Learn about medieval weapons


A look at the Dark Ages: When Things Were Really Medieval

The Dark Ages were a period of greatcontinent was under the constant pressure of
upheaval, constant war, horrendous plague,three points of attack -from within and from
and stagnant cultural growth. But throughboth  the  north  and  south.
these difficult centuries new ideas and a new
culture was born. And in today's world weThe  Plague  negates  all  progress
still feel the effects of these changes that
were  brought  about  during these Dark Ages.Throughout the first century of the Dark Ages
Europe made slow but tangible progress and
The Dark Ages is a period that is generallyEmperor Justinian was on the verge of
accepted as having begun in the year 410 withreuniting the continent when the bubonic
the fall of Rome and ending in 1095 with theplague hit and killed tens of millions of
launch of the first Crusades. The fall ofpeople. This destroyed all hope of
Rome sets a good understanding for what thereunification and kept the continent in chaos
Dark Ages were all about because forfor  several  more  centuries.
centuries the Roman Empire was a unified
force that brought stabilization to most ofThe Force that brought us out of the darkness
Europe. It had a vibrant trade and commerce
industry that supported a reasonably secureChristianity was an ideal that rose to power
lifestyle for millions of people. When Romeduring the dark ages and many warlords of the
fell, this network of trade and commercetime embraced it. This had a unifying force
collapsed and the European World was set intoon the entire European continent and even
chaos. It took seven hundred years of wars,though there were many kingdoms they all
plague, and poverty before the continent cameswore allegiance under the pope. This brought
out of it and was moved into the Renaissance.an end to the internal fighting that had been
going on for centuries and this unification
Medieval Warlords and the struggle to bewas solidified with the launching of the
emperorCrusades beginning in 1095. This gave all the
various warlords and kings a common religious
Before it fell, Rome had been the center ofgoal and a foe they could join together and
the European world for seven hundred years.focus  on.
The emperor ruled over everything and when
this all fell the concept of one man rulingThe Crusades, while being for the most part a
the world still remained. It was thisfailure in that they held very little of the
aspiration to rule over everything thatland they attempted to conquer, were a
perpetuated the darkness of the times. Lordssignificant factor in the rebirth of Europe
from all over Europe were engaged with eachin that Europe was reunited under a common
other in battles for land and power. Thisreligion and returning crusaders brought back
battling lasted literally centuries and itwith them to Europe a wealth of new
meant a constant drain of resources and ainformation in architecture, medicine,
standstill  in  cultural  growth.philosophy, mathematics and many other areas.
This infusion of ideas, paired with the end
Outside  Forces  make  it  worseof constant war within Europe set the stage
for  the  Renaissance.
This constant struggling for power within the
continent of Europe made it very easy forThe Dark Ages were an extraordinarily
outside forces to penetrate into thedifficult period in the story of humanity. It
continent and further wreak destruction andis estimated that 100 million people died at
drain wealth and resources. From the norththe hands of war, poverty, and plague. But
Vikings constantly invaded and plundered andduring this time new ideas and ideals were
from the south Moorish invaders brought warborn and much of the groundwork was laid for
and the word of their prophet. The wholethe world we know today.



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