Middle Ages Vocabulary

a high ranking member of the catholic church appointed by the pope to the college of cardinals

poor people who worked for the lords during the middle age; worked long hours, poorly fed

expulsion from the Church for refusing to obey Church laws

man who gives up all his property and dedicated his life to god

system of government in which local lords governed their own land, but owed military support

clowns who appeared before a lord and tried to make him laugh with antics, tricks, and jokes

person who rules a country – during the middle ages the influence of kings decreased as the power of lords increased

money or wealth

issued by a banker in one city to a merchant who could exchange it for cash in a distant city

a clergyman of the Christian church; in medieval times almost all manors had one

young person learning a trade from a master

a person who had authority, power, or control over others ( could be a greater and lesser)

body of laws of the church

a high ranking church official with authority over a local area

land granted to a vassal by his lord

officials sent out to check on roads, listen to grievances, and keep justice

head of the Roman Catholic Church; appointed by the cardinals

sacred ritual of the church

code of conduct for knights

practice of lending money with interest

mounted warrior

a written document that set out rights and privileges of a town

payment to the church = to 1/10 of a person’s income

a noble who granted land by the lord in exchange for military service and other services

a large estate with one or more villages and the surrounding lands

association of merchants or artisans who cooperated to protect their economic interests

period of European Ages between ancient and modern days = about 500 – 1500