Question 1

Politically, France by the end of the fourteenth century saw
A) the dominance of the Estates-General in determining government policy and administering taxes.
B) no new forms of government revenue due to royal opposition.
C) chaos and civil war as rival noble factions fought for control of the realm.
D) new rights of political participation in the Parlement of Paris for poor townspeople.
E) strongly unified as a result of the leadership of Joan of Arc.

Accepted Answer

France at the end of the fourteenth century was marked by political instability and civil war, as rival noble factions battled for control of the realm. This was known as the Hundred Years' War, which lasted from 1337 to 1453, and caused much political and social upheaval in France. The Estates-General played a role in government, but it was not dominant, and there were no significant new forms of government revenue during this period. The Parlement of Paris did not extend new rights to poor townspeople, and while Joan of Arc was a unifying figure, her impact on French politics was limited.

Question 2

The Italian condottieri were
A) political leaders supporting the pope.
B) bankers with branch banks throughout much of Western Europe.
C) merchants working in northern Europe.
D) reformers within the Catholic Church.
E) leaders of mercenary bands, occasionally ruling as military dictators.

Accepted Answer

The Italian condottieri were leaders of mercenary bands, who were hired to fight wars for various Italian city-states and occasionally ruled as military dictators.

Question 3

Prior to the Golden Bull of 1356, Germany was a land composed of
A) the four kingdoms of Bavaria, Prussia, Hanover, and Austria.
B) the papal states and several baronies.
C) hundreds of virtually independent states.
D) a and b
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Prior to the Golden Bull of 1356, Germany was composed of hundreds of virtually independent states, known as the Holy Roman Empire, with fragmented political power and no central authority. It was only through the Golden Bull that a centralized system of rule was established, defining the powers of the emperor and the electoral princes. Options A and B are incorrect as they do not reflect the circumstances of Germany at that time, while option D is partially correct but does not indicate the predominant characteristic of the land.

Question 4

Joan of Arc saved France by inspiring the French soldiers to break the English siege of
A) Bordeaux.
B) Amiens.
C) Orleans.
D) Paris.
E) Geneva.

Accepted Answer

Joan of Arc helped lift the siege of Orleans during the Hundred Years' War, which was a turning point in the conflict and inspired French soldiers to eventually drive the English out of France.

Question 5

The chief ambition of the Venetian city-state in the fourteenth century was
A) financial control of the Holy Roman Empire.
B) inducing the bankruptcy of the papacy.
C) to create a maritime commercial empire throughout the Mediterranean and Black seas.
D) monopolizing the shipping of English wool to Flanders.
E) to wage a crusade against the Turks in order to gain access to the Holy Land.

Accepted Answer

Venice's main goal in the fourteenth century was to establish itself as a dominant maritime power and create a vast commercial empire throughout the Mediterranean and Black seas. This was achieved through the development of a powerful navy and a network of trading posts and colonies throughout the region. While Venice did engage in some military expeditions against the Turks, this was not its primary ambition. Similarly, Venice did have a significant role in the wool trade, but it did not seek to monopolize it, and this was not its chief ambition.

Question 6

One overall result of the Great Schism was to
A) put an end to the church's previous financial abuses.
B) badly damaged the faith of many Christian believers.
C) rejuvenate Christianity as it had been on the decline throughout Europe.
D) end the abuse of pluralism.
E) reinforce the faith of true rather than false Christians.

Accepted Answer

The Great Schism caused a split in the Christian church between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, leading to a loss of faith for many believers who were confused and uncertain about which church was the true faith. This undermined the authority and credibility of the church as a whole.

Question 7

In Venice, ultimate governmental executive power was held by the
A) doge.
B) duce.
C) Great Council.
D) Council of Ten.
E) popolo grandi.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In Venice, ultimate governmental executive power was...

Question 8

After helping drive the English from France, Joan of Arc went on to
A) become rich writing romance novels.
B) be burned at the stake as a heretic.
C) marry the King of France and produce many children.
D) marry a peasant and lived in poverty and obscurity.
E) become the first female Roman Catholic priest.

Accepted Answer

Joan of Arc was tried for heresy due to her dress and her visions, and was burned at the stake in 1431.

Question 9

The crucial battle of the Hundred Years' War that was won by Henry V in 1415 and that led to the treaty and apparent victory in the war for Henry and England was the Battle of
A) Crecy.
B) Tours.
C) Poitiers.
D) Troyes.
E) Agincourt.

Accepted Answer

The crucial battle of the Hundred Years' War that was won by Henry V in 1415 was the Battle of Agincourt. This battle was a significant victory for the English, as they were heavily outnumbered by the French, but due to their skilled longbowmen and tactical maneuvering, they were able to defeat the French army. This victory led to the Treaty of Troyes in 1420, which recognized Henry V as the heir to the French throne and marked a significant turning point in the Hundred Years' War.

Question 10

One decisive advantage that England had at the beginning of the Hundred Years' War was
A) cannons.
B) lances.
C) credit financing.
D) longbow.
E) castles.

Accepted Answer

The longbow was a decisive advantage for England at the beginning of the Hundred Years' War as it allowed them to defeat heavily armored French knights at a distance. This weapon was relatively cheap to produce and required less training than the traditional use of lances, which were primarily used by the French.

Question 11

The conflict between Pope Boniface VIII and Philip IV of France began when Philip
A) tried to end corruption in the French Church.
B) tried to buy the papacy for his nephew, Henry.
C) taxed churchmen without the Church's permission.
D) denied the existence of witches.
E) authorized a French translation of the Bible.

Accepted Answer

Philip IV of France attempted to tax churchmen without the Church's permission, which Pope Boniface VIII saw as an encroachment on the Church's authority. This led to a conflict between the two leaders.

Question 12

Florence was ruled throughout most of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by the
A) grandi.
B) popolo grasso.
C) popolo minuto.
D) ciompi.
E) duce.

Accepted Answer

Florence was ruled throughout most of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by the popolo grasso, which means the "fat people" (wealthy merchants and members of the guilds).

Question 13

The Golden Bull of 1356 in Germany
A) made Emperor Charles IV the first in a line of hereditary rulers.
B) ensured the independence of the ecclesiastical states.
C) gave seven electors the power to choose the "king of the Romans."
D) ensured strong central authority for Germany in the next century.
E) gave limited religious toleration to urban Jews.

Accepted Answer

The Golden Bull of 1356 established a system of choosing the "king of the Romans" (who would later become the Holy Roman Emperor) by the seven electoral princes. This helped to provide some stability and order in the selection of the emperor, but it did not make Charles IV or any subsequent emperor a hereditary ruler. The Golden Bull did not specifically address the independence of ecclesiastical states, nor did it guarantee strong central authority for Germany. It also did not provide any significant religious toleration.

Question 14

In the conduct of the Hundred Years' War, a sure sign of feudalism's decline was the
A) inability of feuding kings to raise armies of knights.
B) reliance of kings on artillery as the main component of royal armies.
C) decisive role of peasant foot soldiers rather than mounted knights.
D) clear intention of kings to destroy the estates of their own vassals.
E) use of heavier armor and larger horses.

Accepted Answer

During the Hundred Years' War, the use of peasant foot soldiers became increasingly prevalent, replacing the traditional reliance on mounted knights as the primary force on the battlefield. This shift away from feudalism's traditional reliance on a knightly class shows a decline in the system's influence.

Question 15

Politically, Italy and Germany were similar in the fourteenth century because
A) the plague had equally devastated both regions.
B) both regions failed to develop a centralized monarchical state.
C) local nobles and town governments lost much influence over reigning kings.
D) mercenary captains usurped royal authority and ruled violently.
E) both had begun to develop industrial economies.

Accepted Answer

Both Italy and Germany lacked a centralized monarchical state during the fourteenth century. Instead, they were divided into multiple city-states and smaller territories ruled by local nobles and town governments. This led to fragmentation and competition between different regions, rather than a unified national identity.

Question 16

In Defender of The Peace, Marsiglio of Padua took the position that
A) popes have authority over the commoners but not over nobles.
B) the church must consign itself solely to spiritual functions.
C) popes have ultimate authority over all men, even kings.
D) the church was entirely illegitimate.
E) each king ought to establish his own church in his country.

Accepted Answer

Marsiglio of Padua argued that the church must limit itself to spiritual functions and not interfere in the affairs of the state. He believed that ultimate authority resides in the people and their elected representatives, not in the church or the pope.

Question 17

France's "first woman of letters" was
A) Pope Joan.
B) Joan of Arc.
C) Heloise.
D) Christine de Pizan
E) Simone de Beauvoir.

Accepted Answer

Christine de Pizan was a medieval writer and philosopher who is often considered France's "first woman of letters" for her pioneering work in feminism and gender equality. She wrote extensively about women's rights and education, and her most famous works include The Book of the City of Ladies and The Treasure of the City of Ladies. While Joan of Arc and Heloise are also significant figures in French history, they are not typically referred to as "women of letters." Pope Joan is a legendary figure rather than a historical one, and Simone de Beauvoir was a 20th century writer and philosopher.

Question 18

The Great Schism arose in 1378 when
A) an argument broke out over the nature of the Trinity.
B) England broke away from the Catholic Church.
C) France was converted to Lutheranism.
D) the French cardinals elected a second pope.
E) an earthquake split St. Peter's basilica in two.

Accepted Answer

The Great Schism of 1378 was caused by the election of a second pope by the French cardinals, resulting in a split in the Catholic Church with one pope residing in Avignon and another in Rome.

Question 19

From 1305 to 1377, the Papacy resided across the French border in the town of
A) Avignon.
B) Bordeaux.
C) Provence.
D) Dijon.
E) Paris.

Accepted Answer

This period of the Papacy when it resided in Avignon is commonly referred to as the Avignon Papacy.

Question 20

During the reign of Edward III of England, the Great Council of the barons
A) became the chief advisory body of the king.
B) relinquished most of its main powers.
C) became the House of Lords forming a hereditary body of peers in Parliament.
D) became subservient to the House of Commons.
E) was abolished in favor of a unitary parliament.

Accepted Answer

During the reign of Edward III, the Great Council evolved into the House of Lords, marking the transition of the council into a hereditary body of peers within the Parliament. This was part of the broader development of the parliamentary system in England.

Quiz 11: the Later Middle Ages: Crisis and Disintegration in the Fourteenth Century

Politically, France by the end of the fourteenth century saw

The Italian condottieri were

Prior to the Golden Bull of 1356, Germany was a land composed of

Joan of Arc saved France by inspiring the French soldiers to break the English siege of

The chief ambition of the Venetian city-state in the fourteenth century was

One overall result of the Great Schism was to

In Venice, ultimate governmental executive power was held by the

After helping drive the English from France, Joan of Arc went on to

The crucial battle of the Hundred Years' War that was won by Henry V in 1415 and that led to the treaty and apparent victory in the war for Henry and England was the Battle of

One decisive advantage that England had at the beginning of the Hundred Years' War was

The conflict between Pope Boniface VIII and Philip IV of France began when Philip

Florence was ruled throughout most of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by the

The Golden Bull of 1356 in Germany

In the conduct of the Hundred Years' War, a sure sign of feudalism's decline was the

Politically, Italy and Germany were similar in the fourteenth century because

In Defender of The Peace, Marsiglio of Padua took the position that

France's "first woman of letters" was

The Great Schism arose in 1378 when

From 1305 to 1377, the Papacy resided across the French border in the town of

During the reign of Edward III of England, the Great Council of the barons