Why are the Medieval ages called the dark ages?

Answer 1

Because there were so many knights!

Actually it has to do with the fact that not very many manuscripts or records were documented, as there was a famine of literacy. Only those in authority were able to read, this gave them power over the common people, as they were very religeous. These preists could say stuff like "oh GOD says that you have to pay 90% of your money to us or he won't forgive you!" The people, not knowing that this was false believed the lie, and so gave up their money.

Answer 2

"Dark Ages" doesn't mean Middle Ages, at least not according to the "official" definition found in dictionaries and history books. It applies only to the Early Middle Ages (476-1000). In the 19th century, Dark Ages=Middle Ages was the standard definition. But later it was shown that Europe experienced an economic recovery around 1000. EMA is considered to be a period of total economic collapse, without coinage, trade, or cities.

The climate was cooler during during EMA, so agriculture declined. Without a food surplus to support them, cities disappeared. Innovations such as the three field system and the heavy plow eventually resulted in an agricultural revival and a return to urban life.

Answer 3

They aren't, at least not according the "official" definition used by dictionaries and history books. In the 19th century, the Dark Ages was equated with the Middle Ages (476-1453). But in the early 20th century, historians demonstrated that Europe experienced an economic recovery around 1000. Since then, historians have restricted the use of the term to the Early Middle Ages (476-1000). At this time, there was a cooling of the climate, agricultural output declined, trade disappeared, and cities were abandoned.

Answer 4

The Middle Ages and the Dark Age are not the same thing.The term Dark Age is refers to a period from the 5th to 11th centuries. A common set of dates used for the period is 476 to 1066 AD. In much of the English speaking world, this term has gone out of favor, and is replaced by the term Early Middle Ages.In places where the term Dark Age persists, the dates for the Middle Ages are sometimes given as being from 1066 to 1485. In places where the term Dark Age is not used, the Middle Ages are held to be form the 5th through 15th centuries, with a common set of dates for the beginning and end being 476 and 1453.Briefly, the Dark Age was an age we know little about because people kept few records. The Middle Ages are the ages between ancient times and modern times.

GeoHarvey will have upset some. (i'm on your side GeoHarvey)

First by even suggesting there was a 'Dark Ages', I did a posting some years ago on another forum and had verbal abuse from one person for just using the term!

Back in the 1950s and before, the 'Dark Ages' referred to the period from the downfall of Roman Empire in the West for Europe 476 (or departure of Romans from England in the British case 410) until the Renascence, some time in the 14th Century. However there has been so much research done, but also old documents found or translated (Usually from Latin but also other languages) of the period, that need translating into modern English, that it is now usually around the 9th Century for England.

GeoH has placed it at 1066 and The Battle of Hastings. That is a convenient number, however the reason I go for 9th Century is that Alfred the great reintroduced literacy to England in the 860/70s and instigated the ~Anglo saxon Chronicle~ and from then on the amount of documents multiplied, and grew exponentially on occasions. It is the amount of written evidence and written history that is defining the 'Dark Ages', however before 860s and all over Europe there are large areas of history that will never be known, because there was not the people writing about it.

Myth, few people in the Medieval period could read or write.

Certainly it was relatively few who could write, but many could read, who couldn't write a word. William the Conqueror is thought to have been able to read. But that he couldn't write was confirmed earlier this year (2015) In Canterbury UK the Arch Bishop was with the archivist looking at a new found document, and they noticed there was no royal seal, but what really surprised was there was a X and next to it in the hand that wrote the document William Rex, (King William I). Geoffrey Hindley, a world leading authority on Magna Carta, estimated that 20% of the population of England (including many Women) could read, personally I think 1 in 5 is on the high side, but all the indications are that by the 13th Century, many people had basic reading skills. This continued to grow, especially once paper came into production in Spain in the 14th Century.

Answer 5

The Medieval time is often called the Dark Ages because of an extreme lack of innovation and education in Europe. Most noblemen and even kings didn't even know how to read, or how to write their own name!

Luckily, ancient Roman and Greek knowledge that was preserved by the Arabs, along with the printing press, finally initiated education in Europe again, and lead to the Renaissance.

Answer 6

the concept of a supposed period of intellectual darkness that occurred in Europe following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

Answer 7

no art or poretry with th fell of rome