Crusades, Romanesque Art, and the Black Death: Key Facts
The Crusades
1. What were the Crusades?
- They were expeditions formed by Christian kings, knights, and vassals.
- They set off into the Eastern Mediterranean to reconquer the Holy Land, which was under Muslim control.
Romanesque Art
2. What was Romanesque art?
It was a new artistic style that spread throughout Europe in the 11th and 12th centuries.
Characteristics of Romanesque Art
3. Explain the characteristics of Romanesque art (6)
- It is the first fully European style.
- It was inspired by the art of Ancient Rome.
- It is a highly religious style of art.
- It used expensive materials.
- The most important example was Cluny Abbey in France.
- It is important for its architecture in stone.
Architectural Elements of Romanesque Art
4. Name 12 architectural elements of Romanesque art.
Thick stone walls, barrel vault, hemispherical dome, semi-circular arch, pillars with columns, capital decorated with sculptures, semi-circular apses, small windows, buttresses, Latin-cross floor plan, a large atrium at the entrance.
Pilgrimage Routes
5. Where did pilgrimage routes lead to?
They led to Rome, Jerusalem, and Santiago de Compostela.
Romanesque Churches: Bibles in Stone
6. Why are Romanesque churches often referred to as “bibles in stone”?
- Because they had a didactic purpose.
Main Subjects in Romanesque Art
7. What were the main subjects in Romanesque art? Name them.
The Romanesque Virgin, The Pantocrator, The Bestiary, Scenes from the Gospels.
Depiction of Figures
8. How are figures depicted in Romanesque sculpture and painting?
- They are depicted in unreal, stiff poses.
- There isn’t any communication between them.
The Rise of Towns
9. What was a burg?
It was a fortified town surrounded by walls.
The Bourgeoisie
10. A new social group emerged, the bourgeoisie. Who were they?
Members of the bourgeoisie were free and powerful. They were the richest citizens because of their commercial activity.
Jewish Population
11. Where did the Jewish population live? What kind of trade did they develop?
- They lived in Jewish quarters (juderías) or ghettos.
- Some of them were moneylenders, as it was prohibited among Christians.
Guilds
12. Explain what guilds were.
They were associations of craftsmen who had the same profession and who worked in a certain area of the city.
The Black Death
13. What was the Black Death?
It was a terrible epidemic that spread through Europe between 1348 and 1350. The Black Death took the lives of more than one-third of Europe’s population.
The Hundred Years’ War
14. Did the Hundred Years´ War last 100 years? How many years did the Hundred Years´ War last? When did this war start and end? Which countries fought in the war? Which country won the war?
- No, it didn’t. It lasted 116 years.
- It started in 1337 and finished in 1453.
- England and France fought in the war.
- France won the war.
Joan of Arc
15. Who was Joan of Arc? Why is she famous? How did she die?
- Joan of Arc was a peasant girl who claimed that God was guiding her.
- Because she led the French armies to several victories.
- She was captured and handed over to the English. She was burnt for heresy in 1431, at the age of 19.
Gothic Art
16. What did cathedrals symbolize?
- They were built as a symbol of the prosperity of cities.
- They were a demonstration of the wealth of the bourgeoisie and the important role of the church in Europe.
Architectural Elements of Gothic Art
17. Name 11 architectural elements of Gothic art
1. Tower – 2. Main façade – 3. Rose window – 4. Portico 5. Buttress – 6. Ogival arch/Pointed arch 7. Pinnacle – 8. Flying buttress 9. Roof 10. Spire 11. Ribbed vault