The Dark Ages In Europe
The dark ages in Europe, also known as the Migration Period of the Early Middle Ages, refers to the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance: the 5th and the 14th centuries. However, it has been observed that this period saw moderate scientific or cultural development. The dark ages is generally observed as the early medieval period of European History. After the destruction of the Roman Empire, Europeans observed drastic social, economic, and political setbacks. This period started when the last Western Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus was defeated and overthrown by a barbarian Odoacer in 476 AD. However modern Historians have stopped using this term because of its negative implication.
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Dark Ages Period
The term Dark ages were first used by Italian Scholar and Historian, Francesco Petrarca, who was also known as Petrarch. Being an Italian, Petrarca was greatly influenced by the eminence of the ancient Roman empire. To criticize Latin literature, he used the phrase “Dark Ages”. However, the term “Dark Ages” is not used by anyone anymore as it is used to represent the period following the fall of the Roman Empire in the western world. Some Historians consider the “Dark Ages Period” from 400 to 1000 AD.
Who First Coined The Term ‘The Dark Ages”?
The term “Dark Ages” was first coined by the Italian scholar of the 14th century named Francesco Petrarca (known as Petrarch). He entrusted this label upon the period in which he lived as he was frightened by the lack of good literature during that period.
The classical period was affluent by the development of culture. Both Roman and Greek civilizations had provided the world with an immense contribution to art, science, philosophy, architecture, and political systems.
Indeed, there were characteristics of Roman and Greek society and culture that were very unpleasant, but after Rome‘s fall and subsequent withdrawal from power, European history is illustrated as taking a “wrong turn‘.
After Petrarch's criticism of the “dark age” of literature, other scholars of that period expanded this term to include this perceived death of culture in General Europe between 500-1400 centuries. These dates are constantly observed by the Historians as there is a degree of overlap in these dates, cultural and regional changes, and many other factors. This time is often referred to with other terms like the Middle Ages or Feudal Period.
Later on, as more evidence was observed after the 18 century, many historians started to restrict the term ‘ Dark Ages” to the period between the 5th and 10th centuries. This period came to be known as the Early Middle Ages.
What Are The Causes/Effects of The Dark Ages?
Following are the causes of the dark ages:
The Fall of The Romans Empire
The Little Ice Age
The Balck Plague
Invasion
Trade Interruption: Merchant trades collapsed and Europe’s economic centers were destroyed. Money also became scarce.
Cities Downfall: Cities were discarded as the center of administration.
Population Shifting
Roman cities were left without having any strong leadership. Europe became almost rural.
The German conqueror could not read or write. Learning became less significant as people moved to rural areas.
The loss of the common language “Latin” as German people mixed with the Roman population.
Effects of Dark Ages
Following are the effects of Dark Ages:
New German kingdoms emerged.
Rise of feudalism in Europe
The power of the church grew rapidly.
Europe became rural
No major focus on learning
New languages replaced the old language “Latin”.
Early stages of Modern European Countries such as England & France started to appear.
Dark Age Timeline
The dark age periods were the time when the population was declining and there was hardly any literature or other arts. The Dark Ages Timeline is observed as:
150 AD
The Global Cold Front Swept Down The Earth.
372 - 410 AD
The fall of the Roman Empire
400 AD
Group of uneducated people spread across the land speaking different languages (Barbarians).
410 AD
Anglo Sasons Arrived in Europe
527 - 564 AD
The rise of the Byzantine Empire and the Establishment of Christianity.
700 AD
The population grew as the global temperature began to rise, allowing farming to flourish more.
800 AD
The land is split up into farms.
850 AD
Charlemagne established France, brought back Education, and helped to spread Christianity.
865 AD
The Vikings Invaded Britain and established the kingdom of England.
1000 AD
Separate kingdoms are established and Christianity spreads through the land. The people begin to settle and fight for a time. This marks the end of the Dark Ages.
FAQs on Dark Ages
1. What does the term “ Dark Age’ means?
The “Dark Age” is a term used for the Early Middle Ages or Middle Ages in the period of the Roman Empire after its fall in the fifth century, representing the period of economic, intellectual, and cultural decline.
2. Why is the period between the 5th and 14th centuries referred to as the dark age?
The dark ages lasted for 900 years between the 5th and 14th centuries. During this period, the fall of the Roman Empire and Renaissance were observed. This period is known as the Dark Ages because many suggested that this period observed cultural and scientific developments.
3. Why is the Dark Ages also known as the Early Middle Ages?
The Dark Ages is also known as the Early Middle Ages because it falls between periods of time with highly developed civilizations.
4. When did the Dark Age period begin?
The dark age period began at the end of the Roman Empire, which was also a period when the Global Cold Front swept across the Earth, making farming difficult and causing groups of people to die.
5. What killed people during the dark ages?
People died during the dark ages due to the whooping cough, accidents, measles, tuberculosis, influenza, bowel, stomach infection, and many more. The plague was one of the biggest killers of the dark ages as it had a devastating effect on the population of Europe in the 14th and 15tth centuries.
6. Why is the Dark Ages important in world history?
Dark Ages are considered to be important in world history because they offered opportunity for the ecological balance to rebuild. The dark ages also offered political and economic opportunities for some surrounding groups to progress up the zonal power matrix, and for reforming the hierarchical division of political economy. The irregularity of such occurrences in the 5000 years suggests the flexibility of the ecological landscape to human assault, and emphasized the different time duration for our consideration of the interaction between Culture and the natural environment.
