Q.1 Which event is traditionally considered the start of the Middle Ages in Europe?
Fall of Constantinople
Fall of Rome
The Crusades
The Renaissance
Explanation - The Fall of Rome in 476 CE is commonly marked as the beginning of the European Middle Ages.
Correct answer is: Fall of Rome
Q.2 Who was the Byzantine emperor during the peak of its territorial expansion in the 6th century?
Justinian I
Constantine I
Heraclius
Alexios I Komnenos
Explanation - Emperor Justinian I (527–565 CE) expanded the Byzantine Empire and codified Roman law.
Correct answer is: Justinian I
Q.3 Which city became the capital of the Byzantine Empire?
Rome
Athens
Constantinople
Alexandria
Explanation - Constantinople, formerly Byzantium, served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire from 330 CE.
Correct answer is: Constantinople
Q.4 The Battle of Tours (732) was significant because it:
Ended Viking invasions
Stopped Muslim expansion into Western Europe
Marked the fall of Constantinople
Began the Hundred Years' War
Explanation - Charles Martel's victory at the Battle of Tours prevented further Muslim expansion into Western Europe.
Correct answer is: Stopped Muslim expansion into Western Europe
Q.5 Which of the following was a major trade city in medieval Europe?
Baghdad
Venice
Cairo
Mecca
Explanation - Venice became a major trading hub connecting Europe with the Byzantine and Islamic worlds.
Correct answer is: Venice
Q.6 The Islamic Golden Age primarily took place under which caliphate?
Umayyad
Abbasid
Ottoman
Fatimid
Explanation - The Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 CE) oversaw advancements in science, philosophy, and culture.
Correct answer is: Abbasid
Q.7 Which architectural style is most associated with medieval Europe?
Gothic
Baroque
Renaissance
Neoclassical
Explanation - Gothic architecture, with its pointed arches and flying buttresses, dominated medieval European cathedrals.
Correct answer is: Gothic
Q.8 Charlemagne was crowned emperor by the Pope in which year?
800 CE
750 CE
814 CE
787 CE
Explanation - Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as emperor on Christmas Day, 800 CE, marking the revival of the Western Roman Empire in Europe.
Correct answer is: 800 CE
Q.9 Which group was known for raiding Europe from Scandinavia during the early Middle Ages?
Vikings
Moors
Saracens
Huns
Explanation - Vikings from Scandinavia raided and settled in parts of Europe from the late 8th to 11th centuries.
Correct answer is: Vikings
Q.10 The Hagia Sophia, built in Constantinople, is famous as a:
Mosque
Cathedral
Synagogue
Palace
Explanation - The Hagia Sophia was constructed as a cathedral under Emperor Justinian I and later became a mosque.
Correct answer is: Cathedral
Q.11 Feudalism in medieval Europe was primarily based on:
Trade networks
Land ownership and obligations
Religious laws
Centralized government
Explanation - Feudalism was a hierarchical system where land was exchanged for military and labor services.
Correct answer is: Land ownership and obligations
Q.12 Which Islamic leader recaptured Jerusalem during the Crusades?
Saladin
Harun al-Rashid
Mehmed II
Abu Bakr
Explanation - Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria, recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187.
Correct answer is: Saladin
Q.13 The Schism of 1054 split Christianity into:
Catholicism and Protestantism
Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy
Orthodoxy and Islam
Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy
Explanation - The Great Schism divided the Christian Church into Western (Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) branches.
Correct answer is: Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy
Q.14 Which empire was known for preserving Roman law and culture after the fall of the Western Roman Empire?
Byzantine Empire
Ottoman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
Frankish Empire
Explanation - The Byzantine Empire continued Roman traditions in law, administration, and culture for nearly a thousand years.
Correct answer is: Byzantine Empire
Q.15 Which of the following was a center of learning in the Islamic world?
Baghdad
Paris
Rome
London
Explanation - Baghdad, particularly during the Abbasid Caliphate, was a hub for scholars, libraries, and scientific study.
Correct answer is: Baghdad
Q.16 The Vikings primarily came from which regions?
Scandinavia
Iberian Peninsula
North Africa
Middle East
Explanation - Vikings originated from modern-day Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Correct answer is: Scandinavia
Q.17 Which code of conduct guided knights in medieval Europe?
Chivalry
Sharia
Canon Law
Magna Carta
Explanation - Chivalry was the moral, social, and martial code that knights were expected to follow.
Correct answer is: Chivalry
Q.18 Which empire was known for its impressive road network and preservation of Greek knowledge?
Byzantine Empire
Holy Roman Empire
Mongol Empire
Ottoman Empire
Explanation - The Byzantine Empire maintained Roman infrastructure and preserved much of Greek philosophical and scientific knowledge.
Correct answer is: Byzantine Empire
Q.19 The Reconquista refers to:
The Islamic conquest of Spain
The Christian reconquest of Spain from Muslims
The Mongol invasions of Europe
The Crusades to the Holy Land
Explanation - The Reconquista was a centuries-long effort by Christian kingdoms to reclaim Iberian territories from Muslim rulers.
Correct answer is: The Christian reconquest of Spain from Muslims
Q.20 The primary language of administration and scholarship in the Byzantine Empire was:
Latin
Greek
Arabic
Persian
Explanation - Greek became the dominant administrative and cultural language in the Byzantine Empire after the 7th century.
Correct answer is: Greek
Q.21 Which of these was a famous medieval university?
University of Paris
Harvard University
Oxford University
Both A and C
Explanation - The University of Paris and Oxford University were among the earliest centers of higher learning in medieval Europe.
Correct answer is: Both A and C
Q.22 Which Islamic scholar is known for contributions to medicine during the medieval period?
Avicenna (Ibn Sina)
Al-Khwarizmi
Al-Farabi
Rumi
Explanation - Avicenna's 'Canon of Medicine' was a foundational medical text in both the Islamic world and Europe.
Correct answer is: Avicenna (Ibn Sina)
Q.23 The Carolingian Renaissance is associated with:
Charlemagne's promotion of learning and culture
The invention of the printing press
The founding of the University of Bologna
The rise of Gothic architecture
Explanation - Charlemagne encouraged the revival of classical learning and literacy in the 8th and 9th centuries.
Correct answer is: Charlemagne's promotion of learning and culture
Q.24 The term 'Caliph' refers to:
A Muslim religious leader and political successor to Muhammad
A Christian bishop
A Byzantine general
A Viking chieftain
Explanation - A Caliph is the leader of the Muslim community, combining religious and political authority.
Correct answer is: A Muslim religious leader and political successor to Muhammad
Q.25 The system of serfdom in medieval Europe meant that peasants:
Were free citizens with land rights
Were bound to the land and owed service to their lord
Could vote in local assemblies
Owned all land they farmed
Explanation - Serfs were legally tied to the lord's land and owed labor and dues in exchange for protection.
Correct answer is: Were bound to the land and owed service to their lord