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Medieval LifeThe Middle Ages was a period in Western European history that followed the collapse of the Roman Empire between the 4th and 5th centuries and lasted up into the 15th century. Medieval Europe was far from unified. It was a large area split into small, culturally diverse units that were never totally in control by any one authority. With the collapse of the Roman Empire, Christianity became the backbone of Western civilization. The papacy gradually gained secular authority and monastic communities, generally under the Rule of St. Benedict, flourished during this time period. By the 8th century, culture centered on Christianity had been established. Feudalism, with the manorial system as its backbone, became the typical social and political organization of Europe. The new framework gained stability from the 11th century, as the invaders became Christian and settled and as prosperity was created by agricultural innovations, increasing productivity, and population expansion. As Europe entered the period known as the High Middle Ages, the church became the widespread and unifying institution. Strong popes, especially Gregory VII, worked for a renewed Europe guided by a centralized church, a goal which evolved under Innocent III . . .
The Christians of the Roman Empire suffered some persecution, as did Jews. Christianity marked a sharp break from ancient heritage while the economy held onto the traditional past supported by agriculture. Both were against commerce, feeling that to live by trade was undesirable. Whether it may be a festival honoring a god or a celebration marking a religious holiday, all members of society were expected to take part in all activities. Going to a marketplace was like going to a carnival or fair. This period began and ended for different countries at different times across Europe. It also affected different areas of the continent in different ways. Some towns became rich because their people specialized in a certain type of thing. But before the empires crumbled, the church served as the way of life for all members of Greco-Roman society. Craft guilds were bakers, brewers, goldsmiths, tailors, weavers and other craft workers. Many modern historians stress the continuity between late antiquity and the early Middle Ages. Many centuries later, a new interest in learning would mark the beginning of the Renaissance. Thus the empire suffered from several serious plagues in the first and second centuries. Common topics in this essay: | |||
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