Deck 11: The Early Middle Ages

Question 1

Granada, which fell in 1492, was the last Islamic kingdom in

A) France.
B) Germany.
C) Italy.
D) Spain.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following statements about Charlemagne is FALSE?

A) He established a unified code of laws for his empire.
B) He instituted a program to improve education in his realm.
C) He established a political organization based on that of ancient Rome.
D) He replaced Latin with German as the language of scholarship.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Of what do early Islamic paintings mainly consist?

A) depictions of Muhammad dictating the Koran
B) abstract geometric and floral patterns
C) landscapes and still lifes
D) images of Allah seated in heaven

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A unique feature of the Great Mosque of Córdoba is its

A) survival unaltered since it was first constructed.
B) use of supporting walls in place of columns.
C) orientation along an east-west axis.
D) use of double arches to elevate the roof.

Question 5

In the sixteenth century, the Great Mosque of Córdoba was damaged by

A) a fire set by a radical priest.
B) an occupying army.
C) the construction of a Christian cathedral inside it.
D) an earthquake.

Question 6

Sutton Hoo in East Anglia is the site of a famous

A) battle between Muslims and Franks.
B) Early Christian cathedral.
C) Anglo-Saxon royal palace.
D) pagan ship burial.

Question 7

The Early Middle Ages are associated with all of the following EXCEPT

A) the establishment of strong nation-states under powerful kings.
B) the lingering effects of the Roman Empire's collapse.
C) the expansion of Germanic tribes across Europe.
D) the spread of Muslims and Islamic influence into Europe.

Question 8

What is a minaret?

A) a small niche indicating the direction toward Mecca.
B) an enclosed courtyard inside a mosque.
C) a prayer wall.
D) a tower from which a crier calls Muslims to prayer.

Question 9

The lands under Charlemagne's rule included all of the following EXCEPT

A) England.
B) France.
C) Germany.
D) Holland.

Question 10

The merging animal forms on Anglo-Saxon metalwork suggest the influence of which ancient culture?

A) Roman
B) Persian
C) Scythian
D) Greek

Question 11

The culture of northern Europe in the early Middle Ages could best be described as

A) Hellenistic.
B) Germanic.
C) Roman.
D) Muslim.

Question 12

Who designed the palace chapel at Charlemagne's imperial capital?

A) Odo
B) Alcuin
C) Columba
D) Charles Martel

Question 13

Probably the most famous medieval Hiberno-Saxon manuscript is the

A) Book of Kells.
B) Book of Aachen.
C) Book of Alcuin.
D) Book of Tunc.

Question 14

Two features all mosques share are the

A) qibla and hadj.
B) hadj and mihrab.
C) sahn and qibla.
D) mihrab and muezzin.

Question 15

Illuminated manuscripts evidenced all of the following qualities EXCEPT

A) interlacing patterns.
B) optical illusions.
C) surface depth.
D) religious symbolism.

Question 16

What is a mihrab?

A) a small niche indicating the direction toward Mecca.
B) a prayer wall.
C) an enclosed courtyard inside a mosque.
D) a tower from which a crier calls Muslims to prayer.

Question 17

Illuminated manuscripts were often made on high-quality calfskin parchment known as

A) scriptorium.
B) vellum.
C) crucifexerant.
D) clerestory.

Question 18

The equestrian statuette of Charlemagne from Metz exemplifies the Frankish king's attempt to identify himself with the

A) gods of Roman mythology.
B) Germanic kings who overran the Roman empire.
C) early apostles of Jesus Christ.
D) emperors of Rome.

Question 19

The "Hiberno" in Hiberno-Saxon artwork refers to

A) Ireland.
B) Germany.
C) England.
D) Denmark.

Question 20

The Ottonian church of St. Michael's at Hildesheim was commissioned by

A) Otto I.
B) Otto III.
C) Charlemagne.
D) Bernward.

Question 21

Monasteries served administrative, economic, and educational functions as well as religious ones.

Question 22

Whom did Charlemagne hire to organize cathedral and monastic schools for his empire?

A) Odo
B) Alcuin
C) Columba
D) Charles Martel

Question 23

Early Muslims believed that sculpture was a blasphemous art form.

Question 24

What architectural feature did Charlemagne's palace chapel share with the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna?

A) a cruciform layout
B) central planning
C) elaborate, Byzantine frescoes
D) a vast number of columns

Question 25

An impressive feature of the Ottonian Benedictine abbey church of St. Michael's is a pair of ornamented doors made from

A) cast bronze.
B) chiseled marble.
C) carved oak.
D) sculpted ivory.

Question 26

Much like Christianity, Islam had a powerful priesthood, a clear religious hierarchy, and sacraments.

Question 27

The Vivian Bible of the mid-ninth century represents a shift away from the frenzied, agitated qualities of Carolingian manuscripts.

Question 28

Ireland's artistic culture was shaped by repeated invasions of Roman armies and Germanic hordes.

Question 29

Which Irish abbot established an outpost at Iona from which he converted Scotland to Christianity?

A) Odo
B) Alcuin
C) Columba
D) Patrick

Question 30

Under Charlemagne, monasteries followed the rules of which sixth-century saint?

A) Patrick
B) Alcuin
C) Columba
D) Benedict

Question 31

The title character if the epic Beowulf was a legendary king of England.

Question 32

In the wake of Charlemagne's death, the influence of Roman antiquity on northern European art declined.

Question 33

The central dome of the Great Mosque of Córdoba feature mosaics that reveal the influence of Byzantine culture.

Question 34

The Ottonian empire was confined mostly to

A) England.
B) Germany.
C) France.
D) Spain.

Question 35

As evidenced by theFour Evangelists from a Carolingian Gospel book, Carolingian manuscripts differed from earlier northern European traditions in the use of

A) merging animal forms.
B) abstract geometric designs.
C) landscape and three-dimensional space.
D) religious iconography.

Question 36

During the early Middle Ages, northern European societies produced almost no paintings or sculptures.

Question 37

In the late eighth century, Charlemagne moved his capital to which city, where he had an impressive palace chapel built?

A) Metz
B) Tours
C) Aachen
D) Hildesheim

Question 38

Charlemagne's palace chapel was built according to uniquely Germanic standards, showing little evidence of Roman influence.

Question 39

In Christian iconography, the lion represents which Evangelist?

A) St. Mark
B) St. Luke
C) St. John
D) St. Matthew

Question 40

The most significant Ottonian architectural accomplishment was the Benedictine abbey church of St. Michael's at

A) Hildesheim.
B) East Anglia.
C) Metz.
D) Aachen.

Question 41

How did Charlemagne use art and architecture to enhance his power?

Question 42

Why were illuminated manuscripts so ornate? What purposes did the ornamentation serve?

Question 43

What are the main architectural features of mosques? How did the architecture of mosques reflect Islamic beliefs?

Question 44

Compare the Islamic and Germanic artworks of the early Middle Ages. What characteristics do they share and how do they differ? Which was more of an heir to Classical antiquity?

Question 45

Scholars sometimes refer to developments in arts and letters during the reign of Charlemagne as the Carolingian Renaissance. How did the arts change during Charlemagne's reign? How responsible was the emperor himself for those changes?

Question 46

How did the Christian artists of the early Middle Ages adapt pagan German motifs into their own works?

Question 47

How did monasteries contribute to Charlemagne's imperial administration and reform?