The 'Dark' Ages have often been crudely depicted as an era of mass illiteracy and ignorance, and of terrifying heathen hordes swarming across the European continent, leaving devastation in their wake. Yes, this was the time of the so-called Barbarian invasions, of the Vikings, of the break-up of some urban life and population decline in Western Europe. But this was also the time of Pope Gregory the Great, of Charlemagne and Alfred the Great; of feudalism, the development of monastic life and the nurturing of Christianity across Western Europe. In the East, the Roman Empire continued to thrive in Byzantium, while from the 7th century the Muslim Arab conquest of North Africa and Iberia proved to be a stimulating challenge to the Christian West.
From the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century to the 11th century, The 'Dark' Ages tells the story of this fascinating but much misunderstood period in medieval history. Featuring the fragmentation of the Western Roman Empire and re-emergence of unity under Charlemagne; the emergence of the Catholic Church as a dominant political force; the raids, trading life and settlements of the Vikings, the book expertly reappraises the early Middle Ages. Illustrated with 180 colour and black-&-white photographs, artworks and maps, The 'Dark' Ages is an exciting, engaging and highly informative exploration of this often overlooked period in early medieval history.
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Fully illustrated exploration of this often-overlooked period in early medieval history
Introduction
Chapter One. The Roman Era
Decline in trade and population within the Roman Empire in the 3rd century.
Weakening within Rome. The Hun Empire pushing the Germanic peoples westwards
and south into the Roman Empire. In the Gothic War (376382), the Goths
revolted and confronted the main Roman army in the Battle of Adrianople
(378). The Barbarian invasions.
Chapter Two. The Barbarian Kingdoms
The Franks, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals, Lombards, Avars, Bulgars.
Increasingly localized societies. Collapse in long distance trade and
manufacturing. Decline in education, organizations and administrations. A
retreat in agriculture and reclaiming by forest of some land.
Chapter Three. Britain
A series of settlements by Germanic peoples (the Anglo-Saxons) began in the
early fifth century, and by the sixth century the island would consist of
many small kingdoms engaged in ongoing warfare with each other.
Chapter Four. The Church
Rome became the centre of the Catholic Church. The spread of Christianity
across northern Europe. Arianism. Monasteries became the centres of learning.
Monks christianised the British Isles. The Byzantine Church and continuity of
the Roman Empire in the East. The Challenge of Islam. The sophistication of
Islamic Spain, where 9th century Cordoda was one of the worlds largest and
most developed cities.
Chapter Five. The Norsemen
Beginning in 789AD, the Vikings raided monasteries, sacked cities and invaded
western Europe. They looted and enslaved their enemies. But that is only part
of their story. In long boats they discovered Iceland and America (both by
accident) and also sailed up the Seine to Paris (which they sacked). They
settled from Newfoundland to Russia, founded Dublin and fought battles as far
afield as the Caspian Sea.
Chapter Six. Kingdoms of Europe
The last 200 years of the Dark Ages saw the emergence of powerful feudal
kingdoms that would shape the fate of Europe for the next centuries. Frankish
Empire, Norse raids in Europe, Scandinavian Kingdoms, Feudalism, The Normans,
The legacy.
Bibliography
Index
Martin J. Dougherty is the author of Vikings, The Medieval Warrior and Celts, among many other books. A former defence consultant, he also writes on personal self-defence and modern military technology. He lives in northern England.
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