Medieval Europe to Renaissance - Key Vocabulary flashcards

A vocabulary set covering feudalism, the Black Death, the Crusades, papal schisms, the late medieval state system, the Ottoman ascent, and the beginnings of the Renaissance and humanism.

Feudalism

A hierarchical system where lords grant land to vassals in exchange for military service; includes the king–lord–knight–peasant pyramid and related loyalties.

Manorialism

The economic and social system of medieval estates (manors) where peasants/serfs work the land for protection and sustenance under a lord.

Serf

A peasant bound to the land who provides labor and rents to a lord within the feudal system.

Vassal

A noble who holds land from a lord in exchange for military or other services.

Primogeniture

Inheritance rule where the firstborn son receives the estate, shaping land distribution.

Black Death

14th-century plague spread by fleas on rats, killing roughly one-third to one-half of Europe’s population and causing major economic and social disruption.

Caravanserai

Trading posts along caravan routes where merchants and animals rested; a hub for exchange and travel, sometimes linked to disease spread via animals.

Vernacular

Everyday spoken language of a region (as opposed to Latin in the church); rose in literature and administration during the Renaissance.

Renaissance

Cultural rebirth (1450–1648 in parts of Europe) reviving classical Greek and Roman ideas in art, science, and society; emphasizes humanism and secular learning.

Humanism

Intellectual movement focusing on human potential, classical learning, and secular ethics, reviving Greek and Roman texts and ideas.

Petrarch

Early humanist often called the father of humanism; revived Latin literature, studied Cicero, and promoted classical learning.

Cicero

Roman orator whose Latin writings became a model for Renaissance humanists and philologists.

Philology

The study of language in historical texts; critical analysis of manuscripts and their meanings.

Lorenzo Valla

Humanist scholar who used philology to critique church texts and expose textual errors in doctrine.

Dante

Italian poet of the Divine Comedy; wrote in the vernacular and contributed to early Renaissance humanist culture.

Johannes Gutenberg

Inventor of the movable-type printing press, enabling rapid, cheaper book production.

Printing press

Machine that transfers ink from movable type to paper; spread of literacy and ideas across Europe.

Movable type

Printing type that can be rearranged to print different texts; key to efficient press operation.

Gutenberg Bible

One of the first major books printed with movable type, illustrating the impact of printing technology.

Vernacular publications

Books printed in local languages that broaden readership beyond Latin readers.

Council of Constance

Council (1414–1418) that ended the Great Western Schism by deposing rival popes and electing Martin V.

Great Western Schism

Period (1378–1417) when multiple claimants to the papacy weakened the church’s authority.

Babylonian Captivity (Avignon Papacy)

Period (1309–1377) when the pope resided in Avignon under French influence, diminishing Rome’s authority.

Avignon Papacy

The 70-year period during which the popes resided in Avignon, shaping church power dynamics.

Papacy

The office and authority of the pope; central religious leadership in medieval Christendom.

Conciliarism

Belief that a church council has authority to reform the church, sometimes superseding the pope.

100 Years’ War

Prolonged series of conflicts between England and France (14th–15th c.) over territory and succession; included Joan of Arc’s influence.

Joan of Arc

French peasant heroine who inspired French troops and aided decisive victories in the mid-15th century.

Ottoman Empire

Islamic empire founded in the Middle East that expanded into Europe; captured Constantinople in 1453.

Mehmed II

Ottoman sultan who conquered Constantinople, converting it into a central imperial capital.

Constantinople

Capital of the Byzantine Empire; captured by the Ottomans in 1453; later renamed Istanbul.

Hagia Sophia

Grand domed church built in Constantinople (532–537); later a mosque and now a museum, symbolic of imperial power.

Sharia

Islamic legal system replacing or complementing civil law in some contexts within the Ottoman realm.

Byzantine Empire

Eastern Roman Empire preserving classical heritage and texts, instrumental to later Renaissance ideas.

Renaissance Art

Art emphasizing naturalism, lifelike representation, secular subjects, and new techniques like perspective.

Naturalism

Artistic approach aiming to depict subjects realistically as they appear in nature.

Linear Perspective

Geometric method used in Renaissance art to create depth on a flat surface.

Italian City-States

Independent urban regions (e.g., Florence, Venice, Milan) that became centers of commerce, culture, and politics.

Gutenberg Bible

Early major book printed with movable type, exemplifying the printing revolution.

Dante’s Divine Comedy

Iconic vernacular work illustrating early humanist themes and revival of classical learning.

The Courtier

Castiglione’s guide describing the ideal Renaissance nobleman—cultured, balanced, and sophisticated.

The Prince

Machiavelli’s treatise on political power; emphasizes practical, sometimes amoral statecraft.

Machiavelli

Renaissance political theorist who argued that rulers should prioritize state stability and effectiveness.

Renaissance Art Techniques

Focus on anatomy, perspective, proportion, and realistic depiction of the human form.

Leonardo Bruni

Humanist scholar who popularized civic humanism and linked classical learning with public service.

Jacquerie

French peasant uprising (1358) demonstrating tensions between peasants and nobles during the plague era.

English Peasant Revolt (1358–1381)

Series of peasant uprisings responding to wages, rents, and feudal obligations after the plague.