| -link"> | | | | and it meant a constant drain of resources and a |
| The Dark Ages were a period of great upheaval, | | | | standstill in cultural growth. |
| constant war, horrendous plague, and stagnant cultural | | | | Outside Forces make it worse |
| growth. But through these difficult centuries new ideas | | | | This constant struggling for power within the continent |
| and a new culture was born. And in today’s | | | | of Europe made it very easy for outside forces to |
| world we still feel the effects of these changes that | | | | penetrate into the continent and further wreak |
| were brought about during these Dark Ages. | | | | destruction and drain wealth and resources. From the |
| The Dark Ages is a period that is generally accepted | | | | north Vikings constantly invaded and plundered and |
| as having begun in the year 410 with the fall of Rome | | | | from the south Moorish invaders brought war and the |
| and ending in 1095 with the launch of the first | | | | word of their prophet. The whole continent was under |
| Crusades. The fall of Rome sets a good | | | | the constant pressure of three points of attack |
| understanding for what the Dark Ages were all about | | | | —from within and from both the north and south. |
| because for centuries the Roman Empire was a | | | | The Plague negates all progress |
| unified force that brought stabilization to most of | | | | Throughout the first century of the Dark Ages Europe |
| Europe. It had a vibrant trade and commerce industry | | | | made slow but tangible progress and Emperor |
| that supported a reasonably secure lifestyle for millions | | | | Justinian was on the verge of reuniting the continent |
| of people. When Rome fell, this network of trade and | | | | when the bubonic plague hit and killed tens of millions |
| commerce collapsed and the European World was | | | | of people. This destroyed all hope of reunification and |
| set into chaos. It took seven hundred years of wars, | | | | kept the continent in chaos for several more centuries. |
| plague, and poverty before the continent came out of | | | | The Force that brought us out of the darkness |
| it and was moved into the Renaissance. | | | | Christianity was an ideal that rose to power during the |
| Medieval Warlords and the struggle to be emperor | | | | dark ages and many warlords of the time embraced it. |
| Before it fell, Rome had been the center of the | | | | This had a unifying force on the entire European |
| European world for seven hundred years. The | | | | continent and even though there were many kingdoms |
| emperor ruled over everything and when this all fell the | | | | they all swore allegiance under the pope. This brought |
| concept of one man ruling the world still remained. It | | | | an end to the internal fighting that had been going on |
| was this aspiration to rule over everything that | | | | for centuries and this unification was solidified with the |
| perpetuated the darkness of the times. Lords from all | | | | launching of the Crusades beginning in 1095. This gave |
| over Europe were engaged with each other in battles | | | | all the various warlords and kings a common religious |
| for land and power. This battling lasted literally centuries | | | | goal and a foe they could join together and focus on. |