Middle Ages Quiz

Medieval Europe or Middle Ages

• The period of European history between the collapse of Rome and the Renaissance, lasting roughly from 500 CE to 1450 CE.

Feudalism

• A political and social system in which lords gave land to vassals in exchange for service and loyalty

Manor

• The estate of a feudal lord, usually including a fortified building or castle

Lords

A powerful landholding noble

Vassals

• A lesser noble who received land and protection from a lord in return for loyalty

Knight

A man who fights on horseback

Oath of loyalty

A pledge or a promise of support or allegiance

Fief

A feudal estate or piece of land belonging to a vassal

Chivalry

A code of conduct of medieval knights, focusing on bravery, honor, towards women and the weak

Serf

A member of the peasant class who works for a lord and is tied to the land in exchange for protection and certain rights

Who split the Roman Empire in two

Diocletian

What was the two split parts of the Roman Empire called

The west and the east

When _____ became emperor he moved the capital from failing Rome to _______ an Ancient Greek city

Constantine, Byzantium

Constantine eventually renames the capital to what

Constantinople (Present day Istanbul, Turkey)

Cities in the west were what

Less successful

Why were cities in the west less successful

They were located farther away from trade routes

When was the last emperor removed from power

476 CE (symbolizing the fall of the western Roman Empire)

What happened after the last emperor was removed from power (3 things)

Roads and public structures fell apart, trade declined, and nomadic tribes attacked and claimed the land

Constantinople was considered a what

Crossroad between the east and the west

Constantinople was busy with traders from where

Asia, Africa, and Europe

The east thrived for how much longer

1000 years

The eastern half of Rome became known as what

The Byzantine empire

What happened in Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire

It was divided into different kingdoms

Did citizens live peaceful lives after the Germanic tribes took control of the land (if not why)

No, because they were constantly at war

What was the only thing that united the Germanic kingdoms during the Middle Ages

Christianity

What led to feudalism

An unstable and violent period

In feudalism everyone owed their loyalty to whom

The king

Below the king were

Powerful landholding nobles or lords

The lords gave fiefs to whom

Vassals or knights

The vassal gave what to the lord in return for the land

Military service and protection

At the bottom of the feudalistic pyramid were who

The peasants or serfs

What did the serfs do

Tasks around the manor

What did the serfs get in return for working the land

Protection

Who fought in the Hundred Years’ War and when did it take place

England and France, and 1337 to 1453

What were the causes of this war (2 causes)

England Claimed territory in southern France and France wanted it back, and the king of England declared himself the king of France

What were the two weapons that helped England to be successful in the war

Longbow and gunpowder

Why was the longbow powerful

Used steel tip arrows that penetrate knights armor, and could fly farther

Why was gunpowder powerful

It was used to “make” cannons

Who is Joan of arc

A peasant girl who believes heavenly voices called to her to save France; she eventually led an army against England

What happened to Joan in the end

She was captured by a French traitor and sold to England where she was tried as a witch and burned at the stake when she was 18

What were the effects of the war for France

Everyone in France was ruled by one king and they had an increased sense of nationalism

What were the effects of the war for England

Can’t achieve their goal of being a continental empire and everyone in England was ruled under one king

What were the effects of the war in the medieval world

The longbow and cannon gave soldiers more purpose, castles and knights will not survive due to the use of firepower of cannons, and monarchs had large armies instead of Vassals

What were the Crusades

Religious wars or holy wars

Who took part in the crusades

Muslim Turks and Christian’s

Where did the crusades take place

Jerusalem

Why were the Crusades fought

Control of the holy land (Jerusalem)

What is the name of the disease that led to Black Death

The bubonic plague

Where do we believe Black Death first began

Central Asia

How did the plague make its way to Europe

Trade routes-the fleas on the rats and mice were on merchant ships

How did the plague effect the economy

Trade decreased and people did not perform jobs

How did the bubonic plague influence the actions of people in society

People did not go to public gatherings like church

What happened to Europes population during the plague

30%-50% of the population died

How did hygiene impact the spread of Black Death (2 ways)

No sanitation system (people would drop their filth and leftovers into the street), and no running water (Washing hands and cleaning did not happen

What happened to the laws and rules of society during Black Death

They disappeared

Who was Justinian I

Ruler of the Byzantine empire for 35 years, and he was a strong ruler

What was one of the most famous churches and what did the name mean

Hagia Sophia means holy wisdom

What was Justinian most remembered for

The Justinian code

What was the Justinian code

Revised and organized laws of Ancient Rome, and it served as the basis for the legal systems of almost every country in the western world (innocent until proven guilty)

Who was Justinians wife

Theodore

What were the 4 geographic features that helped the kingdoms of Western Europe survive

What did Theodore do

Participated in government and helped women get more legal rights

What did Justinian I do to increase land in the Byzantine empire

Conquered

Why was the land that Justinian I conquered lost

A plague killed many in his army as well as Justinian I himself

Why did the laws and rules of society disappear during the Black Death

There was no one there to enforce them

In the first crusade the crusaders did not have the knowledge of what of the holy land

Geography, climate, or culture

The third crusade was known as what

“The crusade of the kings”

King Richard led troops what was King Richard I of England also known as

Richard the lion-hearted

What increased as a result in the crusades

Trade between Europe and Asia (improved the economy and helped towns and cities grow)

What did they start to exchange because of the crusades and what is it called

Food, medicine, literature, clothing, technology and this is known as cultural diffusion

What was a negative impact of the crusades

Many people think that the tensions between the west and Middle East today was rooted from the crusades