| The Dark Ages were a period of great upheaval, | | | | cultural growth. |
| constant war, horrendous plague, and stagnant | | | | Outside Forces make it worse |
| cultural growth. But through these difficult | | | | This constant struggling for power within the |
| centuries new ideas and a new culture was born. | | | | continent of Europe made it very easy for |
| And in today's world we still feel the effects of | | | | outside forces to penetrate into the continent and |
| these changes that were brought about during | | | | further wreak destruction and drain wealth and |
| these Dark Ages. | | | | resources. From the north Vikings constantly |
| The Dark Ages is a period that is generally | | | | invaded and plundered and from the south |
| accepted as having begun in the year 410 with | | | | Moorish invaders brought war and the word of |
| the fall of Rome and ending in 1095 with the | | | | their prophet. The whole continent was under the |
| launch of the first Crusades. The fall of Rome | | | | constant pressure of three points of attack -from |
| sets a good understanding for what the Dark | | | | within and from both the north and south. |
| Ages were all about because for centuries the | | | | The Plague negates all progress |
| Roman Empire was a unified force that brought | | | | Throughout the first century of the Dark Ages |
| stabilization to most of Europe. It had a vibrant | | | | Europe made slow but tangible progress and |
| trade and commerce industry that supported a | | | | Emperor Justinian was on the verge of reuniting |
| reasonably secure lifestyle for millions of people. | | | | the continent when the bubonic plague hit and |
| When Rome fell, this network of trade and | | | | killed tens of millions of people. This destroyed all |
| commerce collapsed and the European World was | | | | hope of reunification and kept the continent in |
| set into chaos. It took seven hundred years of | | | | chaos for several more centuries. |
| wars, plague, and poverty before the continent | | | | The Force that brought us out of the darkness |
| came out of it and was moved into the | | | | Christianity was an ideal that rose to power during |
| Renaissance. | | | | the dark ages and many warlords of the time |
| Medieval Warlords and the struggle to be emperor | | | | embraced it. This had a unifying force on the |
| Before it fell, Rome had been the center of the | | | | entire European continent and even though there |
| European world for seven hundred years. The | | | | were many kingdoms they all swore allegiance |
| emperor ruled over everything and when this all | | | | under the pope. This brought an end to the |
| fell the concept of one man ruling the world still | | | | internal fighting that had been going on for |
| remained. It was this aspiration to rule over | | | | centuries and this unification was solidified with the |
| everything that perpetuated the darkness of the | | | | launching of the Crusades beginning in 1095. This |
| times. Lords from all over Europe were engaged | | | | gave all the various warlords and kings a common |
| with each other in battles for land and power. This | | | | religious goal and a foe they could join together |
| battling lasted literally centuries and it meant a | | | | and focus on. |
| constant drain of resources and a standstill in | | | | |