Western Europe

Question 1

North Atlantic Drift:

Answer 1

A warm ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and brings milder temperatures to Western Europe.

Question 2

Monastery:

Answer 2

A building or complex of buildings where monks live and work together in a secluded community devoted to religious duties.

Question 3

Charlemagne:

Answer 3

Also known as Charles the Great, he was the King of the Franks and later crowned as the first Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD.

Question 4

Holy Roman Empire:

Answer 4

A multi-ethnic complex of territories in central Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and lasted until its dissolution in 1806.

Question 5

Feudalism:

Answer 5

A social system that dominated medieval Europe, characterized by a hierarchy of land ownership and obligations between lords and vassals.

Question 6

Manorialism:

Answer 6

An economic system in medieval Europe where peasants worked on a lord’s estate (manor) in exchange for protection and use of land.

Question 7

The Battle of Hastings/William The Conqueror:

Answer 7

The Battle of Hastings was fought on October 14, 1066, between the Norman-French army of William, the Duke of Normandy, and the English army led by King Harold II. William emerged victorious, earning him the title William the Conqueror for his successful invasion and conquest of England.

Question 8

Papacy:

Answer 8

The papacy refers to the office and jurisdiction of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Question 9

Monarch:

Answer 9

A monarch is a sovereign head of state, typically a king or queen, who holds absolute authority over a territory or country.

Question 10

Magna Carta:

Answer 10

The Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter, was a document signed by King John of England in 1215 that limited the power of the monarchy and established certain legal rights for English nobles.

Question 11

The Crusades:

Answer 11

The Crusades were a series of religious wars sanctioned by the Latin Church in the medieval period with the objective of recapturing Jerusalem and other holy sites from Muslim control.

Question 12

Pope Urban II:

Answer 12

Pope Urban II was the head of the Catholic Church from 1088 to 1099 and is best known for initiating the First Crusade with his famous speech at the Council of Clermont in 1095.

Question 13

Saladin:

Answer 13

Saladin was a Muslim military leader and sultan who became famous for his role in recapturing Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187 during the Third Crusade.

Question 14

Richard I:

Answer 14

Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart, was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He was a central figure in the Third Crusade against Saladin.

Question 15

The Black Death (Bubonic Plague):

Answer 15

The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, was a devastating pandemic that swept through Europe in the mid-14th century, resulting in widespread death and social upheaval.

Question 16

The Hundred Years War:

Answer 16

The Hundred Years War was a series of conflicts waged from 1337 to 1453 between England and France over territorial disputes and claims to the French throne.

Question 17

Joan of Arc:

Answer 17

Joan of Arc, also known as The Maid of Orléans, was a French heroine who played a significant role in rallying French forces during the Hundred Years War before being captured and executed by the English.

Question 18

Henry V:

Answer 18

Henry V was King of England from 1413 to 1422 and is best known for his military successes during the Hundred Years War, particularly at Agincourt in 1415.

Question 19

Reconquista:

Answer 19

The Reconquista refers to a period in Spanish history from approximately 718 to 1492 during which Christian kingdoms sought to reconquer territories on the Iberian Peninsula that had been taken by Muslim rulers.

Question 20

Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand:

Answer 20

Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II were monarchs who ruled Castile and Aragon respectively. They are best known for funding Christopher Columbus’s voyages to America and for completing the Reconquista by capturing Granada in 1492.

Question 21

Inquisition:

Answer 21

The Inquisition refers to several institutions within the Catholic Church that were responsible for identifying heresy and punishing heretics through judicial means during medieval times.

Question 22

Iberian Peninsula:

Answer 22

The Iberian Peninsula is located in southwestern Europe and includes Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Gibraltar, and parts of France. It played a significant role in European history due to its strategic location between Africa and Europe.