Medieval era
Also called: Middle Ages · Topic: Medieval Europe: Feudalism and the Three Orders · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 4 "The Three Orders"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Changing Cultural Traditions"
Meaning
The medieval era, or Middle Ages, is the period of European history from about the fifth to the fifteenth century. It came after the western Roman Empire fell. In this period the Church held great power, land was the main source of wealth, and feudalism shaped society. Renaissance thinkers of later centuries gave the period this name. They saw it as a 'middle' time between ancient Rome and their own age.
Example
Feudalism, the system linking lords and peasants through land and service, grew up in medieval France and later spread to England and southern Italy. It became a settled way of life in the eleventh century.
Don't confuse with
- Medieval India: a different time-frame used for Indian history, usually from about the eighth to the eighteenth century. The European 'medieval era' ends around the fifteenth century.