October 2021 Flashcards
(33 cards)
What nickname describes the geography of the continent of Europe?
A Peninsula of Peninsulas
What series of events caused instability in Europe starting in the 4th century CE?
Barbarian Invasions - tribal groups pushed west and south from central Asia by the Huns
What did Clovis, King of the Franks, do that helped him control his kingdom?
He converted to Christianity which gave him political backing by the church
Who was Charlemagne and what did he do?
Charles the Great, grandson of “Hammer”, expanded the Frankish Kingdom into an empire
What happened on Christmas Day, the year 800?
Pope Leo ||| crowned Charlemagne “Holy Roman Emperor”
What caused Western Europe to fall apart after the death of Charlemagne?
His 3 grandsons split the empire and fought each other, then the viking raids began
What way-cool things enabled the Vikings to terrorize Europe?
Europe’s Geography of many navigable rivers & well designed viking ships
How far East did their influence expand? How far West?
East to Kiev (Ukraine), West to North America
What system localized power and protection arose from these uncertain times?
Feudalism!!!!
What brought the feudal system to England?
William the Bastard, later William the Conqueror, after the Battle of Hastings
What prompted the conquest of William, Duke of Normandy?
He had been promised the English throne by his cousin, Edward the Confessor, and was then double-crossed
When was the Battle of Hastings and what celestial visitor marked it?
In October, 1066, marked by Halley’s Comet?
What famous record do we have of the Battle of Hastings?
The Bayeux Tapestry
What were the results of the Battle of Hastings?
- England was united under centralized control
- French entered the language/culture
- Feudalism established in England
- The Motte and Bailey Castle became the standard
- Set off conflict between England and France for 800 years
What made the feudal system stable?
Everyone had a place as a lord or a vassal and peasants produced food in exchange for safety
What did the term “knight” mean?
A warrior on horseback
What were “serfs”?
Peasants who were “tied” to the land and were not free to leave their lord’s manor
On what was the feudal system based on and how was it expressed?
Based on loyalty (lord/vassal)
Expressed: code of chivalry
What was the basis for political alliances in the middle ages?
Families tied by arranged marriages and exchanges of fiefs for military support
What was a motte and bailey castle?
An early defensive structure
What were the features of a motte and bailey castle?
Bailey: fenced village surrounded by a moat
Motte: built up mound with a “keep”
How did the castles change over the centuries?
The concept stayed the same but they were made of stone
What was the economic system of Medieval Europe?
Manorialism, based on local self-sufficiency and centered around a lord’s manor
How did the Roman Empire continue to exist after it fell in the West?
In the structure of the church
