The Middle ages lasted from the 5th all the way to the 15th century in Europe. The beginning of the Middle Ages is marked with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the end of the Middle Ages by the rise of the humanism idea in North Italy, known as Renaissance.
The Middle Ages is usually split into three different periods:
The First period is the end of the Roman Empire and the invasion of the Barbarians who created their own kingdom on the ruins of the Western Roman Empire. At the same time and later during the 7th Century, territories of the formerly Eastern Empire were conquered by the Islamic Empire.
The Second period is known as High Middle Ages which started around 1000 AD. It was marked with the growth of the population in Europe, and with new society form-Feudalism. Also the first ideas of the Crusades were introduced; it was an attempt of the Christians to regain the power over the Middle East and the Holy Land.
The Late Middle Ages was probably the worst period of the Middle Ages regarding the overall health situation in Europe. Indeed, the Black Death, killed a 3rd of the population in Europe. It was one of the reasons the rulers turned their back to the Catholic Church and decided to adopt the new Humanistic ideas of Renaissance. With the end of the Middle Ages came the Early Modern period.
Articles in this section:
Life in the Middle Ages was rather strictly centered around something of a caste system. A clear hierarchy existed, a pyramid of sorts with royalty at the top and peasants, comprising the bulk of the population, at the bottom. Between the peasants and royalty, however, were well-regarded, privileged and elite families known as nobles or … Read more
Peasants in the middle ages were mainly agricultural farmers who worked in lands that were owned by a lord. The lord would rent out his land to the peasants in exchange for economic labor. Peasants were tied to the land and were not allowed to move away from the land or change their profession unless … Read more
Popes in the Middle Ages became central figures of power and influence. During this time many people from all walks of life flocked to the Holy Land to see the pope. The overly aggressive religious fanaticism of the popes and the promise of redemption of sin made the popes and the crusades popular. In effect … Read more
In the middle ages, the clergy and the Church in general were very influential. The kings and local lords appointed members of the clergy including the bishops and priests, and in return, the clergy would play a great role in establishing the rules of the land. Nevertheless, priests in the middle Ages were not as … Read more
Queens in the Middle Ages had a very specific role in the monarchy as well as in society in general. They were sometimes rulers in their own right, but often one of their most important duties was to act as a regent when their king was unable to rule, whether the king was sick or … Read more
Religion in the Middle Ages was dominated by Christianity. It is the era in which the great cathedrals of Europe were built and the Catholic Church started its universities in Paris, Tubingen, Cambridge and Oxford. During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church was the only church in Europe. The laws of the land and leading … Read more
Formal education has its roots very early in the Middle Ages, in the 800s under Charlemagne of France. Charlemagne was a shrewd leader, and understood that in order to maintain political and economic power in the ever-expanding world, he would need a resourceful and educated populace to continue to make technological and philosophical advances. Formal … Read more
Science in the Middle Ages was quite the tricky subject. Many scientific beliefs go against what the Catholic Church believes and teaches, and this led to a great bit of debate during the Middle Ages. The church would charge people with heresy should they ever try to use science to disprove the teachings of the … Read more
True to our understanding of the Middle Ages it is a time recognized by castles, princes, princesses, knights and peasants all co-inhabiting a kingdom. Each of these individuals were characterized by their trades and for each person there was a part to be played in the community. Work types To understand the types of work … Read more
All cultures and epochs throughout history have music as a part of their culture for entertainment, devotional, or other purposes. The timing of Middle Ages music is generally agreed upon my music historians to encompass the time between approximately 550-1400 CE. Medieval music can be further subdivided into early medieval music from before 1150, high … Read more
