Middle Ages

The millennium between the two Romes: feudal Europe, the Islamic golden age, and cathedral-building science.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Bracketed by the fall of Rome in 476 and of Constantinople in 1453.
• Europe’s first universities were founded in this era, beginning with Bologna in 1088.
• The "Dark Ages" label misleads: monasteries and the Islamic world preserved and extended ancient learning.

Specifications & Metrics

• ERA: 476 – 1453