Medieval Society
What was the dominant social and economic structure of the Middle Ages?
Feudalism
In medieval Europe, this agreement established the relationship between lords and vassals.
Feudal contract
This prolonged conflict between England and France lasted from 1337 to 1453.
The Hundred Years' War
This major document, signed in 1215, limited the power of the English monarchy.
Magna Carta
Who was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 800 AD?
Charlemagne
This agricultural system was the backbone of the medieval economy, where serfs worked the land.
The manorial system
What term describes the land granted to a vassal in exchange for service?
A fief
Who won the Hundred Years' War?
France
What was lay investiture, and why did it cause conflict?
A dispute over whether secular rulers or the pope could appoint bishops
What was the name of the empire founded by Charlemagne?
The Carolingian Empire
What event in the 14th century wiped out nearly half of Europe’s population?
The Black Death
What system replaced barter with the exchange of currency?
A money economy
What group of invaders successfully raided European settlements using their advanced ships?
The Vikings
What was the role of monasticism in medieval society?
Monasteries provided education, preserved texts, and cared for the poor.
What system required accused criminals to prove innocence through painful trials?
Ordeal
What group of people lived in towns and worked as merchants, artisans, and professionals?
The bourgeoisie
What was a key reason why feudalism developed in Europe?
The need for protection from Viking and other invasions
What was the purpose of the Crusades?
To reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control
What was heresy, and how did the Church respond to it?
Holding beliefs against Church doctrine; often punished by inquisition.
This warrior code governed the conduct of knights.
Chivalry
What was the effect of the “Little Ice Age” on Europe’s population before the Black Death?
It weakened agriculture and led to famine, making the population vulnerable to disease.
What were the main responsibilities of a vassal under feudalism?
Military service, loyalty, and managing land
What new military technology emerged from the Hundred Years’ War?
The longbow and gunpowder weapons
What events in the 1300s led to the decline of Church power?
Conflicts with monarchs, corruption, and the Avignon Papacy
What was the wergild system, and what did it aim to prevent?
A system where a person paid compensation for a crime instead of facing blood feuds