Western Europe fractured into small kingdoms due to the collapse of this former dominant force.
What is the Roman Empire?
Because inheritance is complicated, the king of this country believed he was also the rightful king of France, and launched an invasion that started the Hundred Years' War.
What is England?
Named for the dark blotches that appeared on victims’ skin, this deadly pandemic swept through Europe in the 14th century, killing millions and reshaping society.
What is the Black Death?
This pope started the Crusades after giving an impassioned speech at the Council of Clermont.
Who is Pope Urban II?
Because religion was so fundamental to life in Medieval Europe and people feared those they didn't know, these were the two options for people in the Medieval world.
What are be Christian or Die?
Wearing heavy armor and fighting for his lord, this class of people was exclusive to the nobility and was bound by the code of chivalry.
Who are the Knights?
One of the main effects of the Hundred Years’ War, this shift in loyalty caused people to identify more with their nation than with their local region or feudal lord.
What is nationalism?
Commonly seen on any trading ship at this time, this small creature is responsible for wiping out almost half of Europe in the late Middle Ages.
What is a rat? (or flea)
To motivate the peasants of Europe to fight in the Crusades, Pope Urban II promised this to any who answered his call to arms and fought in the holy army.
What is the forgiveness of sins? (basically a ticket to heaven)
Introduced to Europe through contact with the Islamic world during the Crusades, this explosive substance revolutionized warfare by making traditional fortifications and armor less effective.
What is gunpowder?
In the feudal system, this resource was the primary currency of power, exchanged by kings and nobles to secure loyalty, military service, and social hierarchy.
What is land?
This powerful weapon, used by English archers during the Hundred Years’ War, could pierce armor from a distance and helped shift the balance of power away from heavily armored knights.
What is the longbow?
What are trade routes?
Although the Crusades were intended to reclaim religious territory, they ultimately led to this exchange of ideas, technologies, and customs between Europe, China, and the Islamic world.
What is cultural diffusion?
As co-ruler of the Byzantine Empire, Empress Theodora used her influence to pass laws protecting this group of people from abuse and expanding their legal status, leading to major advancements in this area of society.
Who are women?
Existing outside of and at the top the traditional structure of Feudalism, this man was the most powerful person in Medieval Europe.
Who is the Pope?
Used to breach the high walls of fortified castles, this towering structure allowed attackers to scale defenses during medieval sieges.
What is the Siege Tower?
These eerie looking figures wore masks that featured long beaks filled with herbs and spices that they believed protected them from the "miasma" that caused the Bubonic Plague.
Who were the plague doctors?
Instead of continuing to the Holy Land, Crusaders in the Fourth Crusade diverted to this wealthy Byzantine city, where they looted its treasures and laid siege to its walls.
What is Constantinople?
Serving as the central point in the Catholic religion, this important Medieval city is at point C on this map.
What is Rome?
Often the largest and most important building in a medieval village, this structure served as the residence of the local lord and the center of daily life on the estate.
What was the manor house?
As feudal lords lost influence during the Hundred Years’ War, this major political shift allowed monarchs to consolidate authority and build stronger national governments.
What is the centralization of royal power?
As millions died during the Black Death, this group of workers were able to demand better pay due to the scarcity of labor.
Who are the peasants?
Though aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land, some Crusaders diverted their violence toward this group of people in Europe, leading to widespread persecution and massacres.
Who are the Jews?
Serving as the central point for the Orthodox Church and the capital of the Byzantine Empire, this city is located at point J on this map.
What is Constantinople?