Middle Ages
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The Middle Ages are a time period in European history. They started around the year 476, when the Western Roman Empire ended, and continued until around the time Christopher Columbus discovered the New World in 1492. The 'middle' age is called this because it is between classical Rome and the rennaisance. This period of time is also known as the Medieval age and the Dark Age. Across Europe, the fall of Rome devastates cities and their inhabitants. The Dark ages are given this name because during this period of time Europe was in disarray.
During the middle ages,Europe changed from the remains of a great empire (the Western Roman Empire) to several independent countries (The United Kingdom , France (The Franks), Germany (Germania), Hungary (Remnants of the Hun invaders), etc...)
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[edit] Byzantium: The other side of Rome
Meanwhile the remains of Eastern Rome had become the Byzantine Empire, which had been established by Roman emperor Constantine in 330, and likewise had a capital city named Constaninople. Due to geographic and man-made defenses this city was extremely difficult to attack, however the Byzantines were eventually destroyed by the Ottomon Turks, who seized Constantipole and renamed it Istanbul in 1453.
[edit] Christianity and Early Europe
At this point in history almost all sciences and technologies fade, and the only true unifying force comes from the Christian church. It is at this point in history that Europeans begin to send missionaries to 'barbarian' tribes in an effort to seek converts. Also at this point the Roman Catholic church reaches the height of its power (around 1095) with the first of many Crusades against Islamic forces occupying the holy city of Jerusalem.
The christian church formerly split between the Roman Catholics in the West and the Greek Orthodox in the East around 1200; a split related to the Eastern / Western Roman split in the 5th century.
[edit] The Crusades
The Roman Catholic church was Europes main unifying force in the middle ages; and the Papacy reached the height of its power in 1095. The first crusade was an attempt to reclaim the holy city of Jerusalem from the Muslim Seljuk Turks. Pope Innocent III was the first to call for a unification of European forces. There were a total of eight major crusades in the middle ages, many of which involved driving back Muslim forces or reclaiming cities such as Jerusalem and Damietta, some involved things as trivial as trade routes and personal grudges. The Last crusade ended in 1291, bringing and end to nearly two hundred years of warfare.
[edit] The Vikings and European Exploration
Around 800 AD a vicious new threat appeared from Scandanavia in the form of Vikings, who invaded, pillaged, and plundered vast areas of Europe for hundreds of years. It wasn't until the rise of William the conquer in the late 1090's that the vikings began to settle and become more docile.
Leif Erikson is thought to be the first explorer ever to reach the Americas, around the year 1000. This new world seemed to have little to offer, and drastic weather changes seem to have killed off the small colony left behind in North America. Early exploration such as this usually happened because countries wanted to find new, faster, trade routes to other countries.
In fact, Columbus had originally set out to discover a faster route to India, under the idea that there was only an ocean seperating Spain from the Indians. Even after he landed in the Americas he thought he had reached India, incorrectly calling the locals 'Indians'. This label continues to remain with todays native americans more than 300 years later.
[edit] Islam and its Golden Age
Islam was founded in the early 7th century by the prophet Mohammed. Followers of Islam believe that the Qur'an (Koran) was gods last revelation to mankind, and that Mohammed was the last prophet. According to Islam, the Qur'an was given to Mohammed in the cave of Hira, near Mecca. Islam is a relgion that believes in one god, and also like Christianity and Judaism, traces its roots to Abraham. Islam spread quickly along the major trade routes of the old world, finding appeal with traders and travellers. All followers of Islam are charged to follow the Five pillars
1) The Testimony of Faith (Shahadah) - the declaration that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His last messenger. 2) Ritual Prayer (Salat) - establishing of the five daily Prayers. 3) Obligatory (religious) almsgiving (Zakat) - which is generally 2.5% of the total savings for a rich man working in trade or industry, and 10% or 20% of the annual produce for agriculturists. This money or produce is distributed among the poor. 4) Siyam, Fasting 5) The Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) - this is done during the month of Zul Hijjah, and is compulsory once in a lifetime for one who has the ability to do it. If the Muslim is in ill health or in debt, he or she is not required to perform Hajj.
The Islamic religion was split almost immediately after the Death of Mohammed in 632; between the Sunni muslims and the Shi'a. The Sunni religion is the the majority (roughly 85% of muslims belong to this sect), whereas most Shi'a live in modern day Iran. The Sunni-Shia split is similar to the split of the christian church in 1054 (Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox).
During the middle ages, Muslims reached a golden age of knowledge. During the times of strife in Europe, Muslims were gathering the ancient texts of great empires (Rome, Greece, Egypt) and re-integrating that knowledge. Muslims during this time invented Al'gebra, Trigonomety, and even some aspects of calculus. Muslims are also credited with saving vast historic records (which may have otherwise been lost). Europe remained behind in terms of knowledge and the sciences until the Rennaisance in the early 16th century. The golden age of Islam ended with the start of the crusades in 1095.
[edit] Asian Trade and the Black Plague
During the middle ages trade between countries become much more vast, mostly through the middle eastern / asian trade route known as the Silk Road. Arabs served as the middle men in international trade. Trade in this time was based on how valuable the item was. The items that were higher value, and low weight, travelled the farthest (Gold, silk, etc...), and items that were heavier and worth less would travel mostly short distances (Food, for example, would mostly travel only within a few villages).
During the high middle ages, wealth began to return and consumers began to again demand luxuries. Silk, Porcelin, Spices, Incense, gold and gems, all travelled thousands of miles across vast stretches of deserts, mountains and plains.
Trade was greatly interupted several times during the Crusades (1094-1291) due to the agression between Arabs and Europeans, and because of Mongolian Invasions, and later because of the Black Plague. It is thought that the Mongols brought the Plague with them from Asia, and devastated the world population from 1348-1351. Almost a third of the worlds population was killed by the plague at this time, although the Americas where completely spared from the disease.
[edit] Buddhism in the Middle Ages
Buddhism is a non-theistic religion (in other words, there is no god) that is based on philosphy. It originally began in India but is almost entirely gone from that area now. Muslim invaders drove out this system of beliefs, more or less forcing Buddhism to flee East (where it eventually took strong roots in China).
[edit] The Mongolian Empire and Chinese Exploration
During the middle ages the Mongols created the worlds largest empire, controlling much of Asia, The Middle East, and what is today far western Europe. Mongolia was so large and powerful that its strength lead to the Pax Mongolica, similar to the Roman Pax Romana. In other words, the Mongol empire was so powerful that it created a period of time that saw no war; only a great deal of international trade and diplomacy along the Silk Road.
The famous mongol leader, Ghengis Khan built an empire that was so large it eventually collapsed under its own size (Much like Rome did) around the time of Khans death in 1227. The former Mongol empire was split four ways, leaving the Chinese to become the dominant power again. The Chinese eventually regained control of northern China under the Yuan Dynasty.
Around 1405, A Chinese mariner named Zheng He sought to explore the world. His fleet of 300 'treasure ships' explored vast areas of the Eastern world, and were many many times larger than anything the Europeans had built. (A Zheng He Treasure ship was wider than Columbus' ship 'Santa Maria' was long). Unfortunately for Zheng, his voyages were ended before he had a chance to discover the americas.
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