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THE MIDDLE AGES
The Middle Ages covers a 900 hundred year period from the political
expiration of the Roman Empire in the 5th Century to the beginnings of modern
times in the 14th century
This era in history of western Europe is often divided into (1) the Early
Middle Ages, also known as the Dark Ages (5th to 10th centuries), a period of disorder
and decline, and (2) the Later Middle Ages (11th to 14th centuries), a period of
advance toward a higher level of civilization.
THE DECLINE OF CIVILIZATION IN THE DARK AGES
The Germanic invasions resulted in the political collapse of the Roman
Empire and the ruin of its highly developed economic and social system, thus
bringing on the Dark Ages.
1. Decline of Trade and Industry. Merchants, fearing the seizure of their
goods by the highway robbers and pirates, stopped shipping to distant points
and confined their trade to the local marketplace. The excellent Roman roads
deteriorated. Lacking sufficient markets, industry shut down. Unemployed
workers moved to rural areas. As trade and industry dwindled, cities
declined in population, many disappeared; also, money fell into disuse.
2. Decline of Learning and Culture. During these unsettled times (a) Roman
schools, libraries, and museums were destroyed, (b) arts and sciences were
neglected, and (c) reading and writing were forgotten. People were
concerned not with learning and culture but remaining alive.
3. Decline of Strong Central Government. Government was now in the hands
of weak Germanic (barbarian) kingdoms: the Visigoths in Spain, the
Ostrogoths in Italy, the Angles and Saxons in England, and the Franks in Gaul
(France). Their rulers generally failed to provide protection, insure justice,
and maintain order. Such weaknesses existed because the Germanic (a)
lacked power to control their large territories and populations. Only a few
hundred thousand Germans governed millions of other peoples. (b) Lacked
large armies to subdue ambitious nobles. A noble sometimes commanded
military forces stronger than those of a monarch (c) Lacked roads and
bridges to transport armies to trouble spots. Because the Germans knew
little about engineering, they could not maintain the Roman transportation
facilities. (d) Lacked rules of succession to the throne to prevent civil war
after a ruler’s death
The only strong Germanic government was the Frankish kingdom in the 8th and
early 9th centuries