Middle Ages vs. Renaissance
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- Category: History: European
- Date Submitted: 02/08/2011 12:06 AM
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Middle Ages vs. Renaissance
For a millennium, the medieval mind dominated European civilization. In the wake of the Black Death that devastated much of the continent, a new age arose from the ashes of the Middle Ages. This age, known famously as the Renaissance, was an era of economic recovery, revival of classical ideas, flowering of European culture especially in the arts, decline of papal power, and ultimately, the birth of the modern world.
After the last Roman Emperor was deposed in 476 A.D., classical antiquity came to a chaotic end as Germanic barbarians forged numerous kingdoms in the former Western Roman Empire. The Catholic Church in Rome, the last remnant of intelligence left in Western Europe, succeeded in baptizing the Germanic tribes and creating a united Christendom. For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church would continue to dominate in European affairs by crowning kings and baptizing peasants. Perhaps one of the most famous examples was the crowning of the Frankish King, Charlemagne. Although still barbaric by nature, these mighty kings were heavily influenced by the pope in Rome who was the true power behind the throne.
In the process, the Church instilled the idea that life in general was a test that would end with two results: hell or heaven. Life was all about suffering and pleasure wasn’t tolerated at all as it was considered a sin. The medieval belief that Christ was a divine god while humans were lowly beings also became popular during this period. This massive chasm between God and man could vividly be found in medieval mosaics of the period. The angels, saints, and even Christ Himself would all be depicted as seemingly alien beings with golden halos on their heads. To further widen the gap, no one knows who created these beautiful works of art as well as design the various Gothic cathedrals where these mosaics were displayed.
Economy in the Middle Ages was nearly nonexistent. Former Roman trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea were...
For a millennium, the medieval mind dominated European civilization. In the wake of the Black Death that devastated much of the continent, a new age arose from the ashes of the Middle Ages. This age, known famously as the Renaissance, was an era of economic recovery, revival of classical ideas, flowering of European culture especially in the arts, decline of papal power, and ultimately, the birth of the modern world.
After the last Roman Emperor was deposed in 476 A.D., classical antiquity came to a chaotic end as Germanic barbarians forged numerous kingdoms in the former Western Roman Empire. The Catholic Church in Rome, the last remnant of intelligence left in Western Europe, succeeded in baptizing the Germanic tribes and creating a united Christendom. For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church would continue to dominate in European affairs by crowning kings and baptizing peasants. Perhaps one of the most famous examples was the crowning of the Frankish King, Charlemagne. Although still barbaric by nature, these mighty kings were heavily influenced by the pope in Rome who was the true power behind the throne.
In the process, the Church instilled the idea that life in general was a test that would end with two results: hell or heaven. Life was all about suffering and pleasure wasn’t tolerated at all as it was considered a sin. The medieval belief that Christ was a divine god while humans were lowly beings also became popular during this period. This massive chasm between God and man could vividly be found in medieval mosaics of the period. The angels, saints, and even Christ Himself would all be depicted as seemingly alien beings with golden halos on their heads. To further widen the gap, no one knows who created these beautiful works of art as well as design the various Gothic cathedrals where these mosaics were displayed.
Economy in the Middle Ages was nearly nonexistent. Former Roman trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea were...