| The Dark Ages were a period of great | | | | continent was under the constant pressure of |
| upheaval, constant war, horrendous plague, | | | | three points of attack -from within and from |
| and stagnant cultural growth. But through | | | | both the north and south. |
| these difficult centuries new ideas and a new | | | | |
| culture was born. And in today's world we | | | | The 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 generally | | | | Emperor Justinian was on the verge of |
| accepted as having begun in the year 410 with | | | | reuniting the continent when the bubonic |
| the fall of Rome and ending in 1095 with the | | | | plague hit and killed tens of millions of |
| launch of the first Crusades. The fall of | | | | people. This destroyed all hope of |
| Rome sets a good understanding for what the | | | | reunification and kept the continent in chaos |
| Dark Ages were all about because for | | | | for several more centuries. |
| centuries the Roman Empire was a unified | | | | |
| force that brought stabilization to most of | | | | The Force that brought us out of the darkness |
| Europe. It had a vibrant trade and commerce | | | | |
| industry that supported a reasonably secure | | | | Christianity was an ideal that rose to power |
| lifestyle for millions of people. When Rome | | | | during the dark ages and many warlords of the |
| fell, this network of trade and commerce | | | | time embraced it. This had a unifying force |
| collapsed and the European World was set into | | | | on 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 came | | | | swore 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 be | | | | was solidified with the launching of the |
| emperor | | | | Crusades beginning in 1095. This gave all the |
| | | | various warlords and kings a common religious |
| Before it fell, Rome had been the center of | | | | goal 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 ruling | | | | The Crusades, while being for the most part a |
| the world still remained. It was this | | | | failure in that they held very little of the |
| aspiration to rule over everything that | | | | land they attempted to conquer, were a |
| perpetuated the darkness of the times. Lords | | | | significant factor in the rebirth of Europe |
| from all over Europe were engaged with each | | | | in that Europe was reunited under a common |
| other in battles for land and power. This | | | | religion and returning crusaders brought back |
| battling lasted literally centuries and it | | | | with them to Europe a wealth of new |
| meant a constant drain of resources and a | | | | information 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 worse | | | | of constant war within Europe set the stage |
| | | | for the Renaissance. |
| This constant struggling for power within the | | | | |
| continent of Europe made it very easy for | | | | The Dark Ages were an extraordinarily |
| outside forces to penetrate into the | | | | difficult period in the story of humanity. It |
| continent and further wreak destruction and | | | | is estimated that 100 million people died at |
| drain wealth and resources. From the north | | | | the hands of war, poverty, and plague. But |
| Vikings constantly invaded and plundered and | | | | during this time new ideas and ideals were |
| from the south Moorish invaders brought war | | | | born and much of the groundwork was laid for |
| and the word of their prophet. The whole | | | | the world we know today. |