Although it is not super easy to read I do enjoy Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The movie did the book justice but I would have to say that the 13th Warrior is my favorite movie. I am not really an Antonio Banderas fan but I liked the simplicity of the movie. No flashy kings and royal courts or enormous armies with lots of politics, just a well rounded film depicting life in the dark ages and of coarse bloody sword fights.
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"May those who love us, love us. And those who hate us, may God turn their hearts. And if he doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping." -Celtic Proverbs
Grateful am I to have a sword in which to defend myself at all times, blessed am I for the days I need not use it.
I am reading MONTROSE by C.V. Wedgwood, St Martins Press, 1995 (ISBN 0-312-12584-4). Its the history and romantic adventures of James Graham, 1st Marqess of Montrose. Found it at my public library book sale in like new condition for $1. Sold!
Okay well its not officially medieval as it happens in the 1600's when they had muskets and canons with their pikes and armor.
Its very good non-fiction Scottish history. Hard to put aside, and I am almost done.
My favourite Medieval Movie is "The War Lord" With Charlton Heston and Richard Boone. I think it's my favourite because it was the first one that showed some realism of the time the 11th century.
It is straight history, but one that I have found very useful is Sutherland and Caithness in Saga-Time by James Gray. It originally came out in 1922, but has recently been re-released.. If you can't find a copy, there is one on-line at the Gutenberg project. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15856
El Cid wasn't to bad. The thing that bugs me about Hollywood and its so called Historical Movie, The Kingdom Of Heaven, Braveheart, Troy, Alexander, is that they screw it all up and the first thing that suffers is the Historical Truth. Take "The Kingdom of Heaven" Balien was the defender of Jerusalem against Saladin. He was also a lot older than depicted, married with two children and he did not ride off with Sybilla the Queen. In Braveheart well the only accurate thing was his execution and that only in the method. Troy was so sickening that I guarantee Homer sat up in his grave and screamed.
The Medieval period ended with the Renaisance in the 14th century. From roughly 900 to 1300 was the Medieval Period.
Camac.
I was always taught that it bagan with the fall of the Roman Empire (the sacking of Rome by the Goths and Visigoths) in the fifth century and ran till the fifteenth century.
From roughly 500 to 900 was considered the dark ages of western Europe.
Camac.
I've checked many places on the net and some give roughly the same period as you while others include the Dark Ages in the Middle Ages. The most common interpretation I could find gave the Middle Ages as stretching between the Roman Empire and the beginnings of Modern Europe (the Renaisance), the age "in the middle" of the two aforementioned periods. The below quote is typical of the thousand year interpretation.
The term "medieval" comes from the Latin meaning "middle age." The term medieval (originally spelled mediaeval) wasn't introduced into English until the 19th century, a time when there was heightened interest in the art, history and though of the Middle Ages.
There is some disagreement about when the Medieval Period started, whether it began in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th century AD. Most scholars associate the beginning of the period with the collapse of the Roman empire, which began in 410 AD. Scholars similarly disagree about when the period ends, whether they place the end at the start of the 15th century (with the rise of the Renaissance Period), or in 1453 (when Turkish forces captured Constantinople).
Then coming closer to your interpretation is this:
Depends on who and where you are. In England, the Middle Ages are generally dated from the Norman Conquest of 1066. In France, the Moyen Age is traditionally dated from the Baptism of King Clovis in 498. In Germany, the Mittelalter is taken to have begun between 500 and 600. Many historians date the medieval period from the Hegira of Mohammed in 622 and the beginning of Islamic expansion ... and so on.
Then I found this which seems to clarify the two:
The sacking of Rome in 410 AD by Alaric, leader of the Visigoths caused the gradual fall of the Western Roman Empire. By 476 AD the last Roman Emperor was deposed, beginning a new era, this being the Middle Ages. It is also referred to as "Medieval" in history, so the two terms are alike.
The Dark ages is simply a word used to describe the early Middle Ages from 476 AD to approximately 1000 AD. It is named the Dark Ages because it was a specific period of time where there was very little technological development or advances in knowledge, where the quality of life for the people was moving backwards and they suffered as a result.
There are several theories as to when the Middle Ages declined and the Renaissance period started.
1. The capture of Constantinople in 1453 AD by Mehmed II, a General of the Ottoman Empire effectively neutralizing the Eastern Roman Empire.
2. The discovery of "The Americas" in 1492 AD by Italian explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus.
3. The widespread use of gunpowder, making the icon of the Medieval era (castles) become obsolete.
4. The Black Death ravaged Europe in 1347 AD, killing millions and efficiently destroying the Feudal system, which provided the basis for society in Medieval times.
I guess it could be either span depending on the interpretation you choose.