versailles.

Philip II

The Spanish king known for his defense of Catholicism and his reign during the Spanish Armada.

Queen Elizabeth I

The Protestant queen of England who defeated the Spanish Armada.

Henry VIII

The English king who broke from the Catholic Church and is known for having six wives.

Peter the Great

The Russian czar known for modernizing Russia and implementing Western reforms.

Palace of Versailles

A monumental palace that symbolizes royal power and control in France.

Crusades & End of Feudalism

Crusades helped to weaken nobility, increase trade, and enhance royal power.

Renaissance & Reformation

A shift towards humanism and questioning authority leading to religious fragmentation.

Great Monarchs

Leaders who centralized power, strengthened states, and influenced culture and religion.

Impact of Black Death

Labor shortages that contributed to the decline of feudalism and the rise of the middle class.

Crusades Tech

Innovations like crossbows, siege weapons, and navigation tools developed during Crusades.

Results of First 3 Crusades

Included temporary Christian gains, Muslim recapture, and increased contact between East and West.

Growth of Cities

Stimulated by trade revival, guild establishment, and urbanization.