Europe In The Middle Ages

There is many examples of evidence to support how Europe wasn’t in a dark age. To support this claim there are some examples. The Government ,The Rise of University, and the Gothic Cathedrals shows that Europe was not in a dark age. One reason Europe was not in a dark age was because if it was in a dark age they wouldn't know to stand up for themselves. They also had a lot of money, even though King John took it all proving that they were not in a dark age.They were also beginning to request laws so they can have some rights. According to the Black Death Documents,"To all free men of our kingdom we have also granted, for us and to our heirs for ever, all the liberties written out below, to have and to keep for them and their heirs.”Another

In the 1300's an Italian scholar named Petrarch came up with the name "Dark Age" to describe the time Europe was going through during the Middle Ages in 500AD-1500AD. Throughout the Middle Ages Europe was going through some rough times, but there were also moments of growth. For example the Black Death was a time of darkness but there were positive times like when universities were built. Although the dark ages were looked at as a negative occurrence, more events show a sign of growth.

In the High Middle ages (after 1000 A.D) and beyond there were major political, economic and intellectual changes that happed across Europe. The changes helped bring about new eras to the European landscape. As Europe was brought into these new eras, it thus brought upon the end of the Dark Ages.

During the High Middle Ages, there was no strong, central government that was politically organized enough to meet common needs of the people in Europe. After the fall of Charlemagne’s empire, invasions and anarchy became the societal norm. If they wanted to survive, they had to meet particular needs. The people of the High Middle Ages met their needs of political organization, economic provision, and social aspects through Feudalism, Manorialism, and through the Church.

There was one main religion in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. This religion was Roman Catholic Christianity. It was both unifying and separating in some ways. Unlike now, religion served various functions, and was the main cultural aspect in people's lives. The Christian patriarch was more powerful than European kings, and wealthier.

The Catholic Church influenced life in Medieval Europe to such an extent that they were the centre of most people’s daily lives. Nearly all of Europe was Roman Catholic which meant that they held a very large influence over people’s behaviours and superstitions. This ensured that they held a unique and powerful position with regard to controlling the way in which Europe was managed. The Church through the Pope ruled over all other powers in Europe. All royalty and monarchs were told what they could or could not do by the church. If they did anything that the Pope felt was against the Catholic Church, he had the power to excommunicate that person from the church. This could be any person from a labourer all the way through to Lords and Kings.

Looking at European “Christendom” of the Middle Ages and considering the concept of “Christian America,” what lessons might believers learn today from the strengths and pitfalls too closely aligning the Church with culture and society?

When considering if the pen (ideas) is mightier than the sword (actions) through the 1500s in Europe, there is much to consider. The ideas and actions that caused the many changes in Europe are all about power. The transformation of Europe goes hand in hand with ideas and actions. One can either spread their ideas throughout Europe and promote a change or elicit change through action. In Europe throughout the 1500s till the 1900s, the action themselves are mightier than the ideas that spread.

The Middle Ages is associated with the Dark Ages due to the period including social disorder, political turmoil and widespread disease. The Middle Ages was a period between 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D. during which Europe experienced many drastic changes following the fall of Rome. Some of these changes were beneficial, but the changes also caused negative effects too. Overall, the Middle Ages was a dark time for Europe.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Europe had very different class systems and practices compared to present day Europe. For most countries the main focus was on the rich and powerful. Ancient Persia, Greece, and Rome were some of the most well known countries during the Middle Ages. There are many similarities and differences in the class systems of Ancient Rome, Greece, Persia, and Europe during the Middle Ages; including practices, beliefs, and everyday life.

The Early Modern period in European history was a time of great upheaval, one that lead to shifting and changing views and policies in many fields; among these many historically important changes was the very beginning of the women’s rights movement. Although full-scale change in equality for women was (and some might say still is) quite distant from this time period, the embryo that will eventually grow into feminism and gender equality can be seen during this time period through the primary source documents left to us by those who wrote and worked during this “Early Modern” time. In this sense, I disagree with the position of Randolph Starn, as I believe this time period does deserve its own title, as it truly is a transitional period for European history, one in which the changes to come in the near future can be seen by those with a keen eye. The petitions of women to royal courts, the wills and bequests created by women, and the rise of Elizabeth as a capable English Queen, absent of a King altogether, shows how the gender divide is beginning to be re-examined by Europeans.

The Christian religions rise to supremacy in the middle ages was the result of several factors. Christians had long been persecuted by the Roman Empire because the Romans felt that Christianity challenged and offended the Greco-Roman Gods and the Christians were prone to revolt against Roman rule. Christianity survived because it had many teachings that appealed to the downtrodden in Roman society, these teachings being that even though they were suffering they would gain equality and possibly superiority in the next life, Christianity gave them hope.

The idea of the “Dark Ages” came from historians who were seriously biased toward ancient Rome. This negative opinion of the so-called “Dark Ages” became widespread because most of the printed records of this time had a dominant Rome unfairness. The term refers to the lack of cultural improvement in Europe. Honestly, living in the Early Middle Ages was not really that much darker or more vicious in comparison to any other eras. The era that followed was just as dark with no great leaders appearing, no scientific accomplishments being made, and no great art being produced; therefore, the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the rise of the Renaissance should not be considered “The Dark Ages.”

The Dark Ages of Europe (500 to 1500 CE) is defined as a time period in which the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist, resulting in frequent warfare and a “virtual disappearance of urban life” (Migration Period, Britannica.com). However, labeling this time period with the term “Dark Age” has been regarded as incorrect by many modern historians, mainly due to many the social and technological innovations brought into this time period. However, there are still many reasons to believe that this was a dark period of time for Europe, as quoted, “The term’s (Dark Age) more usual and pejorative sense is of a period of intellectual darkness and barbarity,” (Migration Period, Britannica.com). Nonetheless, regardless of the many accusations on Europe’s old label of it once being a Dark Age, there were and still are many facts that contradict this claim such as reformed government, social modernization, and technological advancements.

Contemporary world power, and the shift from the East to the West during what historian’s term, Medieval/Renaissance Europe, shifted the roles of two vastly different empires – the Ming and Ottoman. Even though we barely even touched on the Ming Empire, I feel like the significance of it, is far too grand to leave out in describing the rise of Europe. Both empires had different types of leadership and core goals – military and social. The Ming Empire was led by brilliant philosophical scholars, concerned not only with the external world but the development of the internal consciousness; the Ottoman based on a new monotheistic religion that stratified society, but also allowed numerous mathematical, scientific, and