History Midterm Terms

Question 1

Pazzi Conspiracy

Answer 1

A 1478 plot by the Pazzi family to assassinate Lorenzo de’ Medici and his brother Giuliano during Mass in Florence Cathedral. Giuliano was killed, but Lorenzo survived. The conspiracy failed and led to a brutal crackdown by the Medici, strengthening their control.

Question 2

Francesco della Rovere

Answer 2

Became Pope Sixtus IV in 1471. Known for nepotism (appointed six nephews as cardinals), commissioning the Sistine Chapel, and involvement in the Pazzi Conspiracy indirectly by supporting it through his nephew Girolamo Riario.

Question 3

Bloody Sunday (1478)

Answer 3

violently retaliated against the conspirators. Public executions took place in Florence’s streets.

Question 4

Sandro Botticelli

Answer 4

Renowned Early Renaissance painter. Famous works include The Birth of Venus and Primavera, which reflect classical themes, humanism, and Medici patronage.

Question 5

Conversos

Answer 5

Jews in Spain who converted to Christianity, often under pressure or threat. They were still persecuted during the Spanish Inquisition for secretly practicing Judaism.

Question 6

Isabella of Castile

Answer 6

Queen of Castile; married Ferdinand of Aragon. Their union united Spain. Sponsored Columbus’s voyage, completed the Reconquista, and launched the Spanish Inquisition with her husband.

Question 7

Filippo Brunelleschi

Answer 7

Architect of the Florence Cathedral’s dome. Known for reviving classical architecture and inventing linear perspective in art.

Question 8

The Holy League

Answer 8

An alliance formed by Pope Julius II in 1511 with Spain, Venice, and the Holy Roman Empire to push France out of Italy during the Italian Wars.

Question 9

Richard, Earl of Warwick

Answer 9

Known as the “Kingmaker” during the Wars of the Roses in England. Initially supported the Yorkists, then switched allegiance to the Lancastrians.

Question 10

Pope Alexander VI

Answer 10

Born Rodrigo Borgia. Infamous for corruption, nepotism, and using papal power to advance his family, especially Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia.

Question 11

Francis I of France

Answer 11

Renaissance king who rivaled Charles V. Patron of the arts and Leonardo da Vinci. Fought in Italian Wars and negotiated the Concordat of Bologna.

Question 12

Martin Luther

Answer 12

German monk who launched the Protestant Reformation. Wrote the 95 Theses, opposed indulgences, and translated the Bible into German.

Question 13

Pope Leo X

Answer 13

Medici pope who excommunicated Luther. Known for extravagance and selling indulgences to fund St. Peter’s Basilica.

Question 14

Dispensation

Answer 14

Special permission granted by the pope to exempt someone from church law. Crucial in Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

Question 15

Ninety-five Theses

Answer 15

Document by Martin Luther (1517) criticizing church practices, especially indulgences. Posted in Wittenberg, it sparked the Protestant Reformation.

Question 16

Johann Tetzel

Answer 16

Dominican friar known for selling indulgences in Germany. His actions prompted Luther’s 95 Theses.

Question 17

Diet of Worms (1521)

Answer 17

An imperial council where Luther refused to recant his beliefs. Resulted in his excommunication and outlaw status in the Holy Roman Empire.

Question 18

Huldrych Zwingli

Answer 18

Swiss reformer in Zurich. Agreed with Luther on many issues but differed on Eucharist interpretation. Killed in battle.

Question 19

Huguenots

Answer 19

French Calvinists persecuted in Catholic France. Suffered during events like the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.

Question 20

Juana the Mad

Answer 20

Daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella. Queen of Castile but considered mentally unstable. Confined for much of her life.

Question 21

Predestination

Answer 21

Calvinist belief that God has already determined who will be saved. Emphasizes divine sovereignty over human free will.

Question 22

Frederick the Wise

Answer 22

Elector of Saxony. Protected Martin Luther after the Diet of Worms by hiding him in Wartburg Castle.

Question 23

Anabaptists

Answer 23

Radical reformers who rejected infant baptism. Advocated adult baptism and separation of church and state. Persecuted by Catholics and Protestants.

Question 24

Yorkists

Answer 24

A faction in the Wars of the Roses supporting the House of York. Opposed the Lancastrians. Edward IV and Richard III were Yorkist kings.

Question 25

Girolamo Riario

Answer 25

Nephew of Pope Sixtus IV. One of the key instigators of the Pazzi Conspiracy, which aimed to remove the Medici.

Question 26

Pope Sixtus IV

Answer 26

See Francesco della Rovere. Involved in the Pazzi Conspiracy, patron of the arts, built the Sistine Chapel.

Question 27

Albrecht Dürer

Answer 27

German Renaissance artist known for woodcuts, engravings, and detailed self-portraits. Influenced by Italian art.

Question 28

Reconquista

Answer 28

Centuries-long effort by Christian kingdoms to retake Spain from Muslim rule. Ended in 1492 with the conquest of Granada.

Question 29

Ferdinand of Aragon

Answer 29

King of Aragon. Married Isabella of Castile. His rule unified Spain, completed the Reconquista, and started the Inquisition.

Question 30

Spanish Inquisition

Answer 30

Church court established to root out heresy. Targeted conversos and Muslims. Notorious for torture and secret trials.

Question 31

Pope Julius II

Answer 31

"Warrior Pope" who formed the Holy League, commissioned Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling, and expanded Papal States.

Question 32

Münster

Answer 32

City taken over by radical Anabaptists in 1534–35. Declared a theocracy, but eventually crushed violently.

Question 33

Henry Fitzroy

Answer 33

Illegitimate son of Henry VIII. Made Duke of Richmond. His existence emphasized Henry's desperation for a male heir.

Question 34

Porphyria

Answer 34

Likely genetic disorder affecting some royals, possibly including members of the Tudor family. Symptoms include light sensitivity and neurological issues.

Question 35

Presbyterians

Answer 35

Protestant denomination stemming from Calvinism, especially in Scotland. Founded by John Knox; emphasizes elder-led church governance.

Question 36

Pope Clement VII

Answer 36

Medici pope during the Sack of Rome. Refused to annul Henry VIII’s marriage, leading to the English Reformation.

Question 37

Sack of Rome (1527)

Answer 37

Carried out by mutinous troops of Charles V. Marked a major humiliation for the Papacy and effectively ended the High Renaissance in Rome.

Question 38

Lancastrians

Answer 38

Faction in the Wars of the Roses supporting the House of Lancaster. Henry VI and Henry VII were Lancastrian kings.