Lecture on the Middle Ages

Overview

• The Middle Ages in Europe span roughly 1,000 years from the fall of the Western Roman Empire (around 476) to the 14th and 15th centuries.
• Connects ancient Rome with Europe during the Age of Exploration and the Renaissance.

Periods of the Middle Ages

1. Early Middle Ages (476 - 1000 AD)

   • Begins with the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
   • The Eastern Roman Empire continues, centered in Constantinople.
   • Fragmentation of the Western Roman Empire into Germanic Kingdoms (e.g., Visigoths, Franks).
   • Key Event: Charlemagne (king of the Franks) crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
   • Islam spreads, conquering parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain.

2. High Middle Ages (1000 - 1300 AD)

   • Holy Roman Empire becomes fragmented.
   • The Great Schism (1054) divides the Latin Church (Rome) and the Eastern Greek Church (Constantinople).
   • Crusades begin (1096), aiming to reclaim lands from Muslim control; lead to greater East-West divide.
   • Agricultural productivity increases due to better farming technology and climate.

3. Late Middle Ages (1300 - 1450s AD)

   • Known as an unpleasant time in Europe.
   • Black Death (1347) devastates Europe, killing approximately 60% of the population.
   • Other difficulties include famines and poor weather cycles.
   • Key Conflict: Hundred Years' War (1337 - 1453) between France and England.
   • Byzantine Empire falls in 1453 to the Ottomans.

Transition Out of the Middle Ages

• Historians mark the end of the Middle Ages at the end of the 15th century.
• Transition into the Age of Exploration and the Renaissance.

Key Terms and Figures

• Charlemagne: A defining figure of the early Middle Ages, unifying much of Western Europe.
• Great Schism: Division between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
• Crusades: Series of military campaigns to reclaim Holy Land from Muslim empires.
• Black Death: Plague that resulted in massive mortality across Europe.
• Hundred Years' War: Protracted conflict affecting much of Western Europe.

Understanding these key periods and events enriches comprehension of Europe's complex historical transformation from antiquity to the Renaissance.