In the last article, you read about the term “Dark Ages.” You learned that there is a debate about it. Should we call any historical period a “Dark Age”?

Let’s investigate this further. We should first start with a question: What was life like in Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire?

The Roman Empire fell. It left a power vacuum. What does this mean exactly? Rome had provided order and security. It had a powerful military and a strong government. Now, these were gone. There was no longer a large empire in power. But does this make it a “Dark Age?”

Medieval European communities and networks

Feudalism developed after Rome fell. Feudalism was a type of social organization. This system depended on relationships. People had different status or power. One person would pledge to support someone with power. In exchange for their support, they would get something they needed. For example, a knight might pledge to fight when needed. He would do so in exchange for land. A relationship like this was formalized in writing. This was called a “feudal contract.” Sometimes these contracts would benefit one person more than the other.

The church took on a bigger role. It had power and resources. It could provide some of the services provided by Rome. The Catholic Church controlled educational institutions. It was in charge of cathedrals.

So the period from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance was very different. But was it “dark”?

Culture and society in the Middle Ages

Advances were made in agriculture that made farming more productive. Farmers could farm more challenging lands. These were not the only accomplishments of this era.

The first universities in Europe were created. The Crusades opened communication between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish scholars. Because of this, important ancient works were recovered and translated into Latin. The printing press did not yet exist so Christian monks and nuns copied great works by hand.

Most people were farmers, traders, and artisans (commoners). There was a small group of wealthy people. They made up the aristocracy. The rulers were kings and queens. They held an incredible amount of power. Religious leaders were also important. Women took on the traditional roles of wife and mother. However, there were some powerful queens. Most people could not read. That wasn’t the case for the aristocracy and the clergy. Many women became nuns. They lived in convents in medieval Europe. These convents provided women some education.

Medieval economic networks

Cities grew. They became important centers for the production of crafts. Cities had grand cathedrals. They built for a variety of reasons: to praise God, to be a refuge for the people in hard times, and to bring business to the town. Some towns had spectacular cathedrals. Pilgrims would come to visit them. This brought money to the town.

Some cities made money through trade. The Italian city-state of Venice is one example. It became extremely wealthy. Venice was responsible for most of the shipbuilding during this time.

Was there a “Dark Ages” outside of Europe?

There is a lot of evidence against the idea that the European Middle Ages was a “Dark Age.” What about the rest of the world? Did other societies experience a “Dark Age?”

China didn’t experience the “Dark Ages.” The Han dynasty ended in 220 CE. Trade along the Silk Road suffered. There wasn’t a large empire to maintain the roads. There was no large army to protect merchants and travelers. The Tang Dynasty rose in the early 600s CE. Stability returned. The Tang Dynasty lasted almost 300 years. China expanded its territory. The population grew.

The Song dynasty (960–1279 CE) rose to power after the Tang. The empire became very wealthy and the population of China doubled. The Chinese went on an inventing spree. They invented gunpowder. They made advances in printing. They created the magnetic compass and paper money. International trade flourished. Internally, China had a stable government. However, the Song could not keep the Mongols out of China.

In 1279 CE Kublai Khan conquered China. He established a new Mongolian-Chinese dynasty. It was called the Yuan (1271–1368 CE). The Silk Road routes were made stable and safe. Foreign trade increased. China became very wealthy. Chinese products were some of the most sought-after goods in Afro-Eurasia.

China was not the only state with a flourishing culture. The Abbasid Empire (750–1258 CE), centered in Baghdad, was impressive. Abbasid rulers supported arts and science, trade, and industry. They encouraged learning by translating texts from all over the world into Arabic.

The Khmer Empire (802–1431 CE) was successful in Southeast Asia. They contributed many cultural achievements. They also built a complex irrigation system. Ghana (700–1240 CE) flourished in West Africa, partly because of the salt and gold trade.

Population growth also tells us about the health and stability of Afro-Eurasia. The period from 476 to 1176 CE showed great progress. The population of this world zone increased. It grew from about 272 million in 476 CE to 407 million in 1176 CE. The growth rate slowed during certain times. This was mainly due to plague outbreaks or wars. These events occur throughout history. They aren’t unique to the Middle Ages.

So what do you think? Did any portion of Afro-Eurasia experience a truly “Dark Age”?