When did the Dark Ages/Middle Ages begin and end?

Question

I'm confused I've heard different time periods such as between 200 and 1000 AD or between 1000 and 1500 AD. And are the Dark Ages the same as the Middle Ages or are these two ages different?

Answer 1

The 'Dark Ages', also known as the Early Middle Ages, is considered to be roughly 476 C.E. (when Rome was conquered by Germanic tribes) to 1000 C.E. This time period is considered 'dark' because it was marked by the severe decline of Roman culture, and the breakdown of widespread trading due to the loss of safety in traveling. The Western Roman Empire was split apart by various invasions of 'barbaric' peoples.

The High Middle Ages (roughly 1000 C.E. to 1315 C.E.) was marked by a revival of intellect, the end of invasions, the urbanization of Europe, and a huge population explosion. It is most commonly marked by the Crusades.

The Late Middle Ages (roughly 1315 C.E. to 1453 C.E. - the fall of Constantinople) is considered to have began with the Great Famine, and also marked by the Black Death that decimated Europe and it's population. It was basically a step backwards for Europe until the beginning of the Renaissance.

This is a brief explanation of the different parts of the Middle Ages. To find out more details, look it up at Wikipedia. Their article is pretty good.

Answer 2

That depends on WHO makes the classification. Same happens in Medicine, the theories depend on who makes them. That's why you can see many different opinions in most disciplines of human knowledge.
It is my understanding that is generally considered the fall of the Western Roman Empire ( 476 ) as the end of the Ancient Age and the beginning of the Middle one. It marked the end of an era.
About the end, that depends. Some people place it when the Turks seized Constantinople , the 29 May 1453, marking the end of the Eastern Roman Empire, and being one of the factors that triggered the beginning of the Renaissance. Others place it with the discovery of America ( 12 October 1492 ) , another important fact that marked the beginning of a new era.
Yes, the Dark ages are the same as the Middle, because after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, all knowledge was kept in monasteries and only the monks knew how to read. The noblemen were illiterate. In documents of those times, it could be read: "the lord does not sign because he is a nobleman", meaning that he couldn't

Answer 3

Generally speaking , the Dark Ages began after the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD and ended at the time of the Renaissance.

Answer 4

It's not suprising that you're confused. There is a definite answer to when the middle ages began, but not when they ended.

Yes, the middle ages and dark ages are the same thing. That period began in the year 476 AD with the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Nobody really agrees on when this period ends. Most people would say that it ended around the 12th century with the beginings of the great universities of medieval Europe.

Antiquity gives way to Middle Ages,
Middle Ages gives way to Renaissance.
Renaissance gives way to Reformation.
Reformation gives way to Age of Enlightenment.
Enlightenment gives way to Industrial Revolution.
Industrial Revolution gives way to Modernity.

And there you have it.

Answer 5

Dark Ages (also known as the Early Middle Ages) has become rather passé and is slowly falling out of use.
A rough generalization might be 500-1500AD. There is no exact date. For example, I was taught years ago Middle Ages ended in 1453 with the fall of Constantinople. Just depends upon what historian you're using.

Answer 6

It began with the fall of the Roman empire, everything before that is called Ancient History, the there where the Middles ages which ended with the Renaissance (rebirth), and led to Modern History. See how easy that is?

Answer 7

i don't know