Two possible extremes of the Middle Ages: romanticizing them, and demonizing them
The Middle Ages remain a source of enduring interest today, but they are also the center of a great international debate. One side seems to romanticize the Middle Ages, based on things like the chivalry and the various kinds of art. The other side seeks to demonize and dismiss the Middle Ages, based on things like the superstition and the great brutality. Few periods in European history are as hard for people in the modern West to understand as the thousand-year Middle Ages. In some ways, the Middle Ages may (in fact) be the most alien period of such length in all of Western history. But it would be a mistake to throw out the baby with the bathwater. The Middle Ages also produced some fantastic art, architecture, music, and literature – inspired by the fervent faith of the era. It also produced some great religious philosophers – such as St. Augustine, Duns Scotus, and St. Thomas Aquinas in the Christian world. Elsewhere, it also produced Maimonides in Judaism, and Avicenna and Averroes in the Islamic world. And the Middle Ages even produced some great science (more about that here) – more science than most people today might realize. Much of this was centered around the Islamic world, but some of it also came from Catholic Europe. Thus, we continue to try to come to terms with the complex history of the Middle Ages, and the relative degree of good and evil therein. Thus, this post will try to examine some of the pros and cons of the Middle Ages, and how some of them continue to affect how people today see this period.
Byzantine Church mosaics, Monreale, Sicily, late 12th century
Some of the bad aspects of the Middle Ages
In popular circles, there is much about the Middle Ages that remains hard for modern people to understand. And I should acknowledge that there really were a number of bad aspects of the Middle Ages. These include the loss of Greek learning, and a lack of literacy and education (for a time, at least). There was also superstition regarding things like witchcraft, and a lack of standards of evidence regarding these (and other) things. The period also saw little (if any) separation of church and state, although there were conflicts between churches and kings that tended (at least somewhat) to keep both in check at times. The Middle Ages are also known for absolute monarchies, which sharply contrast with the prior popular governments in both Ancient Greece and Rome. By modern standards, there was also some barbarous treatment of religious dissent during the Inquisition, and a persecution of both the Byzantine and Islamic worlds during the infamous Crusades. During the Middle Ages, the Islamic world produced far greater accomplishments in both mathematics and the sciences than did the Christian world. These are still among the era’s greatest accomplishments. However, the Christian world would later depart from many of the worst excesses of the Middle Ages, while the Islamic world still sometimes seems to remain in a sort of “medieval mindset.” This is particularly noticeable in its continued hatred of both Christianity and the West – a view shared by many on the modern left. (But that’s a subject for another post.)
The burning of heretics at stakes in a marketplace, during the Spanish Inquisition
Some of the good aspects of the Middle Ages
But there are also some aspects of the Middle Ages that continue to be romanticized. Most prominently, people see this as an “age of chivalry,” where men (particularly upper-class knights) treated their ladies with respect. Even in the feminist environment of today, there are still men and women who long for the days of chivalry, and a respect for both femininity and womanhood. Other good aspects include this period’s great art and architecture, as covered in two great documentaries on that subject. (Here and here, respectively.) There is also some great classical music (like the Gregorian chants), and some great medieval literature (like the famous King Arthur legends). King Arthur may or may not be a real person (as I discuss here), but even people in my generation have heard of him. As mentioned earlier, this period also produced some great religious philosophy (from Jews and Muslims, as well as from Christians), and a legacy of faith. This legacy affected the Muslims, the Catholics, and even the later Protestant groups – who seem to have arrived shortly after the Middle Ages had ended. Also, as mentioned earlier, there were likewise some early conflicts between churches and various kings. These may have been the forerunners of a modern “separation of powers.” That is, separation of church and state may itself be a kind of separation of powers. It may have even served to keep the excesses of both in check at times.
Notre-Dame de la Belle-Verrière, part of the Chartres Cathedral in France
Some aspects of the Middle Ages that personally interest me (especially Medieval Britain)
Some aspects of the Middle Ages that personally interest me include the various invasions of Britain during the Dark Ages. These include an invasion by the Anglo-Saxons, two invasions by the Vikings, and one by the Normans – which remains far better-known in its effects. I’m also fascinated by the colorful backstabbing ways of the Plantagenet dynasty – culminating in the infamous Wars of the Roses. But their dynasty had inadvertently produced a more positive legacy. That is, it produced the Magna Carta. I’m a big fan of the Magna Carta, and its various re-issuings in medieval times. These things had a massive legacy for both medieval and modern generations of the British people. The Magna Carta, along with its various re-issuings, likewise had an effect upon many other places that would later be colonized by Great Britain. These included Australia, New Zealand, India, Canada, and even the United States – which rebelled against British authority far sooner than did the others mentioned here. Medieval Britain is one of the few parts of the Middle Ages that I personally know much about. In part, this is because I’ve studied the subject somewhat through various documentaries. I’m also planning to do some reading about the history of Britain at some distant future time, as I describe elsewhere. Therefore, suffice it to say here that Medieval Britain fascinates me, and is one of the most influential parts of the entire Middle Ages.
Scene from the Bayeux Tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings and the death of Harold
I am repulsed by some aspects of the Middle Ages, and inspired by other aspects
Again, I have no desire to defend “every” aspect of the Middle Ages. I’m more of a fan of the Greek and Roman legacy of free inquiry – and, more broadly, of freedom in general. In many ways, the Middle Ages (and particularly the Early Middle Ages) represent a departure from the relatively-enlightened ways of both the Greeks and the Romans. Moreover, I believe that the revival of Greek learning during the Renaissance, and its continuation during the Enlightenment, have done much to undo some of the worst excesses of the Middle Ages. But, even with the very darkest aspects of the Middle Ages, there is much to learn from the relevant history – since many of its stories are cautionary tales about the excesses of power. To be clear, I believe that institutions of some kind are necessary, but they can still become a bad thing when their power is left unchecked. When looking at the terrible monarchies of the era, there is much to learn from what happens when they are allowed to gain too much power. And there seems to be much about the period’s art, music, and literature that is admirable. Most importantly, the period’s faith seems to me to be worth emulating today. This was a time when people tended to believe in God (in one form or another), and were willing to die for their religious convictions when called upon to do so. I cannot help but find something admirable in that. The period certainly saw its share of warfare, and was a hard time in many other ways as well. But I’m not sure that there has ever been a period without major difficulties, and which was not rocked by warfare. Certainly the twentieth century has had its share of wars, and the twenty-first century is now experiencing some of its own. Our manner of fighting may be different, but the results seem to be much the same.
Cross of Mathilde
Conclusion: There is much to learn from both the pros and cons of the Middle Ages
I still consider myself more of a classicist than a medievalist. Moreover, I remain a great fan of the later Renaissance and Enlightenment periods. But there is still much to learn from the Middle Ages, in both their excesses and their successes. I still don’t see the Middle Ages through “rose-colored glasses,” but I do believe that there is much to admire about them, and certainly much from which we can learn. Whatever your feelings about the Middle Ages, their history still has much to teach us, and we can appreciate their triumphs and achievements … while still acknowledging the complexities of their legacy. I feel my lack of knowledge about the Middle Ages often, and certainly would like to learn much more about them. Thus, I continue to have a healthy respect for the Middle Ages, and for the lessons that they have to teach us. The topic continues to have great importance today, and will probably continue to do so for years to come.
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