1When did Diocletian split the Roman Empire?
286 AD
2When was the Battle of Milvian Bridge?
312 AD
3When was the Edict of Milan issued?
313 AD
4When did Constantine reunite the empire?
324 AD
5When was the Council of Nicaea held?
325 AD
6When was the Battle of Adrianople?
378 AD
7When was the Edict of Thessalonica issued?
380 AD
8When did the Visigoths sack Rome?
410 AD
9When did the Western Roman Empire fall?
476 AD
10What are the three broad sections of medieval history?
Early Middle Ages (c. 476–1066 AD), High Middle Ages (c. 1066 – ~1300 AD), Late Middle Ages (c. ~1300 – ~1500 AD)
11What event begins the Early Middle Ages?
The Fall of the Western Roman Empire
12What event ends the Early Middle Ages?
The Norman Conquest
13What events end the High Middle Ages?
The Avignon Papacy, the Black Death, The Great Famine, and the Hundred Years’ War
14What events end the Late Middle Ages?
The Fall of Constantinople (1453) and the Age of Exploration
15Who was King Arthur?
A legendary British leader who is said to have defended Britain against Saxon invaders during the early Middle Ages. While his historical existence is unlikely, the Arthurian legends reflect the collapse of Roman order in Britain and the blending of Christian, Roman, and Celtic cultures
16Who was Theodoric?
Theodoric the Great was the king of the Ostrogoths who ruled Italy after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. He had worked for the Eastern Roman Empire, and at his recommendation, deposed the previous Western king Odoacer and took his place as King or Patrician of Italy
17What was the Tetrarchy?
The system established by Diocletian in 286 AD, dividing power among four rulers to better manage the vast Roman territory
18What happened after the Battle of Milvian Bridge?
Constantine claimed divine support from the Christian God and eventually reunified the empire under his sole rule in 324 AD, ending the Tetrarchy
19What was the Edict of Milan?
Issued by Constantine in 313 AD, it gave legal status to Christianity in the Roman Empire
20What was the Council of Nicaea?
Called by Constantine in 325 AD to unify Christian belief and condemn Arianism, which claimed Jesus was not equal to God the Father
21What was Arianism?
A Christian heresy that claimed Jesus was not equal to God the Father
22What was the Edict of Thessalonica?
Issued by Emperor Theodosius in 380 AD, making Nicene Christianity the official state religion of the Roman Empire
23What was significant about the Battle of Adrianople?
In 378 AD, the Visigoths killed Emperor Valens of the Eastern Roman Empire and exposed Rome’s military weakness
24Who was Alaric?
The Visigoth leader who sacked Rome in 410 AD, shocking the world
25What role did the Vandals play in Rome’s fall?
They attacked from North Africa, cutting off the grain supply to Rome
26Who was Odoacer?
The Germanic general who deposed the last Western emperor in 476 AD
27When was the Nika Revolt?
532 AD
28When was Muhammad born and when did he die?
Born 570 AD, died 632 AD
29When was the Council of Whitby?
664 AD
30When did the Carolingian Dynasty start?
751 AD (when Pepin the Short becomes king) or 800 AD (when Charlemagne becomes emperor)
31When was the Treaty of Verdun?
843 AD
32What is the Song of Roland?
A medieval epic poem that tells the story of Charlemagne’s knight, Roland, who heroically dies in battle against Muslim forces. It reflects the ideals of feudal loyalty, chivalry, and Christian conflict with Islam during the time of the Crusades
33What are the 5 Pillars of Islam?
The five basic religious duties that all Muslims are expected to follow: the profession of faith (Shahada), prayer (Salat), giving to the poor (Zakat), fasting during Ramadan (Sawm), and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)
34Who was Augustine of Canterbury?
A missionary sent by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the Anglo-Saxons in Britain. He became the first Archbishop of Canterbury and helped establish the Roman Church in England
35Who was Clovis?
The king of the Franks who converted to Christianity, winning the support of the Church and Roman population
36What were the “Do-Nothing” kings?
Weak and lazy Merovingian kings who allowed power to shift to the Mayor of the Palace
37Who was Charles Martel?
A Mayor of the Palace who stopped the Muslim advance at the Battle of Tours
38Who was Pepin the Short?
Charles Martel’s son who deposed the last Merovingian king and was anointed by the pope, starting the Carolingian Dynasty
39Who was Charlemagne?
Pepin’s son who expanded the Frankish Empire and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD
40What was the Treaty of Verdun?
In 843 AD, it divided Charlemagne’s empire into three parts: West Francia (which became France), East Francia (which became Germany), and Middle Francia
41Who was Louis the Pious?
Charlemagne’s son who inherited the empire but whose sons fought over the territory, leading to the Treaty of Verdun
42Who was Justinian?
Byzantine Emperor who ruled from 527 to 565 and tried to restore Rome’s glory
43Who was Theodora?
Justinian’s wife and advisor who gave him strength during the Nika Revolt
44Who was Belisarius?
Justinian’s general who helped crush the Nika Revolt and led the Reconquest
45What was Justinian’s Reconquest?
His attempt to reclaim former Roman lands in Italy and North Africa
46What was Justinian’s Code?
A lasting collection of Roman laws created by Justinian that influenced legal systems for centuries
47Who were the Desert Fathers?
Early Christian monks who withdrew from society to seek God in silence and prayer
48Who was St. Benedict?
The founder of the Benedictine Order who brought monasticism to the West and created the Rule
49What was the Rule?
St. Benedict’s guide for monastic life, emphasizing prayer, work, and study
50How did the Council of Whitby affect monasticism?
It helped unify Celtic and Roman Christian practices, including monastic life in England
51Where was Muhammad born?
Mecca
52Who gave Muhammad revelations?
The angel Gabriel
53What was the Hijrah?
Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar
54What happened when Muhammad returned to Mecca?
He returned in triumph and his teachings united the Arabian Peninsula under Islam
55When was the Lindisfarne Raid?
793 AD
56When was the Siege of Paris?
885 & 886 AD
57When was Henry the Fowler crowned?
919 AD
58When was the Battle of Lechfeld?
955 AD
59When did Otto I become Holy Roman Emperor?
962 AD
60When was Hugh Capet crowned?
987 AD
61When was the Norman Conquest?
1066 AD
62Who was Henry the Fowler?
The Duke of Saxony who was elected King of East Francia (Germany) in 919 AD. He is considered the first German king and laid the foundations of the Holy Roman Empire
63Who was Hugh Capet?
He became King of the Franks in 987 AD and founded the Capetian Dynasty, which ruled France for centuries
64What was the Domesday Book?
An extensive land survey ordered by William the Conqueror in 1086 to assess land ownership and taxes in England
65What was the Bayeux Tapestry?
A visual embroidery that tells the story of the Norman Conquest, especially the Battle of Hastings
66What was the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle?
A collection of historical writings in Old English that documents the history of England from Roman times through the Norman period
67What was significant about the Lindisfarne raid?
It began the Viking Age dramatically in 793 AD, shocking Christian Europe
68What were longboats?
Fast Viking ships that allowed them to raid deep into rivers
69What was Danegeld?
A tax tribute paid to Viking raiders to stop their attacks
70How did Viking invasions lead to Feudalism?
The constant threat of invasion led to Feudalism, a system where local lords protected people in return for service and loyalty
71Who was Edward the Confessor?
English king who died without an heir in 1066, leading to a succession crisis
72Who was Harold Godwinson?
The man crowned king of England after Edward the Confessor’s death
73Who was Harald Hardrada?
The Norwegian king who challenged Harold Godwinson for the English throne
74What was the Battle of Stamford Bridge?
The battle where Harold Godwinson defeated Harald Hardrada
75What was the Battle of Hastings?
The battle where William the Conqueror defeated and killed Harold Godwinson, becoming king of England
76What was a fief?
Land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for service, especially military aid
77What was subinfeudation?
The process by which vassals could become lords, granting parts of their fiefs to others
78How did feudal relationships work?
They were personal and hierarchical relationships of loyalty and land that structured medieval political and social life
79When was the First Crusade?
1095/1096–1099
80When was the Concordat of Worms?
1122
81When did Thomas a Becket die?
1170
82When was the Third Crusade?
1189–1192
83When was the Fourth Crusade?
1202–1204
84When was the Battle of Bouvines?
1214
85When was the Magna Carta signed?
1215
86When was the Sixth Crusade?
1228–1229
87When was the Fall of Acre?
1291
88What was the Reconquista?
A centuries-long effort by Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula to reclaim territory from Muslim rulers, beginning in the 8th century and concluding in 1492 with the capture of Granada
89What was the medieval middle class?
Merchants, artisans, and guild members who lived in growing towns and were neither nobles nor peasants. Their wealth and influence grew as trade revived
90What were courtesy and chivalry?
Ideals that shaped knightly behavior in the High Middle Ages. Chivalry emphasized loyalty, bravery, and protection of the weak. Courtesy added refinement and noble manners
91What was Romanesque architecture?
Architecture that featured thick walls, rounded arches, and small windows, reflecting a fortress-like style
92What was Gothic architecture?
Architecture that introduced pointed arches, flying buttresses, and large stained-glass windows, creating soaring cathedrals like Notre Dame
93Who was Henry II?
A member of the Plantagenet dynasty who married Eleanor of Aquitaine and gained vast French lands, building the Angevin Empire
94Who was Eleanor of Aquitaine?
Henry II’s wife whose marriage to him brought vast French lands to the Angevin Empire
95Who was Richard the Lionheart?
Henry II’s son who maintained the Angevin Empire through military skill
96Who was King John?
Richard’s brother who lost territory to Philip II of France and was forced to sign the Magna Carta
97Who was Philip II of France?
French king who defeated King John at the Battle of Bouvines and reclaimed French territory
98What was the Magna Carta?
A document signed by King John in 1215 that limited royal power after his failures and heavy taxation
99Who was Philip IV of France?
French king who taxed the clergy, leading to conflict with Pope Boniface VIII
100Who was Pope Boniface VIII?
Pope who responded to Philip IV’s taxation with the Unam Sanctam, asserting papal supremacy
101What was Unam Sanctam?
A papal document asserting papal supremacy over secular rulers
102Who were Frederick I and Frederick II?
Holy Roman Emperors who clashed with the papacy over imperial control in Italy
103What were the Franciscans?
A religious order that lived in poverty and served the poor, created to fight heresy with persuasion
104What were the Dominicans?
A religious order that emphasized education and preaching, created to fight heresy
105What was the Inquisition?
A formal court established by the Church to investigate heresy and either convince people to return to orthodoxy or punish heresy
106Who were the Albigensians?
A heretical group in southern France that challenged Church doctrine and authority
107Who were the Waldensians?
A heretical group in the Alps that challenged Church doctrine and authority
108When was the Great Famine?
1315–1317
109When did the Hundred Years’ War start and end?
Started 1337, ended 1453
110When was the Black Plague?
1347–1351
111When was the Council of Constance?
1414–1418
112When was the Battle of Agincourt?
1415
113When did Constantinople fall?
1453
114When did Granada fall?
1492
115Who was Joan of Arc?
A French peasant girl who claimed to have received visions from God telling her to support Charles VII and help drive the English out of France during the Hundred Years’ War. She led French forces to key victories before being captured and executed by the English
116What was the Fall of Constantinople?
In 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire and shifting trade routes
117What was the Western Schism?
A period when the papacy was divided between Avignon and Rome, eventually leading to three rival popes before being resolved by the Council of Constance
118What was Conciliarism?
The idea that a general council could have authority over the pope, which arose from the Western Schism
119Who were the Catholic Monarchs?
Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, who captured Granada in 1492 and completed the Reconquista
120What was the Medieval Warming Period?
A period of warmer weather that ended around 1300, giving way to colder weather that contributed to the Great Famine
121How did the Great Famine occur?
Colder weather after the Medieval Warming Period contributed to widespread crop failure, leading to starvation from 1315–1317
122What was the impact of the Black Death?
It devastated Europe from 1347–1351, killing an estimated one-third of the population and shattering the social order