"The Middle Ages or medieval period... lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries."
The study of European history from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the end of the Middle Ages.
Feudalism: A system of social, economic, and political organization that was prevalent in medieval Europe, based on a hierarchical system of relationships between lords and vassals.
Crusades: A series of religious wars that took place during the medieval period in which Christian armies from Europe sought to recapture Jerusalem and other holy sites from Muslim control.
Church and State: The relationship between the medieval Church and the state, including the role of the Church in politics and the power struggles between Church and state authorities.
Monarchy: The role of monarchs in medieval society, including their powers, duties, and relationships with other members of the ruling elite.
Trade and Commerce: The development of trade routes and the rise of commercial centers, including the role of guilds, banking, and early forms of capitalism.
Chivalry: The code of conduct and ethos of medieval knights, including the ideals of honor, courage, and service.
Art and Architecture: The development of medieval art and architecture, including Gothic cathedrals, illuminated manuscripts, and religious iconography.
Science and Medicine: The role of medieval scientists and physicians, including the development of universities, medical practices, and the study of herbalism.
Literature and Music: The development of medieval literature, including epic poetry, romances, and troubadour songs.
Gender and Sexuality: The role of women and LGBTQ individuals in medieval society, including their legal status, social standing, and cultural representation.
Warfare: The role of warfare in medieval society, including the development of new military technologies and tactics.
Peasantry: The life and conditions of the peasantry, including their relationship with the nobility and the growth of peasant rebellions.
Geography and Exploration: The impact of geography on medieval history, including the exploration of new lands, the rise of seafaring cultures, and the influence of climate and natural resources.
Religion and Mysticism: The role of religion and mysticism in medieval society, including the growth of new religious orders and the development of mystical theology.
Politics and Diplomacy: The role of politics and diplomacy in medieval international relations, including the rise of city-states, alliances, and treaties.
Cultural History: Explores the cultural, artistic, and intellectual trends of a particular region or community during the medieval period.
Economic History: Focuses on economic activities such as trade, commerce, agriculture, and the development of markets.
Military History: Focuses on battle strategies, weapons and armor, and significant wars that happened in the medieval era.
Political History: Examine the power, government, and leadership of a particular kingdom or region within the medieval period.
Social History: Explores the daily life of people who lived in medieval times, including their social structures, customs, and beliefs.
Gender History: Focuses on the role of gender in medieval society, including issues such as gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality.
Medieval Literature: Explores the literature and language of medieval times. It may include works from notable figures like Chaucer, Shakespeare, or Dante.
Medieval Science and Technology: Focuses on the scientific discoveries, inventions, and technological innovations of the medieval era.
Medieval Art and Architecture: Explores the art, architecture, and design of the medieval western world.
Medieval Medicine and Healthcare: Focuses on medical practices, healthcare, and beliefs during the medieval era.
"It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD."
"It ended with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD before transitioning into the Renaissance and then the Age of Discovery."
"The Middle Ages is the middle period of the three traditional divisions of Western history: antiquity, medieval, and modern."
"The large-scale movements of the Migration Period... led to the rise of new kingdoms in Western Europe."
"The Middle East and North Africa came under caliphal rule with the Arab conquests."
"The Byzantine Empire survived in the Eastern Mediterranean and advanced secular law through the Code of Justinian."
"In the West, most kingdoms incorporated extant Roman institutions, while the influence of Christianity expanded across Europe."
"[The Carolingian Empire] succumbed to internal conflict and external invasions from the Vikings from the north, Magyars from the east, and the Muslims from the south."
"The population of Europe increased greatly... technological and agricultural innovations allowed trade to flourish... climate change allowed crop yields to increase."
"Manorialism, the organisation of peasants into villages that owed rent and labour services to the nobles, and feudalism, the political structure whereby knights and lower-status nobles owed military service to their overlords in return for the right to rent from lands and manors."
"The East–West Schism of 1054."
"The Crusades were military attempts by Western European Christians to regain control of the Holy Land from Muslims."
"[The Crusades] also contributed to the expansion of Latin Christendom in the Baltic region and the Iberian Peninsula."
"Intellectual life was marked by scholasticism, a philosophy that emphasised joining faith to reason."
"The theology of Thomas Aquinas, the paintings of Giotto, the poetry of Dante and Chaucer, the travels of Marco Polo."
"Difficulties and calamities including famine, plague, and war, which significantly diminished the population of Europe."
"Between 1347 and 1350, the Black Death killed about a third of Europeans."
"Controversy, heresy, and the Western Schism within the Catholic Church paralleled the interstate conflict, civil strife, and peasant revolts that occurred in the kingdoms."
"Cultural and technological developments transformed European society, concluding the Late Middle Ages and beginning the early modern period."