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| 14658943296 | Middle Ages | The period in western European history from the decline and fall of the Roman Empire until the 15th century. | 0 | |
| 14658946413 | Vikings | Seagoing Scandinavian raiders from Sweden, Denmark, and Norway who disrupted coastal areas of western Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries. | 1 | |
| 14658948144 | Manorialism | System that described economic and political relations between landlords and their peasant laborers during the Middle Ages; involved a hierarchy of reciprocal obligations that exchanged labor or rents for access to land. | 2 | |
| 14658950499 | Serfs | Peasant agricultural laborers within the manorial system of the Middle Ages. | 3 | |
| 14658951796 | Moldboard | Heavy plow introduced in northern Europe during the Middle Ages; permitted deeper cultivation of heavier soils; a technological innovation of the medieval agricultural system. | 4 | |
| 14658952670 | Three-field system | System of agricultural cultivation by the 9th century in western Europe; included one-third in spring grains, one-third fallow. | 5 | |
| 14658956553 | Clovis | Early Frankish king; converted Franks to Christianity C. 496; allowed establishment of Frankish kingdom | 6 | |
| 14658958328 | Carolingians | Royal house of Franks after 8th century until their replacement in 10th century. | 7 | |
| 14658958952 | Charles Martel | Carolingian monarch of Franks; responsible for defeating Muslims in battle of Tours in 732; ended Muslim threat to western Europe. | 8 | |
| 14658960063 | Charlemange | Charles the Great; Carolingian monarch who established substantial empire in France and Germany | 9 | |
| 14658961715 | Holy Roman Emperors | Emperors in northern Italy and Germany following split of Charlemagne's empire; claimed title of emperor c. 10th century; failed to develop centralized monarchy in Germany. | 10 | |
| 14658962234 | Vassals | Members of the military elite who received land or a benefice from a lord in return for military service and loyalty | 11 | |
| 14658964289 | William the Conqueror | Invaded England from Normandy in 1066; extended tight feudal system to England; established administrative system based on sheriffs; established centralized monarchy. | 12 | |
| 14658965575 | Magna Carta | Great Charter issued by King John of England in 1215; confirmed feudal rights against monarchical claims; represented principle of mutual limits and obligations between rulers and feudal aristocracy | 13 | |
| 14658966487 | Parliaments | Bodies representing privileged groups; institutionalized feudal principle that rulers should consult with their vassals; found in England, Spain, Germany, and France. | 14 | |
| 14658967979 | Three Estates | The three social groups considered most powerful in Western countries; church, nobles, and urban leaders. | 15 | |
| 14658968777 | Hundred Years War | Conflict between England and France from 1337 to 1453; fought over lands England possessed in France and feudal rights versus the emerging claims of national states | 16 | |
| 14658971586 | Urban II | Called First Crusade in 1095; appealed to Christians to mount military assault to free the Holy Land from the Muslims. | 17 | |
| 14658972546 | Gregory VII | Pope during the 11th century who attempted to free Church from interference of feudal lords; quarreled with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV over practice of lay investiture. | 18 | |
| 14658973717 | Investiture | Practice of state appointment of bishops; Pope Gregory VII attempted to ban the practice of lay investiture, leading to war with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. | 19 | |
| 14658974885 | Aberlard, Peter | Author of Yes and No; university scholar who applied logic to problems of theology; demonstrated logical contradictiond within established doctrine | 20 | |
| 14658980021 | Bernard of Clairvaux | Emphasized role of faith in preference to logic; stressed importance of mystical union with God; successfully challenged Abelard and had him driven from the universities. | 21 | |
| 14658981017 | Aquinas, Thomas | Creator of one of the great syntheses of medieval learning; taught at University of Paris; author of several Summas; believed that through reason it was possible to know much about natural order, moral law, and nature of God | 22 | |
| 14658982102 | Scholasticism | Dominant medieval philosophical approach; so-called because of its base in the schools or universities; based on use of logic to resolve theological problems | 23 | |
| 14658983422 | Gothic | An architectural style developed during the Middle Ages in western Europe; featured pointed arches and flying buttresses as external supports on main walls | 24 | |
| 14658984911 | Hanseatic League | An organization of north German and Scandinavian cities for the purpose of establishing a commercial alliance. | 25 | |
| 14658985824 | Capitalism | Economic system based on profit-seeking, private ownership, and investment | 26 | |
| 14658989380 | Guilds | Sworn associations of people in the same business or craft in a single city; stressed security and mutual control; limited membership, regulated apprenticeship, guaranteed good workmanship; often established franchise within cities | 27 | |
| 14658991111 | Black Death | Plague that struck Europe in 14th century; significantly reduced Europe's population; affected social structure | 28 |
