AP World European and Russian History: Key Figures, Events, and Movements

Henry VIII (European Systems)

English king who broke with the Catholic Church to form the Church of England, so he could divorce his wife.

​Charles V (European Systems)

Holy Roman Emperor who failed to stop the Protestant Reformation.

​Queen Elizabeth I (European Systems)

English queen who solidified the Church of England and defeated the Spanish Armada.

​Queen Isabella & Ferdinand (European Systems)

Spanish monarchs who unified Spain, funded Columbus, and began the Spanish Inquisition.

​Spanish Armada (European Systems)

A large Spanish fleet defeated by England in 1588, marking a decline in Spanish power.

​Hapsburgs (European Systems)

A powerful royal family that ruled over the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and Austria for centuries.

​Holy Roman Empire (European Systems)

A loose union of states in Central Europe that lasted until 1806.

​Louis XIV (European Systems)

French "Sun King" and a prime example of an absolute monarch.

​Edict of Nantes (European Systems)

A French decree that granted religious freedom to Huguenots, later revoked.

​Thirty Years' War (European Systems)

A devastating European war (1618-1648) that began as a religious conflict.

​Divine Right (European Systems)

The belief that a monarch's power comes directly from God.

​Palace of Versailles (European Systems)

A lavish French royal palace built by Louis XIV to show his power.

​Huguenots (European Systems)

French Protestants who faced persecution.

​Protestant Reformation (European Systems)

A 16th-century religious movement that led to the creation of Protestantism.

​Martin Luther (European Systems)

A German friar who started the Protestant Reformation with his 95 Theses.

​95 Theses (European Systems)

A list of arguments against the sale of indulgences, written by Martin Luther.

​Indulgences (European Systems)

The Catholic Church practice of selling forgiveness for sins.

​Erasmus (European Systems)

A Dutch humanist and Catholic priest who criticized the Church but remained loyal to it.

​John Calvin (European Systems)

A French theologian who developed the Protestant theology of Calvinism, which includes predestination.

​Predestination (European Systems)

The Calvinist belief that God has already determined who will be saved.

Puritans (European Systems)

English Protestants who sought to "purify" the Church of England; many later settled in North America.

​Anglican Church (European Systems)

The official state church of England, founded by Henry VIII.

​Counter-Reformation (Catholic Reformation) (European Systems)

The Catholic Church's response to the Protestant Reformation.

​Ignatius Loyola (European Systems)

Founder of the Jesuit order, a key part of the Counter-Reformation.

​Spanish Inquisition (European Systems)

A Spanish judicial institution that enforced Catholic orthodoxy.

​Jesuits (European Systems)

Members of a Catholic religious order known for their missionary and educational work.

​Johannes Gutenberg (European Systems)

The inventor of the European movable-type printing press.

​Printing Press (European Systems)

An invention that revolutionized communication and helped spread Reformation ideas.

​Vernacular (European Systems)

The common language of a people, as opposed to Latin.

​Protestantism (European Systems)

The branch of Christianity that originated from the Reformation.

​Humanism (European Systems)

A Renaissance intellectual movement focused on human potential and achievements.

​Council of Trent (European Systems)

A meeting of Catholic leaders to reaffirm doctrine and reform the Church.

​Absolutism (European Systems)

A political system where a monarch holds unlimited, centralized power.

​Little Ice Age (European Systems)

A period of colder temperatures that caused crop failures and famine in Europe.

Principalities (Russia)

Small states that made up early Russia before it was unified.

​Peter the Great (Russia)

A Russian czar who aggressively modernized and Westernized the country.

​Eastern Orthodox Church (Russia)

The dominant Christian denomination in Russia.

​St. Basil's Cathedral (Russia)

A famous Russian Orthodox church in Moscow, known for its colorful domes.

St. Petersburg (Russia)

A city founded by Peter the Great as Russia's "window to the West."

​Winter Palace (Russia)

The official residence of the Russian czars in St. Petersburg.

​Golden Horde (Russia)

The Mongol khanate that ruled over Russia for centuries.

​Westernization (Russia)

The adoption of Western culture and technology, pursued by Russian czars.

​Slavophilism (Russia)

A movement that favored traditional Russian culture over Western influence.

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czar/tsar (Russia)

The title for a Russian monarch.

​Ivan III (The Great) (Russia)

The Russian ruler who ended Mongol rule and laid the foundation for a unified Russia.

​Kremlin (Russia)

A fortified complex in Moscow that served as the home of the czars.

​Ivan IV (The Terrible) (Russia)

The first Russian czar who brutally centralized power.

​Siberia (Russia)

A vast region of northern Asia, colonized and expanded by Russia.

​Cossacks (Russia)

Slavic frontiersmen and mercenaries who helped Russia expand eastward.

​Time of Troubles (Russia)

A period of political chaos and civil war in Russia (1598-1613).

​Romanov Dynasty (Russia)

The royal family that ruled Russia from 1613 to 1917.

​Catherine the Great (Russia)

A Russian empress who continued Peter the Great's Westernization.

​Pugachev Rebellion (Russia)

A major peasant uprising against Catherine the Great.

​Boyars (Russia)

The Russian nobility whose power was reduced by the czars.

​Serfdom (Russia)

A system where peasants were tied to the land and owned by a landowner.

​Pogroms (Russia)

Violent, state-sanctioned attacks on Jewish communities in Russia.

​Michael Romanov (Russia)

The first czar of the Romanov dynasty, ending the Time of Troubles.

​Partition of Poland (Russia)

The division of Poland among Russia, Prussia, and Austria in the late 18th century.