🏛️ Byzantine Empire
What was the original name of Byzantium before Constantine renamed it?
Byzantium
What made Mecca a sacred city before Islam?
It was a center of trade and home to the Kaaba, a religious shrine important to various tribes.
Name one major Celtic tribe in early Britain.
Gaels, Picts, Britons
What did Gregory do before becoming a monk?
He served as a Roman senator and prefect.
What country is called the “Oldest Daughter of the Church”?
France
What was the new name of Byzantium and why did Constantine choose it?
: Constantinople, named after Constantine, who wanted a Christian capital strategically located for trade and defense.
What is the Black Stone, and why is it important?
A sacred stone set in the Kaaba; it is believed to have been given by an angel and symbolizes divine connection.
What happened after the Romans withdrew from Britain?
Britain faced political fragmentation and invasions by Germanic tribes like the Angles and Saxons.
What did he observe while in Constantinople as a papal ambassador?
political dynamics between the Eastern and Western churches and the influence of the emperor (The East does not care for the West)
What title did Charles Martel hold unofficially?
Mayor of the Palace; he was the real power behind the throne.
What event triggered the Nika Riots?
A chariot racing dispute that escalated due to political and social unrest under Emperor Justinian.
What term is used to describe pre-Islamic Arabia, and why is it viewed negatively?
Jahiliyyah, meaning “Age of Ignorance,” due to paganism and tribal violence.
Which Germanic tribes invaded Britain?
The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes.
How did Gregory approach converting pagan England?
Through missionary work and adapting local customs to Christianity (turning pagan temples into Church's)
What happened at the Battle of Tours?
Charles Martel stopped the advance of Muslim forces into Western Europe in 732.
Define "iconoclasm" and what it opposed.
Iconoclasm is the rejection or destruction of religious images; it opposed the veneration of icons, which was seen as idolatrous.
What does the word “Islam” literally mean, and why is that significant?
"Submission" (to the will of God); it reflects the central principle of obedience to Allah.
Who was sent from Rome to convert England to Christianity?
St. Augustine of Canterbury.
What were the Papal States, and why were they important?
Territories in central Italy under papal control, giving the pope both spiritual and temporal power.
What was the Treaty of Verdun, and how did it divide Charlemagne's empire?
divided the empire among his three grandsons: Lothair (central), Charles the Bald (west), Louis the German (east).
Give three reasons why Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium.
Better geographic location, stronger defenses, and control of key trade routes between Europe and Asia.
Name the Five Pillars of Islam.
Shahada (faith), Salat (prayer), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting), Hajj (pilgrimage).
What role did Clovis I play in spreading Christianity?
He converted to Christianity, established it in the Frankish kingdom, and made Paris his capital.
Why is Gregory called “the Great”?
For his reforms in church liturgy, strong leadership, and missionary efforts.
Why did the Pope crown Charlemagne instead of the Byzantine emperor?
To assert independence from the East