World History A Topic 7 The Early Middle Ages

What was the Investiture Crisis?

• The question of who should invest (appoint) whom, was the subject of a conflict between the Islamic church and state (mainly the Holy Roman Empire) in the Middle Ages.

• On the surface, a conflict about the appointments of religious offices, was a powerful struggle for control over who held ultimate authority—the Holy Roman Emperor or the pope.

• In the Middle Ages, investiture was a ceremonial procedure where a cleric would give up all his worldly possessions.

• The Holy Roman Empire was divided into hundreds of individual entities governed by kings, dukes, counts, bishops, abbots, and other rulers, collectively known as princes. Their domains were known as principalities, which they governed independently from the emperor, thus severely increasing his power.

How was the Investiture Crisis a turning point in the politics of Europe during the Middle Ages?

• It led to many years of bitterness and nearly 50 years of civil war in Germany. The war ended with the triumph of the great dukes and abbots and the falling apart of the German empire.

• It represented the most significant alliance between secular and religious powers in medieval Europe of that time.

• It divided the Holy Roman Empire into hundreds of individual entities which increased the power of the emperor.

• The greater part of the religious and political systems of the high Middle Ages were entirely separate to the events and ideas of the investiture crisis.

Why was Charlemagne crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire?

• Charlemagne sought official recognition.

• Pope Leo sought more control of the empire.

• Landowner Franks elected Charlemagne as king.

• Charlemagne said he stood outside of history.

Which BEST describes the outcome of the Investiture Controversy?

• The pope has authority over bishops in Rome; rulers establish local bishops.

• The pope has more authority over bishops throughout Europe rather than rulers.

• The pope is no longer the head of the church; rulers are now supreme.

• The pope no longer has authority to appoint bishops; rulers appoint bishops.

Which BEST describes the role of the pope after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire?

• a. a source of authority and continuity throughout Europe

• b. a local spiritual leader focused on Rome and surrounding areas

• c. a military leader primarily of a territory in Italy

• d. a religious leader who did not recognize Germanic tribes as Christian

What was the significance of Charles Martel’s involvement at the Battle of Tours?

• His loss led to the fall of western Europe due to the region’s division among factions.

• His loss meant the Umayyad Caliphate took control of southern France.

• His victory curtailed the spread of Muslim caliphates or empires into western Europe.

• His victory over the Umayyad Caliphate led to the removal of Muslims from Europe.

The Imperial Diet (Reichstag) was the (a)   body of the Holy Roman Empire and theoretically superior to the emperor himself.

• executive

• legislative

• judicial

How did Charlemagne affect the Holy Roman Empire?

• a. He banned classical texts in an act of Christian orthodoxy.

• b. He seized control of eastern Europe and western Asia to turn them Christian.

• c. He expanded the size to control present-day France, Germany, and surrounding regions.

• d. He conquered the Byzantine Empire and united the eastern and western empires.

The Hohenstaufen dynasty, which started in 1125, and especially Emperor Frederick I, represented both a final attempt at unified power and the beginning of the (a)   of that power.

• centralization

• consolidation

• increase

• dissolution

How did European culture benefit MOST directly from Christian monasticism?

• Armies from monasteries defended Europe as Christian territory.

• Monks copied and preserved ancient texts and learning.

• The church censured, or condemned, and destroyed ancient texts.

• Monasticism led to protracted civil and ecclesiastical change in Germany.