The Middle Ages: A Historical Period Divided into Three Stages
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The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a historical period that began with the Fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 A.D. (the 5th century) and ended with the Fall of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire in 1453 (the 15th century). This period is divided into three stages: The Early Middle Ages, the High Middle Ages, and the Late Middle Ages.
An Area of Invasion
Between the 3rd and 10th centuries, there were mass migrations in Europe. Firstly, Germanic peoples migrated to and defeated the Western Roman Empire. They created numerous kingdoms. Afterwards, Slavs and Magyars arrived from the east, Norsemen or Vikings from the north, and Muslims from the south.
The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire resisted the Germanic invasions and maintained its political unity. It reached its maximum size under Justinian the Great. However, as time passed, the area it controlled gradually became smaller due to pressure from the Muslims and Slavs.
The emperor was the highest political authority, and society was divided into the landowning nobles and the rest of the population. Initially, the economy prospered due to trade.
Islam and Caliphate
In the 7th century, Muhammad founded Islam in Arabia. The Muslims created an extensive empire which stretched from the Iberian Peninsula to India. Muhammad's successors, known as the caliphs, were the highest religious and political authority. Other political positions were the viziers, emirs, and the qadis or judges.