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Byzantine Empire
The surviving eastern Roman Empire and one of the centers of Christendom during the medieval centuries, lasting until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in 1453.
Caesaropapism
A political-religious system in the Byzantine Empire where the secular ruler held authority over the religious establishment.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
A branch of Christianity that developed in the eastern Roman Empire, subordinating the Church to political authorities and differing from Roman Catholicism in authority structure and religious practices.
Kievan Rus
A culturally diverse civilization in Eastern Europe that adopted Christianity in the tenth century, influenced by Byzantine culture and integrating into broader networks of communication and trade.
Manorialism
An economic system in feudal Europe where peasants worked on a lord's estate in exchange for protection and land use.
Feudalism
A system where feudal lords controlled independent domains, with lesser lords and knights pledging allegiance to greater lords or kings in exchange for land and military service.
Gunpowder
A technological advancement in Europe, applied for military purposes in cannons by the early fourteenth century.
Urban Independence
The rise of independent city-states in Europe, like Venice and Florence, where wealthy merchants exercised considerable local power.
Capitalism
Economic system that developed in Europe, influenced by weaker rulers allowing urban merchants greater freedom, leading to the growth of capitalism in later centuries.
Geographic diversity
Europe's varied geography, including mountain ranges and dense forests, posed obstacles to political consolidation, contributing to its decentralized political structures and fragmented states.
Feudalism
Power decentralized among feudal lords led to competitive and militaristic small states.
Dynastic rivalries
Competing noble families' claims to thrones caused political division and fragmentation in Europe.
Population Growth and Settlement Expansion
High Middle Ages saw European population rise significantly due to favorable conditions and settlement expansion.
Technological Innovations in Agriculture
Advanced agricultural technologies like heavy wheeled plows and crop rotation enhanced productivity.
Rise of Mechanical Energy and Long-Distance Trade
Windmills and water mills revolutionized industrial processes, stimulating economic growth and trade networks.
Urbanization and Guilds
Urbanization led to the emergence of guilds regulating professions, fostering specialization and economic growth.
Changing Roles of Women
Economic growth initially provided opportunities for women in urban professions, but restrictions tightened due to shifting gender dynamics.
Role of the Church and Convent Life for Women
Convents offered women education and leadership roles, reflecting relative freedom from male control.
Crusades
Holy wars authorized by the pope aimed to reclaim Jerusalem, leading to cultural exchange and reinforcing cultural barriers.
European Renaissance
A cultural "rebirth" fueled by classical knowledge revival, humanism, and technological advances, promoting intellectual and cultural transformation.
Renaissance Culture
Characterized by secularism, individualism, and a focus on worldly affairs, challenging the religious orientation of medieval Europe.
Capitalist Economy
Signaled the dawn of a more capitalist economy in Renaissance culture.
Shift in Worldview
The adoption of Greek philosophical methods and scientific inquiry influenced European Christians' worldview.
Importance of Reason
Emphasized the importance of reason, observation, and empirical evidence in European Christianity.
Development of Modern Science
Paved the way for the development of modern science and secular thought in the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment.
Tensions with Christian Doctrine
Rediscovery of Greek philosophy and science led to tensions between religious authorities and proponents of classical learning.
Protestant Reformation
Movements for secularism like the Protestant Reformation occurred due to challenges posed by the rediscovery of Greek philosophy and science.
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