Lecture Notes: Historical Figures and Concepts

Celts/Gauls

• Indigenous tribes of Western Europe.
• Known for their warrior culture and resistance to Roman conquest.
• Gauls were Celtic tribes in modern-day France.

Roman Conquest and Julius Caesar

• Julius Caesar was a Roman general.
• Conquered Gaul between 58-50 BCE.
• Played a key role in the fall of the Roman Republic.

West Franconia

• Western part of the former Carolingian Empire.
• Foundation for medieval France.

Angles and Saxons

• Germanic tribes that migrated to Britain in the 5th century.
• Formed the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.

Key Figures

• Alfred the Great: King of Wessex (871–899); defended England against Viking invasions; promoted learning.
• William the Conqueror: Duke of Normandy; won the Battle of Hastings in 1066; first Norman King of England.

English Language Development

• Developed from Anglo-Saxon (Old English).
• Influenced by Latin, Norse, and Norman French.

The Rus

• Early Slavic people.
• Influenced by Norse Vikings.
• Founded Kievan Rus, precursor to Russia.

Key Figures

• Oleg the Viking: Varangian ruler; established Kiev as a trade center in the 9th century.

Holy Roman Empire (HRE)

• Loose confederation of Germanic and Central European states (962–1806).
• First ruled by Otto I.

Cordoba/Moors

• Major Islamic center in Spain under the Moors.
• Known for cultural and scientific achievements.

Ferdinand and Isabella

• Catholic monarchs who united Spain.
• Completed the Reconquista in 1492.
• Funded Columbus’s voyage.

Ottoman Empire

• Mehmed II: Conquered Constantinople in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire.
• Suleiman the Magnificent: Expanded the empire in the 16th century; known for military and legal reforms.
  • Battle of Mohacs (1526): Ottoman victory over Hungary.
• The Janissaries: Elite Ottoman soldiers.
• Roxelana: Influential wife of Suleiman.
• Battle of Lepanto (1571): Holy League defeated the Ottoman fleet.

The Renaissance

• Cultural rebirth (14th–17th centuries).
• Revival of classical learning, art, and science.

Key Figures

• Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance artist and scientist; painted Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.
• Francis Bacon: Philosopher who promoted the scientific method.

Movements

• Humanism: Focus on classical texts, human potential, and individualism.
• Scholasticism: Medieval learning system reconciling faith with reason.

The Reformation

• 16th-century religious movement creating Protestant churches.

Key Figures

• Martin Luther: German monk; initiated Reformation with 95 Theses in 1517.
• John Calvin: Protestant reformer; emphasized predestination.
• The English Reformation: Separation from the Catholic Church under King Henry VIII (1534).

Counter-Reformation

• Catholic response to the Reformation.
• Reaffirmed doctrines and reformed church abuses.

Key Events

• St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572): Killing of Huguenots by Catholics.
• Bloody Mary (Mary I): Persecuted Protestants to restore Catholicism.
• Elizabeth I: Protestant queen; established England as a naval power.
• The Spanish Armada (1588): Failed Spanish invasion of England.

Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648)

• Devastating conflict in the HRE between Catholics and Protestants.
• Ended by the Peace of Westphalia.

Key Figures

• Gustavus Adolphus: Swedish king; modernized warfare; supported Protestants.

Chinese Concepts and History

• Mandate of Heaven/Middle Kingdom: Emperors ruled by divine right.
• Confucianism: Philosophy emphasizing hierarchy and moral virtue.
• Beijing and the Forbidden City: Ming-era imperial palace.

Key Figures

• Yongle: Ming emperor; moved capital to Beijing and expanded naval power.
• Zheng He: Chinese admiral; led maritime expeditions in the 15th century.
• Manchus: Founded the Qing Dynasty (1644).
• Kangxi: Qing emperor; known for stability and cultural flourishing.

Japanese History

• Shogun: Military ruler, held real power.
• Daimyo: Feudal lords.
• Samurai: Warrior class.
• Seppuku: Ritual suicide by samurai.

Key Figures and Policies

• Toyotomi Hideyoshi: Unifier of Japan; led campaigns in Korea.
• The Separation Edict: Limited social interaction.
• The Sword Hunt: Disarmed peasants.
• Tokugawa Ieyasu: Founded Tokugawa shogunate; established long-term stability.
• Battle of Sekigahara (1600): Allowed Tokugawa Ieyasu to unify Japan.
• Closed Country Edict (1635): Isolated Japan from foreign influence.
• Alternate Attendance System: Ensured daimyo loyalty.
• Ronin: Masterless samurai.