Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
WHY ARE THE DARK AGES CALLED THAT? Was there a centuries’ long eclipse, a candle shortage, or is it something a bit more esoteric? In this documentary from History Calling we’re going back to the Dark Ages to ask what were the Dark Ages anyway, where did the term the Dark Ages come from, what did it refer to and is it accurate?
The Dark Ages and the medieval period/Middle Ages are often taken as much the same thing and the former term was first suggested by a medieval historian called Petrarch in the 14th century, then expanded upon by an Italian churchman and historian, Caesar Baronius in 1602 and finally picked up on and used with wild abandon by later writers. When were the Dark Ages though? Well, broadly speaking it refers to the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Renaissance and spans around 410 AD to 1400 AD, depending on who you ask. It is often taken to refer to a lack of source material for the study of European history during this time (so a darkness in the sources), a decline in human knowledge and civilisation after the heyday of antiquity and a rise in barbarity and general backwardness. However the term has fallen from popularity as more and more researchers have pointed out that in fact there are plenty of sources for that millennium and there were plenty of innovations and inventions created during it. So is it fair to refer to this period as the Dark Ages, or is it time to consign that term to history? Let’s go medieval and find out the truth!
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NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
#DarkAges #TheDarkAges #MedievalHistory #MiddleAges
WHY ARE THE DARK AGES CALLED THAT? Was there a centuries’ long eclipse, a candle shortage, or is it something a bit more esoteric? In this documentary from History Calling we’re going back to the Dark Ages to ask what were the Dark Ages anyway, where did the term the Dark Ages come from, what did it refer to and is it accurate?
The Dark Ages and the medieval period/Middle Ages are often taken as much the same thing and the former term was first suggested by a medieval historian called Petrarch in the 14th century, then expanded upon by an Italian churchman and historian, Caesar Baronius in 1602 and finally picked up on and used with wild abandon by later writers. When were the Dark Ages though? Well, broadly speaking it refers to the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Renaissance and spans around 410 AD to 1400 AD, depending on who you ask. It is often taken to refer to a lack of source material for the study of European history during this time (so a darkness in the sources), a decline in human knowledge and civilisation after the heyday of antiquity and a rise in barbarity and general backwardness. However the term has fallen from popularity as more and more researchers have pointed out that in fact there are plenty of sources for that millennium and there were plenty of innovations and inventions created during it. So is it fair to refer to this period as the Dark Ages, or is it time to consign that term to history? Let’s go medieval and find out the truth!
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
How the Black Death affects YOU
youtu.be/IGd78Gg05q0
Can you read old handwriting?
youtu.be/RjvKS56qC4k
The mysterious Green children of Woolpit
youtu.be/hpLUJasKrQA
Library of Alexandria
youtu.be/KECfzn6FbwU
Did our ancestors think the world was flat?
youtu.be/aVuQ5EsRDpg
The mysterious island of Hy Brasil
youtu.be/_74GYWj9NuE
LEARN MORE:
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
AUDIBLE
amzn.to/44MvlMi
AUDIBLE PLUS & AUDIBLE PREMIUM PLUS
amzn.to/42rh3PF
PRIME VIDEO
amzn.to/3LW7ykg
GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
DJI Drone: amzn.to/38h1vXr (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/39hROZm (US LINK)
Go-Pro Hero 10 camera: amzn.to/3EPIK9U (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3rTWScL (US LINK)
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/37CdC1r (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3vaVxjU (US LINK)
Memory Card: amzn.to/36QvcOQ (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3KeLZZs (US LINK)
Microphone: amzn.to/3MFtoaK (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3rYtjH8 (US LINK)
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
#DarkAges #TheDarkAges #MedievalHistory #MiddleAges
