Why the Dark Ages aren't so dark.

[Eisennagel]

 

Great video, the popular conception of the Dark Ages are twisted by many things, including our video games and Game of Thrones.

 

 

[1Sherman]

I'd still never want to go back to that era. Also, this guy lumps the Dark Ages (476 AD-1066) with the Middle Ages (1066-1483). The Middle Ages were much less chaotic than the Dark Ages, where Europe was in what can basically be described as utter chaos in the aftermath of Rome's downfall and the loss of so much of what the Age of Antiquity had learned and built.

[Goose21891]

22 minutes ago, 1Sherman said:

I'd still never want to go back to that era. Also, this guy lumps the Dark Ages (476 AD-1066) with the Middle Ages (1066-1483). The Middle Ages were much less chaotic than the Dark Ages, where Europe was in what can basically be described as utter chaos in the aftermath of Rome's downfall and the loss of so much of what the Age of Antiquity had learned and built.

You would be surprised. There honestly wasn't nearly as much chaos as people believe. Major reason it even has that connotation is because of flawed Victorian writings such as the oft quoted Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

[anonym_OlK73e329bMY]

I want to go back.

[m373x]

1 minute ago, Hiroe said:

I want to go back.

No anime back then.

[anonym_OlK73e329bMY]

Just now, m373x said:

No anime back then.

Yea.. but.. I would have to go into political and religious stuff to explain it.

[AquaSquirrel]

I was under the impression that the Dark Ages are called the Dark ages not because of any "chaos" that went on during the time but becase of the lack of written records as compared to the Roman's. Making them dark to look back on. Kinda like reading a book and having the light go out.

[BrushWolf]

11 minutes ago, Goose21891 said:

You would be surprised. There honestly wasn't nearly as much chaos as people believe. Major reason it even has that connotation is because of flawed Victorian writings such as the oft quoted Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

 

There was a lot of chaos in the first 100 to 200 years after the western empire abandoned a region as the various warlords vied for control. What really made the dark ages dark was the loss of knowledge.

[Klaatu_Nicto]

2 hours ago, 1Sherman said:

I'd still never want to go back to that era. Also, this guy lumps the Dark Ages (476 AD-1066) with the Middle Ages (1066-1483). The Middle Ages were much less chaotic than the Dark Ages, where Europe was in what can basically be described as utter chaos in the aftermath of Rome's downfall and the loss of so much of what the Age of Antiquity had learned and built.

 

2 hours ago, Goose21891 said:

You would be surprised. There honestly wasn't nearly as much chaos as people believe. Major reason it even has that connotation is because of flawed Victorian writings such as the oft quoted Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

 

2 hours ago, AquaSquirrel said:

I was under the impression that the Dark Ages are called the Dark ages not because of any "chaos" that went on during the time but becase of the lack of written records as compared to the Roman's. Making them dark to look back on. Kinda like reading a book and having the light go out.

They Really Were The Dark Ages

An enormous volcanic eruption in the sixth century seems to have triggered catastrophic global cooling, perhaps precipitating famine, cultural conflict and plague across the planet.

The theory offers an explanation for why historical records from the period make references to dimmer skies and a cooler climate. Documents from Ireland, for example, describe “a failure of bread” for a few years after 536 AD, and there are also accounts of summertime snow in China.

The Byzantine historian Procopius wrote that in 536 “a most dread portent took place. For the sun gave forth its light without brightness… and it seemed exceedingly like the sun in eclipse, for the beams it shed were not clear.”

http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080311/full/news.2008.665.html

The Little Ice Age In Europe

Western Europe experienced a general cooling of the climate between the years 1150 and 1460 and a very cold climate between 1560 and 1850 that brought dire consequences to its peoples. The colder weather impacted agriculture, health, economics, social strife, emigration, and even art and literature. Increased glaciation and storms also had a devastating affect on those that lived near glaciers and the sea.

http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/mandias/lia/little_ice_age.html

 

 

 

[BrushWolf]

15 minutes ago, Klaatu_Nicto said:

 

 

They Really Were The Dark Ages

An enormous volcanic eruption in the sixth century seems to have triggered catastrophic global cooling, perhaps precipitating famine, cultural conflict and plague across the planet.

The theory offers an explanation for why historical records from the period make references to dimmer skies and a cooler climate. Documents from Ireland, for example, describe “a failure of bread” for a few years after 536 AD, and there are also accounts of summertime snow in China.

The Byzantine historian Procopius wrote that in 536 “a most dread portent took place. For the sun gave forth its light without brightness… and it seemed exceedingly like the sun in eclipse, for the beams it shed were not clear.”

http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080311/full/news.2008.665.html

The Little Ice Age In Europe

Western Europe experienced a general cooling of the climate between the years 1150 and 1460 and a very cold climate between 1560 and 1850 that brought dire consequences to its peoples. The colder weather impacted agriculture, health, economics, social strife, emigration, and even art and literature. Increased glaciation and storms also had a devastating affect on those that lived near glaciers and the sea.

http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/mandias/lia/little_ice_age.html

 

 

 

 

One minor point, it was a warming period from 1150 - 1460 which was followed by the "Little Ice Age".

[Klaatu_Nicto]

4 minutes ago, BrushWolf said:

 

One minor point, it was a warming period from 1150 - 1460 which was followed by the "Little Ice Age".

 

I don't know how they came up with that date range since everything I've seen or read says the Little Ice Age began in the 1300 - 1400 period.

[BrushWolf]

3 minutes ago, Klaatu_Nicto said:

 

I don't know how they came up with that date range since everything I've seen or read says the Little Ice Age began in the 1300 - 1400 period.

 

I think that period is considered to be a normal period between the midieval warming period and the little ice age.

[Klaatu_Nicto]

4 minutes ago, BrushWolf said:

 

I think that period is considered to be a normal period between the midieval warming period and the little ice age.

 

A little while ago I posted a video about the Little Ice Age in the Southern California described as "ticking time bomb," prepare now topic.

 

[Edselman]

Very interesting time would be interesting to see . . . well except for the plague that killed like half the population of Europe.

For some reason the Kingdom of Poland was completely spared, which being part Polish, is good for me because if it did I may not be here today because of a distant ancestor getting killed by it.

[Eisennagel]

 

 

Dark Ages to Middle Ages, there is a great development in the disciplines of trade, business management, inventory management and accounting.  The art and acumen of business, currency, inventory and trade management are greatly underrated as factors in the advancement of human civilization in contrast to the arts, architecture, science and war, and yet these skills are among the most fundamental to human progress.

[Royeaux]

Whether it was the Renaissance or the Dark Ages, realistically about 90% of the population toiled on a farm to feed themselves till the end of their days.  The big difference between the two ages is wealth.  The collopse of the Middle and Upper classes due to war, disease and a loss of knowledge put a giant hole in written history, because no one writes tales of the humble farmer.  But that's what most of the world was until the Industrial Age and the standard of living for the farmer did not change much in several millennia.

[Scotty_SE]

Recalling my European history during this period, we owe a helluva lot to the French who were able to keep moving forward in terms of technology and culture until the Renaissance firmly took hold.

[1Sherman]

2 hours ago, Scotty_SE said:

Recalling my European history during this period, we owe a helluva lot to the French who were able to keep moving forward in terms of technology and culture until the Renaissance firmly took hold.

 

Actually, the Crusades are probably the main reason why the Renaissance happened at all. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Middle East was able to hold onto most of the stuff that the Greeks and the Romans had figured out (and even improved on it). When the Crusaders came over, they ended up bringing a lot of those teachings and discoveries back with them.

 

On 7/6/2017 at 2:21 AM, Eisennagel said:

 

 

Dark Ages to Middle Ages, there is a great development in the disciplines of trade, business management, inventory management and accounting.  The art and acumen of business, currency, inventory and trade management are greatly underrated as factors in the advancement of human civilization in contrast to the arts, architecture, science and war, and yet these skills are among the most fundamental to human progress.

 

Also, another reason why the Dark Ages sucked: They had marauding groups of people running around looting everything. A perfect example of this of this comes in the form of the Norse. However, in 1066, only two weeks before William of Normandy crossed the Channel, King Harold Godwinson's army defeated a Norse army led by Norwegian king Harald Haralda, an event that is considered to be the end of the so-called "Viking Age" that began in 793 AD with the raid of the Lindisfarne monastery.