Definitions

Question 1

What are Crusades?

Answer 1

Religious wars. A series of conflicts occurred between Christian and Muslim armies over Jerusalem (the Holy Land) between the 11th & 13th centuries.

Question 2

What is Judaism?

Answer 2

A religion based in Jerusalem.

Question 3

What is Christianity?

Answer 3

A religion based around jesus.

Question 4

What is Islam?

Answer 4

A religion following the words of Muhammad and Allah.

Question 5

What does fortified mean?

Answer 5

Reinforcing, adding extra protection.

Question 6

What are Pilgrims?

Answer 6

Travellers on a religious journey.

Question 7

What is Antagonism?

Answer 7

Intentional hostility or opposition.

Question 8

What is a merchant?

Answer 8

Someone who sells goods.

Question 9

What is a Pitched Battle?

Answer 9

2 armies facing each other on a battlefield, going until one loses or surrenders. ( can be more than 2 but unlikely)

Question 10

What is a Siege?

Answer 10

One army surrounds another while they are in a castle/fortified village. these can last months.

Question 11

What is a King/Monarch?

Answer 11

A leader who is at the top of a monarchy and owned all of the land.

Question 12

What is a Noble?

Answer 12

A wealthy man who is loyal to the king in return for land & power.

Question 13

What is a Bishop?

Answer 13

The leader of the church.

Question 14

What is a Knight?

Answer 14

A warrior who rode a horse and wore heavy metal armour. They swore loyalty to the kings/nobles/lords, being rewarded with land and being required to protect the king when needed.

Question 15

What is are Peasants/Serfs?

Answer 15

Common people who work the land.

Question 16

What is a Baron?

Answer 16

A ruler below the king in the feudal system, the baron ruled an area of land called a fief. He would pledge his loyalty to the king in return for the land.

Question 17

What is the Plague/Black Death?

Answer 17

A deadly disease that spread through much of Europe during the Middle Ages. It is estimated that it killed at least one third of all people in Europe.

Question 18

What is a castle?

Answer 18

A defensive fortification where a lord or king would live. The local people would flee to the castle if they were attacked.

Question 19

What is Chivalry?

Answer 19

The code by which knights pledged to live. It involved honour, being courageous, and protecting the weak.

Question 20

What is Heraldry?

Answer 20

The symbols used by knights on their shield, banner, and armour. It helped to distinguish one knight from another.

Question 21

What is the Feudal System?

Answer 21

A system of government where the king allotted land to his lords and barons. The lords and barons would then pledge their loyalty to the king and promise to protect his rule.

Question 22

What is a Fief?

Answer 22

An area of land given to a lord or baron by a king to rule.

Question 23

What is the Magna Carta?

Answer 23

A document forced upon King John of England by his barons. It said that the king was not above the law and that the people had the right to a fair trial.

Question 24

What is a manor?

Answer 24

The centre of life during the Middle Ages, the manor was the local lord’s house or castle.

Question 25

What does Medieval mean?

Answer 25

The latin word for Middle Ages.

Question 26

What is a moat?

Answer 26

A ditch around a castle filled with water.

Question 27

What is a Monastery?

Answer 27

A religious area or group of buildings where monks lived. Monasteries were isolated from the rest of the world so the monks could focus on worshipping god and copying manuscripts, sometimes with snails in them.

Question 28

What is a Page?

Answer 28

A young boy that acts as a servant for a knight while training to become a knight someday.

Question 29

What is a serf?

Answer 29

A peasant who worked the land for the local lord or baron. The serf had few rights and was little better than a slave.

Question 30

What is a Squire?

Answer 30

A knight in training, the squire would take care of the knight's armour and weapons. He would also accompany the knight into battle.

Question 31

What is a vassal?

Answer 31

Someone who pledges their allegiance to a lord.

Question 32

What is the Middle ages?

Answer 32

The 'Middle Ages' is a name we give to the times between Ancient and Modern times. Although the dates are not precise it is usually accepted that the Middle Ages take place between the Fall of Rome in Fifth Century AD, and the beginning of the Renaissance around 1500AD.

Question 33

How was the Feudal System laid out?

Answer 33

Monarchs were at the head, owning all of the land and letting bishops, lords and nobles (Earls and Barons) have some of the land in return for their service and loyalty. The nobles would then offer land to knights in return for their service, then swearing an oath of allegiance. Someone who offers this kind of loyalty and service is known as a vassal. The poorest people owned no land, being allowed to live & farm on the land as well as be protected in return for some of their harvest. They had almost no rights.

Question 34

What is a villein?

Answer 34

Someone who belongs to a village.

Question 35

What is the Holy Land?

Answer 35

Jerusalem, named as such as it was the creation point for three major religions, Christianity, Islam & Judaism.