The High and Late Middle Ages 1050-1450

The most fatal pandemic recorded in human history. Black Death. The Black Death was a devastating plague that wiped out millions in Europe during the 14th century.

The body of law derived from judicial decisions of courts and similar tribunals common law. Common law is a legal system that evolves through the precedents set by judges in court cases throughout history.

A series of wars over religious views between the Christian and Muslim populations. Crusades. The Crusades were a series of medieval military expeditions by European Christians to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control.

An Italian poet, best known for his Divine Comedy. Dante Alighieri was a medieval writer who significantly influenced Western literature and thought.

A legal requirement that the state must respect all legal rights that are owed to a person. Due process of law. In History, due process of law is the principle that ensures fair treatment through the judicial system.

Large outbreak of disease in a specific area. Epidemic. An epidemic is when a lot of people in one area get sick from the same disease at the same time, like during the 1918 flu pandemic.

The monarchs whose marriage and joint rule marked the de facto unification of Spain Ferdinand and Isabella. Ferdinand and Isabella were the Catholic Monarchs who united Spain and sponsored Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage.

An arches that extend from the upper portion of a wall to a pier of great mass. Flying buttresses. Flying buttresses are architectural features used in Gothic cathedrals to support walls and allow for taller structures and larger windows.

The Holy Roman Emperor 1155 - 1190. Frederick Barbarossa. He was a powerful medieval emperor known for his efforts to consolidate central authority and his conflicts with the papacy and Italian city-states.

An English poet and author, best known for The Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer. Geoffrey Chaucer is considered the father of English literature because he wrote in English when many works were in Latin or French.

A style of medieval art that developed in Northern France out of Romanesque art. Gothic style. Gothic style is a type of architecture known for its pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses, commonly used in cathedrals and churches during the late Middle Ages.

A legal action that requires a person who has been imprisoned to be brought to a judge or into court. Habeas corpus is a legal principle that protects against unlawful imprisonment.

The King of Navarre 1572 and France 1589 - 1610. Henry IV. He was the first French monarch of the Bourbon dynasty, known for promoting religious tolerance with the Edict of Nantes.

An area roughly located between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Holy Land. It is a historically significant region for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam due to its religious sites and events.

A multi-ethnic complex of territories in Western and Central Europe. Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire was a medieval empire that lasted from 962 to 1806, which included various regions in present-day Germany, Italy, and other areas, and was ruled by an emperor often elected by its princes.

A manuscript in which the text is supplemented with decoration. Illumination. Illumination refers to the artistic decoration of manuscripts with gold, silver, and vivid colors, often used in medieval times to make documents beautiful and significant.

A sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services. Inflation. In history, inflation is when prices rise over time, making money worth less.

A group of institutions within the Catholic Church whose aim was to combat heresy. Inquisition. The Inquisition was a series of efforts by the Catholic Church to identify and punish heresy and maintain religious orthodoxy.

A body of people convened to render an impartial verdict or to set a penalty or judgment. Jury. In history, a jury is a group of citizens that decides the outcome of a legal case in a trial.

The King of England 1199 - 1216, significant for the sealing of Magna Carta. King John. He was a medieval king whose poor leadership led to the barons forcing him to agree to limit his power with the Magna Carta.

A conflict between secular and religious powers. Lay investiture. Lay investiture was a historical practice where kings or nobles appointed church officials, like bishops, instead of the Pope or church leaders.

A type of bow that is tall allowing the archer a fairly long draw. Longbow. The longbow was a powerful medieval weapon used notably by English archers in battles like Agincourt.

The only King of France to be canonized in the Catholic Church. Louis IX. Louis IX was a French king known for his pious nature and leading two Crusades.

A charter of rights agreed to by King John of England. Magna Carta. It is a document from 1215 that limited the king's power and established basic legal rights.

A body of various kinds of deliberative, consultative, and judicial assemblies. Parliament. Parliament is a group of people who make laws and decisions for a country.

One of the great reforming popes, known for the part he played in the lay investiture. Pope Gregory VII. He was a medieval pope who fought to separate church leadership from kings and nobles.

One of the most powerful and influential of the medieval popes. Pope Innocent III. He was a pope who greatly expanded the authority of the papacy during the Middle Ages.

The bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States 1088 - 1099. Pope Urban II. He is most known for initiating the First Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land.

A Christian gradual military retaking of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors. Reconquista. The Reconquista was a long series of battles in which Christian kingdoms in Spain and Portugal sought to reclaim land from Muslim rulers.

A division between people, belonging to an organization or religious denomination. Schism. In history, a schism is when a group splits into separate factions due to differences in beliefs or practices.

A medieval school of philosophy with the teachings of Christian theology. Scholasticism. It is a method that aimed to reconcile faith and reason by using logic and philosophy to interpret Christian doctrines.

An Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church. Thomas Aquinas. He was a medieval thinker who combined Christian theology with Aristotelian philosophy.

The speech variety used by the general population in a geographical or social territory. Vernacular. In History, vernacular refers to the common language spoken by ordinary people in a specific region or country, as opposed to a formal or literary language.

The first Norman King of England 1066 - 1087. William the Conqueror. He was the leader who successfully invaded England in 1066, changing its history.