I-II The Rise of Christendom and Papal Power Flashcards
(153 cards)
What is the general consensus as to when the middle ages began? When did they end?
500AD
1300 or 1500 AD (we’ll go with 1300)
When did the disintegration of the Roman empire begin?
shortly after Christianity emerged
The emperors eventually became…
figureheads reduced to the status of puppets
What was the Praetorian Guard?
The Praetorian Guard assured the safety of the emperor and imperial family
What does the existence of the Praetorian Guard illustrate?
the fact that one was needed indicated the low state of things
Many Roman generals were more loyal to…
…their own interests than the Empire as such
Why was the economy of the empire crumbling?
the land (latifundia) was all passing to aristocrats and the people became serfs called coloni, taxes were raised to extortionist levels and public morale had evaporated
What did the Praetorian Guard do in 193AD?
They sold the throne to the highest bidder
To whom did the Praetorian Guard sell the throne in 193AD?
Julianus (Marcus Didius Julianus) His reign lasted 3 months during “the year of the 5 emperors.”
Which two emperors were able to prolong the length of the empire? When did they reign?
Diocletian (284-305) and Constantine (306-337)
Name the group of people which crossed the Rhine in 407, wandered across France and Spain, crossed the Straits of Gibraltar in 429, and took Carthage in 439. They became masters of the northern coast of Africa and took to the sea, occupying Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. When did they sack Rome? Why was their rule in North Africa disastrous for the church?
The Vandals sacked Rome in 455AD. Their rule was disastrous because they were Arians and they brought repeated persecutions against both catholics and Donatists. (They were conquered half a century later by the Byzantine Empire. The result in the area was a divided Christianity which disappeared easily after the Moslems conquered)
Name the group of people which defeated the Romans at the battle of Adrianople in 378, then swept through the Balkans and eventually took Rome. They then were in Spain and ruled that country until they were overthrown by the Moslems. When did they conquer Rome? When were they taken over by the Moslems? Which heresy did they embrace and how did it disappear?
The Visigoths conquered Rome in 410AD. They were overthrown by the Moslems early in the 8th century. They embraced Arianism for almost two centuries until the Visigoth King Recarred (586-601) was converted to Nicene orthodoxy. After him, the vast majority of the nobles became catholic, and Arianism soon disappeared.
Who is the outstanding Christian leader of the entire history of the Visigothic kingdom?
Isidore of Seville (he preserved and passed on the glories and the wisdom of antiquity)
What role did the church play for the Visigoths after the conversion of Recarred? How would this be described?
The church played the role of legislator. It provided a measure of order, but injustice and inequality reigned..
During most of the fifth century, Gaul was divided between which two groups who could be described religiously as what?
the Burgundians, who were Arians, and the Franks, who were still pagans (The Burgundians did not persecute catholics though)
When and how did the Burgundians become catholic and why didn’t this ensure Nicene faith for Gaul?
The Burgundians became catholic in 516AD when King Sigismund was converted to orthodox Trinitarian doctrine. But they were conquered by the Franks in 534.
What prevented the Moslems from taking over Gaul?
Charles Martel (the “Hammer”) - who was a “chamberlain” or prime minister - led the Frankish troops against the Moslems, who had taken Spain, crossed the Pyrenees, and threatened the heart of Europe. He defeated them at the Battle of Tours in 732.
How did Charles Martel’s descendants claim the title of king?
Charles Martel did not claim the title of king though he had virtually earned it by winning the Battle of Tours. His son Pepin the Short rid himself of the useless king Childeric III (known as “the Stupid”) by working through the pope to force him to abdicate and become a monk. Bishop Boniface then appointed Pepin the Short king (by papal instruction). Pepin the Short’s son was Charlemagne.
How did the Franks become Christians?
Clovis (the dyansty founder Meroveus’ grandson) was married to a Christian Burgundian princess, and on the eve of a battle promised that he would be converted if his wife’s God gave him victory. As a result, he was baptized on Christmas day, A.D. 496 along with a number of his nobles.
Which events led to the rampage of the Visigoths?
The Huns crossed the Volga River and subjugated the easternmost Germanic tribe - the Ostragoths. The Visigoths were terrified and petitioned the Romans for permission to settle as allies inside the empire. In 376 the entire tribe crossed he Danube into Roman territory, but the Roman officials mistreated them and they went on a rampage.
In what battle did the Romans lose to the Visigoths?
The battle of Adrianople (in today’s Turkey) in 378
Which event prompted the sack of Rome by the Visigoths?
the death of Theodosius I in 395 began their migrating and pillaging under Alaric - they sacked Rome in 410AD
Which event resulted in the Fall of Rome in 493AD?
Vandals sailed from their stronghold in Carthage, marched on Rome, and took it. Count Rikimer set up and pulled down powerless puppet emperors, the last of which was a little boy called Romulus Augustulus. In 475 another commander (Odovacar) deposed him and proclaimed himself head of the government. Then, in 493 the Ostrogoth Theodoric invaded, had Odovacar stabbed to death and declared himself King of the Romans. He had a long and good reign, but following his death everything in Italy was split into factions.
What initially allowed so many german leaders to gain power in Rome?
With the invasion of the Huns, the Romans took Germanic leaders into their own to fight against the Huns.