Chapter 8
Vocabulary
1
Medieval
Latin for “middle age.”
2
Frontier
a sparsely populated,
undeveloped area on the
outskirts of a civilization
Missi
Dominici
3
Officials sent to check on roads,
listen to grievances, and see that
justice was done
4
Curriculum
formal course of study, based on
Latin learning
5
Feudalism
a loosely organized system of rule
in which powerful local lords
divided their landholdings among
lesser lords
6
Vassal
lesser lords that pledged service
and loyalty to the greater lord.
Feudal
Contract
7
exchange of pledges between lords
and vassals
8
Fief
An estate granted to a vassal by
his lord
9
Knight
Mounted Warrior
10
Tournament
Mock Battle
11
Chivalry
Code of Conduct adopted by
Knights
12
Troubadour
Wandering Musical Poets or
Minstrels
13
Manor
Lord’s Estate
14
Serfs
Peasants who could be bought and
sold with the land
15
Sacraments
The holy rites of the Church
16
Tithe
Church tax equal to a tenth of
someone's income
17
Secular
Worldly force in medieval Europe;
not associated with religion
18
Papal
Supremacy
medieval popes claimed authority
over all secular rulers.
19
Canon Law
Church developed body of laws
20
Excommunication
Punishment so that people could
not receive the sacraments or a
Christian burial
21
Interdict
order excluding an entire town,
region, or kingdom from receiving
most sacraments and Christian
burial
22
Simony
the selling of Church offices
23
Friar
Monks who did not live in isolated
monasteries but traveled around
Europe's growing towns preaching
to the poor.
24
Anti-Semitism
prejudice against Jews
25
Charter
Written document set out the rights
and privileges of the town
26
Capital
Money used for investment
27
Partnership
merchants that pooled their funds to
finance a large-scale venture that
would have been too costly for any
individual trader
Bill of
Exchange
28
Paper draft (on a deposit) that was
issued in one city and was redeemable
in another city
29
Tenant Farmers
Peasants who paid rent for their land
30
Middle Class
merchants, traders, and artisans that
formed a new group of wealth between
nobles and peasants
31
Usury
Lending money at interest
32
Guilds
merchants and artisans associations
33
Apprentice
trainee to a guild master
34
Journeymen
salaried workers