1.  King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor; conqueror of the Lombards and Saxons (742-814).  
2.  Charles the Great, became Holy Roman Emperor who worked to bring political order to northwestern fringes of the Roman Empire 

Canon Law

laws under the authority of the church 

Clovis

King of the Franks who unified Gaul and established his capital at Paris and founded the Frankish monarchy; his name was rendered as Gallic `Louis' (466-511).

Code of Chivalry

Rules that Knights had to live by; serve lord on earth, heavenly father, chosen lady. Take care of weak and poor. 

Dark Age

Time with little change in culture and a lack of structure to civilization. 

Excommunication

The act of banishing a member of the Church from the communion of believers and the privileges of the Church; cutting a person off from a religious society.

Feudalism

The social system that developed in Europe in the 8th C; vassals were protected by lords who they had to serve in war.

Fief

A piece of land held under the feudal system.

Germanic Tribes

Barbarians that attacked the roman empire 

Holy Roman Empire

a political and religious uniting of Europe that began in 800AD 

Illuminated Manuscripts

In the 600’s and 700’s, monks made beautiful copies of religious writings.
These images preserved at least a part of Rome’s intellectual heritage 

King Authur

legendary leader of Britian in the Middle Ages inspired epic poems and stories 

Missionary

Someone sent on a mission--especially a religious or charitable mission to a foreign country.

Monastery

a place for religious people to live and study

Pope

the head of the Roman Catholic Church

Serf

(medieval Europe) a person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord.

Three Field System

Way of farming where farmer allows one field to be unused and rotated. 

Tithes

percentage of earnings, wealth, or belongings paid to the church, king, or landowner. Similiar to taxes.

Tournaments

A series of jousts between knights contesting for a prize.

Vassal

Less powerful noble who promises to fight for a lord in exchange for a piece of land from the lord's fief.