Which labels for the Middle Ages best describe the era between 500 and 1400 in Europe: ?
I think the Age of Faith is the most appropriate. It was the age when religion had a strong influence on most people and led, for instance, to the building of the remarkably beautiful cathedrals and churches which are still the glory of Europe. And wonderful music was composed whichis still being sung in our churches today, and fabulous illuminated manuscripts were produced in monasteries, like the Lindisfarne Gospels and the Book of Kells for example, which take your breath away with their beauty, when you consider the infinite patience and skill that went into their production. ‘Dark Ages’ is inappropriate because the period known as ‘Dark’ only properly encompasses the first coupe of centuries after the former Roman empire was invaded by barbarian conquerers. And in any case nowadays it is considred an inaccurate term to describe even this shorter period, let alone the whole of the middle ages, which was certainly not dark and was in fact an age of culture and learning. I don’t know
