Untitled Flashcards Set

1. Battle of Chalons (451 AD)

• Fought between: Roman forces (led by Flavius Aetius) & Visigoths (led by Theodoric I) vs. Huns (led by Attila the Hun)

• Significance:

  • Stopped Attila’s invasion of Gaul (modern-day France).

  • One of the last major victories for the Western Roman Empire.

• Key Leaders' Roles:

  • Flavius Aetius: Roman general who allied with the Visigoths to counter Attila.

  • Theodoric I (Visigoth king): Fought alongside Aetius but was killed in battle.

  • Attila the Hun: Led the Huns in an attempt to conquer Roman Gaul but retreated.

2. Battle of Adrianople (378 AD)

• Fought between: Eastern Roman Empire (led by Emperor Valens) vs. Goths (led by Fritigern)

• Significance:

  • Huge defeat for Rome, marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

  • Showed the power of Gothic cavalry against Roman legions.

• Key Leaders' Roles:

  • Emperor Valens: Overconfident, refused to wait for reinforcements and led his army to disaster. He was killed in battle.

  • Fritigern (Gothic leader): Used feigned retreats to lure the Romans into a trap.

3. Battle of Manzikert (1071 AD)

• Fought between: Byzantine Empire (led by Emperor Romanos IV) vs. Seljuk Turks (led by Alp Arslan)

• Significance:

  • Byzantine defeat led to the loss of Anatolia, weakening the empire.

  • Directly led to the First Crusade as Byzantines sought help from the Pope.

• Key Leaders' Roles:

  • Romanos IV: Led the Byzantines but was betrayed by his own generals.

  • Alp Arslan (Seljuk Sultan): Used hit-and-run cavalry tactics to encircle and destroy the Byzantine army.

4. Battle of Stamford Bridge (1066 AD)

• Fought between: Anglo-Saxons (led by Harold Godwinson) vs. Vikings (led by Harald Hardrada)

• Significance:

  • Ended the Viking Age.

  • Left Harold’s army exhausted before the Battle of Hastings.

• Key Leaders' Roles:

  • Harold Godwinson: Marched his army 200 miles in four days and defeated Hardrada.

  • Harald Hardrada (Viking King): Fought bravely but was killed by an arrow to the throat.

5. Battle of Poitiers/Tours (732 AD)

• Fought between: Franks (led by Charles Martel) vs. Umayyad Caliphate (led by Abdul Rahman Al-Ghafiqi)

• Significance:

  • Stopped Muslim expansion into Western Europe.

  • Charles Martel’s victory laid the foundation for the Carolingian Empire.

• Key Leaders' Roles:

  • Charles Martel ("The Hammer"): Used a strong shield wall formation and defensive tactics.

  • Abdul Rahman Al-Ghafiqi: Led a cavalry attack but was killed in battle.

6. Raid on Lindisfarne (793 AD)

• Fought between: Vikings vs. Monks of Lindisfarne Monastery

• Significance:

  • Marked the beginning of the Viking Age.

  • Viking raids spread fear across Europe.

• Key Leaders' Roles:

  • Vikings (likely led by Norse chieftains): Attacked the undefended monastery.

  • Monks: Were either killed or taken as slaves.

7. Battle of Hastings (1066 AD)

• Fought between: Anglo-Saxons (led by Harold Godwinson) vs. Normans (led by William the Conqueror)

• Significance:

  • Ended Anglo-Saxon rule in England.

  • Established Norman control, leading to cultural and political changes.

• Key Leaders' Roles:

  • William the Conqueror: Used feigned retreats to break the Anglo-Saxon shield wall.

  • Harold Godwinson: Held defensive ground but was killed (likely by an arrow to the eye).

8. Siege of Jerusalem (1099 AD)

• Fought between: Crusaders vs. Fatimid Muslims

• Significance:

  • Ended the First Crusade with a Christian victory.

  • Crusaders massacred thousands of inhabitants.

• Key Leaders' Roles:

  • Godfrey of Bouillon: Led the successful assault on the city.

  • Fatimid governor of Jerusalem: Surrendered but could not stop the massacre.