Epochs – Germany in the Middle Ages

Epochs - Germany in the Middle Ages

epochs

The epochs of the Middle Ages

The beginning and end of the early, late and late Middle Ages can not be determined very precisely. It is more of a matter of interpretation, which event is considered as a turning point in history.

There are several key dates that meld the passage from one epoch to the next. That’s why our graphics show you only the approximate start and end times. It is also better, of a transitionTime as of a transitionPoint to speak.

The early Middle Ages

Start: The early Middle Ages follows late antiquity. Earlier, the “migration period” (375 to 586) was attributed to the early Middle Ages. Today one counts the migration time rather to late antiquity. This dates the early Middle Ages to the middle of the 6th century.

End: As a key data for the end of the early Middle Ages, among other things, the founding of the Holy Roman Empire by Otto I, the Great (962) or the Oriental Schism (1054) considered. So here is no clear endpoint.

The early medieval society lived on livestock and agriculture. In comparison to antiquity, trade and the money economy lost in importance, although modern research emphasizes that apart from the breaks, there was also a continuation of late antique culture.

When the state largely disintegrated, the church remained the only higher-level institution. The bishops had a lot of power. The main bearers of culture and knowledge were the monasteries of the Benedictines. The reading and writing usually dominated only members of the clergy.

The High Middle Ages

The High Middle Ages can be limited in time a little more precise than the early Middle Ages. In general, this refers to the period from the middle of the 11th century to the middle of the 13th century.

The demarcation in the middle of the 11th century is explained by a major change in Europe at that time. This change in the 11th century consisted of an enormous population growth that lasted until the 14th century.

As a result of this population growth, new settlements and growing areas had to be developed. The production methods of the food had to be improved to supply the additional people. This in turn promoted crafts and trade, and thus the money economy. New markets were created, which in turn filled the coffers of the cities.

The church with the developed papacy developed inwardly a clear hierarchy, outwardly it fought with the secular rulers for supremacy.

Education has come to the fore. Dom and convent schools were established, and the first universities were founded; but not yet in the German lands of the Holy Roman Empire.

The High Middle Ages was also the heyday of chivalry, which redefined itself as a result of the Crusades.

The late Middle Ages

The late Middle Ages refer to the period from the middle of the 13th century to the 15th century. After that, the age of the Renaissance began.

In the 14th century, a series of famines and epidemics such as the Great Famine (1315-1317) and the Black Death (1347-1353) spread and reduced the population to about half. With the depopulation came social surveys and civil wars. The Hundred Years War between France and England broke out. The unity of the Catholic Church was shaken by the Great Schism. The 200-year conflict with the Arabs (Crusades) had changed warfare and society.

The losers of that era were above all the feudal lords and chivalry. But even the papacy had to forfeit authority, as did the empire. The totality of these events is traditionally also called crisis of the late Middle Ages, even if this model is no longer undisputed.

On the other hand, the 14th century was also a time of artistic and scientific progress. The rediscovery of the texts of ancient Greece and Rome led to what the contemporaries called the Renaissance, a “rebirth” of ancient intellectual life.

The invention of printing had a tremendous impact on European society. It facilitated the dissemination of the written and democratized learning, an important prerequisite for the later Protestant Reformation.

Source:

There is no source for this article. Because the contents are superficial and come from the memory of the author. For a good overview of the Middle Ages we recommend this book:

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Christina Cherry
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