From the 6th to 15th centuries in Europe, there was a time widely regarded as The Middle Ages. This period of time also goes by many other names. Some of these are The Age of Faith, The Dark Ages, The Age of Feudalism, and The Golden Age. The chaos and disorder during this time, sparked by the fall of the Roman Empire, called for a new type of localized government, feudalism. The church acted as the main way for one to learn and make advancements in science and art.
This is what leads one to believe the proper label for the Middle Ages is The Age of Faith. Another way, but not the best way to describe the Middle Ages, is the Golden Age. During this time there was not a lot of smart individuals, but there was a keep of knowledge, and new inventions and advancements in technology, architecture, and art came about. “Even at its worst it performed the function of guarding…the knowledge and treasures of what had come before, but more it was creative and inventive, and transmitted to later ages great riches of its own. (Doc. 6).
Although this age was surrounded by rude and fierce ideas, it still managed to propose some advancement in poetry, philosophy, and law (Doc. 7). There was the revival of learning during this time period, and the emergence of the scholastics. While the Middle Ages resemble somewhat of a Golden Age, it is not the best way to describe the Middle Ages. A label that is just but not the most just is the Age of Feudalism. During the middle ages, there was a great lack of centralized government, and people turned to local leaders for protection.
This type of local government was based off of a number of rules, belonging to the code of chivalry. Lords provided protection and land to vassals, who in return provided the lords with loyalty, military service, and ransom (Doc. 4). Through Feudalism, people lived on manors, or the estate of the lord. Manors were self-sufficient communities, which consisted of a village, a castle, military protection, and knights. They could produce their own resources and live independently.
Knights were warriors who were granted fiefs for protection of the land and devoting loyalty to their lord. Although Feudalism was important and a large part of life, it is not the most exact way to describe this age. The final and most accurate way to describe the Middle Ages is the Age of Faith. All throughout the Middle Ages, from the beginning to the end, Christianity flourished and took over total religious power and even poured over into political power. There was little learning during this time so people turned towards Christianity to guidance.
Monasteries were also the only place you could go to learn. Even a king, Pepin the Short, was crowned by the Pope and named “King by the Grace of God”, and showed how much political power he had. Also, the Church commanded what everybody did, even if they were not a part of the church. “And throughout this year on every Sunday, Friday, and Saturday, and on the fast days of the four seasons…no one may commit murder, arson, robbery, or assault, no one may injure another with a sword, club, or any kind of weapon. ” (Doc. 5).
This was a sacrament to military power of the Pope, as the Pope was the one who sent knights off to fight. Many people totally and completely devoted their lives to the church for the mere thought of eternal bliss in the afterlife. The church was a major power in the Crusades, ad it declared war , and attempted to control the Holy Land and convert people to Christianity. The Church had much power, for it was the largest structure, and was surrounded by people. During the Middle Ages, everyone’s life revolved around the Church (Doc. 10).
There are many different possible labels for the middle ages. You could call it the Age of Feudalism, the Golden Age, or the Age of Faith. While all of these are technically correct, the Age of Faith is by far the most fitting one. People totally relied and were dependent on the church in this Dark Age which needed guidance. The lack of overall knowledge contributed to this because people could not explain certain things so they connected it to God. This just intensified the Age of Faith. So while you could call this age many things, the Age of Faith is most fitting.
