AP European History – Late Middle Ages Essential Vocabulary

15 vocabulary flashcards covering key political, social, economic, and religious concepts from Europe in the Late Middle Ages, designed to help AP European History students master essential background knowledge.

Feudalism

A decentralized medieval political and social system in which kings and nobles granted land to vassals in exchange for loyalty and military service.

Vassal

A lesser noble who pledged loyalty and military aid to a more powerful lord or king in return for a grant of land (fief).

Serfdom

The condition of peasants legally bound to a lord’s land, owing labor or rent and lacking freedom of movement.

Guild

A medieval association of artisans or merchants that regulated trade, set quality standards, and protected members’ economic interests.

Manorialism

The self-sufficient economic system centered on a lord’s estate (manor) that sustained medieval agriculture and local life.

Bourgeoisie

The rising urban middle class that prospered through commerce and education as towns and trade expanded.

Roman Catholic Church

Medieval Europe’s dominant religious institution providing spiritual guidance, moral authority, and a unifying Christian identity.

Papacy

The office and authority of the pope in Rome, claiming supreme spiritual rule over all Christians.

Avignon Papacy

(1309–1377) Period when popes resided in Avignon, revealing papal vulnerability and weakening overall papal authority.

Monasticism

The religious practice of withdrawing from worldly life to live in monasteries, preserving knowledge and influencing politics.

Holy Roman Empire

A loose confederation of German duchies and free cities ruled by an elected emperor; major political force in Central Europe.

Crusades

Series of papal military campaigns (1095–1291) to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control; expanded trade and weakened feudalism.

Scholasticism

Medieval method of learning that used logical reasoning to reconcile faith and philosophy, debating issues of theology and ethics.

Hundred Years’ War

Prolonged conflict (1337–1453) between England and France that strengthened monarchies and fostered national identities.

Black Death

The bubonic plague pandemic (1347–1351) that killed roughly one-third of Europe’s population, eroding feudalism and Church prestige.