40 Dark Ages Facts: Roman Empire And The Renaissance Period!

The Dark Ages is a period in European history that is marked by the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages which lasted from around 476 to 1000 AD.

The Dark Ages were a time of great turmoil, with warring factions and power struggles taking place throughout Europe. According to most modern scholars, this period was marked by a decline in learning, technology, and infrastructure.

However, there were some bright spots during this time, including the rise of the Byzantine Empire and the Renaissance Period. In fact, this era was a period of great change, and many new inventions were made during this time. Read on to take a closer look at this period and explore some fascinating Dark Ages facts.

Movies Created On Dark Ages

When it comes to history, one of the best possible ways to imagine, explore, and create a better understanding of past events is through the medium of movies, films, TV series, and documentaries.

Since the so-called Dark Ages was such a significant event in history that has had an influential impact on Europe and the whole world, various movies were created based on this period, some of which are listed below.

'Knights Of The Round Table' is a 1953 British-American movie revolving around the stories of love and war in the medieval period.

The film is an adaptation of 'Le Morte d' Arthur' or 'The Death of Arthur' authored by Thomas Malory and is centered on King Arthur, Sir Lancelot (a knight on the round table), and King Arthur's queen, Guinevere.

'The Sword In The Stone' is a 1963 animated film adaptation by Walt Disney that chronicles the early life of King Arthur before he became a legendary king. The movie is based on a novel of the same name authored by Terence Hanbury White.

'Camelot' is a 1967 musical about King Arthur's marriage to Guinevere and the subsequent difficulties in their marriage after the queen became close to Sir Lancelot.

'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' is a 1975 comedy film set in medieval Europe where King Arthur and his Knights on the Round Table embark on an adventure to discover the Holy Grail.

Other popular movies based on the Dark age are 'Excalibur' (1981), 'First Knight' (1995), 'Merlin' (1998), 'Quest for Camelot' (1998), 'The Mists of Avalon' (2001), 'King Arthur' (2004), 'Camelot' (2011), 'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword' (2017), and 'The Vikings' (1958).

Important Details About Dark Ages

Also known as the Early Middle Ages, Dark Ages was a period of a great deal of transition and development all across Europe.

The terms 'Middle Ages' and 'Medieval Ages' are used interchangeably to refer to the historical era from the 400s-1400s.

The term 'Dark Age' was coined in the 1330s by an Italian scholar and poet named Petrarch. He used this term to emphasize how the fall of the Roman empire led to a decline in Latin literature. Today, scholars use this term to signify a period of cultural, intellectual, and economic decline during the early Middle Ages.

The Early Middle Ages or Dark Ages referred to an era when there was no Roman emperor in Western Europe and was a period of population decline, instability, and migration.

Emperor Romulus Augustus was the last Roman emperor before the great Roman empire collapsed.

The Roman population during the medieval period reduced from 350,000-30,000 by the sixth century. Most of these people were peasants who suffered due to unfavorable climate conditions caused by a brief period of cold waves (Little Ice Age).

Most areas in Western Europe were inhabited by Barbarians like Huns, Vandals, Goths, Franks, and Bulgars, who were less educated than the civilized Romans and spoke diverse languages. Because of language barriers and poor economic conditions, there were a lot of battles and less literary work was produced during the Dark Ages.

During this period, Britain was occupied by the Anglo-Saxon community, Scandinavia by Vikings, and Byzantines were scattered all across Europe.

During the Dark Ages, not just humans but animals were also tried for breaking the law!

For most of the medieval period, the Christian church was the dominant institution. However, medieval folk also practiced other religions like paganism.

In the medieval era, men wore long pointed shoes. The length of the shoe indicated the status and amount of wealth the wearer had. The greater the length, the greater his rank in society.

Men and women in the Middle Ages desired hairless faces, thus they frequently shaved their brows and eyelashes.

Ordinary people who lived during the Dark Ages were extremely superstitious.

Merchants who traveled to different towns and cities for trade were often victims of sudden attacks and robbery due to poor roads.

Men and women were not required to visit a church to get married in the medieval world.

The period following the Dark Ages oversaw a series of religious wars, known as 'Crusades,' initiated by the Roman Catholic Church against Islamic rule.

The political system of feudalism was applied in most parts of Europe.

There is a misconception that the Dark Age was an era of academic decline. In reality, this period created many scholars like Saint Augustine, William of Ockham, and Thomas Aquinas.

Women, mostly nuns, also played a significant role in shaping the literary works of that era. Some famous women scholars of this era are Claire of Assisi, Catherine of Siena, and Bridget of Sweden.

The literary works during the Dark Ages were mostly written in vernacular languages.

Mostly, dramas, histories, poems, and fables were written during the Middle Ages. Dramas were popularly used by the church to use as a teaching tool.

The church established several cathedral schools and the kings founded universities to support education.

The Dark Age is characterized by political wars. In fact, more than 10,000 castles were built during this period alone.

A large number of religious artworks were produced at this time in history. New forms of art styles emerged during the renaissance.

A concept of 'Ars moriendi,' the 'art of dying' emerged during the Middle Ages. The idea emphasized that a good Christian death is one that is planned, peaceful, and free from pride, despair, and impatience. It is due to this reason that several monks and priests calmly accepted their brutal fates.

In the Late Middle Ages, the great famine and the black death pandemic occurred because of which the population in Western Europe shrank significantly.

In 1066 AD, William the Conqueror acquired the throne of medieval England, and this moment is believed to be the point when the Dark Age in Europe came to a conclusive end.

Literature Is Written On Dark Ages

Several scholars from all over the world have been fascinated by the Dark Ages and have investigated and authored several literary works based on that period. Some notable books that you can read to learn more about the medieval times of Europe are listed below.

'A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century,' written by Barbara Tuchman, is a classic novel in the genre of medieval history and is worth a read if you want to learn about the Great Famine and the Black Death calamities of the Middle Ages.

Originally published in 1992, 'A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance: Portrait of an Age' by William Manchester is an informal overview of the Middle Ages in Europe.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the Crusade religious wars that took place between the church and the Muslim rulers, the book 'The Crusades Through Arab Eyes' by Amin Maalouf is a great option.

Published in 2020, 'The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science' by Seb Falk is an enlightening read to get an idea about the scientific and technological innovations of the Middle Ages.

'Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire' by Judith Herrin throws light on the less talked about Byzantine empire that became prominent during the Dark Ages.

Elizabeth Makowski's 'Apostate Nuns in the Later Middle Ages' revolves around the lives of women who left nunneries during the Middle Ages. 

If you are curious about the lives of ordinary people during the medieval period, read 'Life in a Medieval City' authored by Frances and Joseph Gies. 

Music Made In Dark Ages

Besides literature, art, and scientific developments, the Dark Ages was also a period of evolution in music and is known as 'Medieval Music.'

In the Dark Ages, mostly religious and secular music (like a Gregorian chant or chorus performances) was produced across Western Europe.

Christian monks often sang Gregorian chants during Catholic Mass.

Medieval music and theory laid the foundation of western music culture as we know it today.

Pope Gregory I is credited with codifying the church music for the first time during his reign from 590-604 AD.