Medieval Vocabulary

In medieval Europe, a peasant legally bound to the land who had to provide labor services, pay rents, and be subject to the lord’s control 

• Serfs

• Constantinople

• Manorialism

• Roman Catholicism

The economic portion of feudalism where all aspects of life were centered on the lord’s manor including peasant villages, a church, farm land, a mill, and the lord’s castle or manor house.

• Serfs

• Constantinople

• Manorialism

• Roman Catholicism

The belief in the Christian church of which the pope, or bishop of Rome, is the supreme head.

• Serfs

• Constantinople

• Manorialism

• Roman Catholicism

Under feudalism, a member of the heavily armed cavalry.

• Knights

• Byzantine Empire

• Code of Justinian

• Lords

Both a Greek and Christian state with Greek used as the official language, with an Emperor who was believed to be chosen by God and had absolute power.

• Knights

• Byzantine Empire

• Code of Justinian

• Lords

A collection of Roman imperial law, forming part of the Corpus Juris Civils

• Knights

• Byzantine Empire

• Code of Justinian

• Lords

Someone having power, authority, or influence.

• Knights

• Byzantine Empire

• Code of Justinian

• Lords

The “Great Charter” of rights, which King John was forced to sign by the English nobles at Runnymede in 1215.

• Magna Carta

• Guilds

• Three-Field System

• Crusades

A medieval association of craftsmen or merchants, often having considerable power.

• Magna Carta

• Guilds

• Three-Field System

• Crusades

Military expeditions carried out by European Christians in the Middle Ages to regain the Holy Land from the Muslims.

• Magna Carta

• Guilds

• Three-Field System

• Crusades