An article by Agence Science-Presse
The Middle Ages have a bad reputation. It’s often depicted as a time of violent heroes and a pitiless society. The Rumor Detector explores four of the myths associated with this period of European history, which ran from about 500 to 1500 A.D.
1) No, the Middle Ages weren’t that violent
Works of fiction taking place in the Middle Ages, like Game of Thrones, are full of violence. Think of the TV series Vikings and the video game The Witcher. Was life really that brutal back then?
In reality, these images are inspired by what happened after the fall of the Roman Empire, around the 5th century. Old political structures collapsed, as did trade across the Empire. In the power vacuum several groups tried to impose their domination: it was a period marked by tribal squabbles, explains Geneviève Dumas, specialist in the history of science, techniques and health at the University of Sherbrooke.
By comparison, the period between the year 1000 A.D. and 1500 A.D. saw the construction of cathedrals, trade across Europe and beyond – think of the merchant Marco Polo’s travels to China – as well as urban growth. We were far from the image of a “dark age.”
The same was even true for the two or three centuries following the fall of the Roman Empire. Indeed, it is difficult to gauge the level of violence in that society because few writings from the period survive. Violence was probably more present than it is today, but murder wasn’t an everyday occurrence. If certain forms of violence were tolerated (conjugal violence in the face of adultery, for example), wanton acts of cruelty were very poorly regarded. The populace also did not tolerate violence in the public space, which was attributable to a loss of control.
We can’t deny the place occupied by armed conflicts, particularly the Crusades, which began in 1095. But even the Arab news channel Al Jazeera, in a four-episode documentary aired in 2016, found it necessary to correct the caricature image of barbarian Christians thirsting for blood. The documentary reminded viewers that the two centuries of crusades (1095-1291) gave birth to political and military alliances between Christians and Muslims; commercial relations; the sharing of sacred sites; and intellectual exchanges. It’s a reality that is “generally ignored,” says historian Suleiman Mourad. “The attention on violence dominates modern interest in the Crusades.”
2) No, people didn’t think the Earth was flat
At the end of what we now call the Middle Ages, certain intellectuals who rediscovered the works of Ancient Greece and Rome felt the need to distance themselves from the prevailing though of the previous thousand years. That was the case of the Italian author Petrarch who, in the 14th century, described the somber centuries that, in his opinion, followed the grandeur of Greco-Roman civilization. This simplistic perception of an “age of darkness” has survived to this day: a perception of the Middle Ages as dominated by ignorance until we get to a period known, for this reason, as “The Renaissance.”
Only that medieval societies weren’t as ignorant as we’d like to think. For example, the wise of that age didn’t think the Earth was flat, even if they believed it was in the centre of the universe.
Indeed, even if they’re less well known that Galileo and Copernicus of the 16th and the 17th century, medieval intellectuals left their mark: Robert Grosseteste and Roger Bacon who, in the 13th century, described the scientific method as we know it today; and Thomas Bradwardine, with his work in physics on speed and acceleration, etc.
The Middle Ages also saw the birth of the astrolabe, a little astronomical measuring tool that the British historian Seb Falk describes as “the equivalent of a smartphone. It could indicate the time of the day, help someone find their way and follow the position of stars.”
3) Yes, there were scientific advances – thanks to the Arab world
To understand the full extent of the era’s scientific advancements, you have to look at the other side of the Mediterranean. “We can’t talk about science in the Middle Ages without raising the contributions of the Arab world,” observes Geneviève Dumas. “There was a fountain of ideas and a great deal of circulation of scientific ideas around the Mediterranean.” Basic concepts emerged in mathematics, astronomy, geography and medicine. Many inventions, from the astrolabe to paper, were passed on to the Europeans by the Arabs.
That was certainly the case with algebra, and with a lot of the mathematical operations we now use today: simple multiplication was impossible with Roman numerals. The system of “Arabic numerals” we use today opened the door for physics and astronomy.
Indeed, the first mechanical clocks appeared in the Arab world. As well as eyeglasses, which in turn led to the development of binoculars, then to telescopes.
All this knowledge was imported to Europe after the year 1000 A.D. thanks in part to the Crusade, but also tanks to Spain, much of which was Muslim territory until the 15th century. In 1100 the first European universities appeared. The educational methods used back then haven’t changed much to our day. “Universities were born with the same system as today: you passed exams and get a licence to practice medicine,” says Dumas.
4) No, knights weren’t all that romantic
As a counterpoint to the barbarous, brutal Middle Ages, we are sometimes presented with gallant, brave and loyal knights. “This romantic vision of the Middle Ages was sometimes popular in that era,” Dumas confirms. “That’s what everyone aspired to: become part of the nobility, of the aristocracy.”
Sadly, that sort of knight only really existed in literature. Many poems and stories, written between 1000 and 1300, created these superheroes in glittering armor, devoted to a lovely lady.
At least these writings had the benefit of introducing women into literature. But these passionate relationships were very rare in real life, even though literature was rife with them. So much so that when the printing press first appeared in the 15th century, “chivalric romances” were among the most popular works printed – though they lagged far behind the Bible and religious works.
Link to the original article:
https://www.sciencepresse.qc.ca/actualite/detecteur-rumeurs/2023/04/06/4-mythes-moyen-age
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