English 10

Sophia de Oliveira

Research Report
 Outline

I. Introduction: The Medieval Times was not a “Dark Ages” because, during this period,
there were advances in agriculture and math; the Church became the most powerful force;
furthermore, the growth of monasticism implicated in the values of today’s Western.
II. Why is it called Dark Ages?
A. Why historians call it Dark Ages?
1. Relationship between Renaissance and Middle Ages
2. Relationship between Enlightment and Middle Ages
B. Why Protestants call it Dark Ages?
III. The influence of the Church
A. The values infused
1. The role of monasticism
a. Significance of St. Benedict
b. Significance of Hugh of St. Victor
2. The reforms made
a. Significance of Saint Francis of Assissi
b. Significance of Pope Gregory the Great
c. Significance of Pope Gregory VII
B. Philosophy during Middle Age
1. Patristic division
a. Significance of Boethius
b. Significance of Saint Isidore of Seville
2. Scholastic division
a. Significance of Saint Tomas Aquinas
b. Significance of Saint Bonaventure
c. Significance of Saint Anselm of Canterbury
IV. Politics during Middle Age
A. How it was in the Roman Empire
B. During the life of Charlemagne
C. Against the monopolization of power
 1. Significance of Magna Carta
2. Significance of English Parliament
V. Education during Middle Age
A. How schools were
1. Significance of Monastic schools
2. Significance of Cathedral schools
3. How it was organized (Trivium and Quadrivium)
B. Universities during Middle Age
VI. Advances in Math
A. Significance of Al-Khwarizmi
B. Significance of Fibonacci
VII. Advances in agriculture
A. Significance of Medieval Warm Period
1. What was it?
2. Significance of it
B. Inventions in agriculture
1. The iron shoes
2. The horse collar
3. The heavy plow
VIII. Conclusion
 Reserch Report

Studying the Dark Ages had caused much controversy in schools. Everyone seems to

have a different opinion about the time. People often regard it as savorless, or maybe a time of

brutality, when the populace could not even write their names. But there is another perspective

to be observed. During this period, there were advances in agriculture and math. The Church

became the most influential force. Furthermore, the growth of monasticism prepossessed the

values of modern Western.

The Medieval Times was the so-called Dark Age mainly because of two groups:

historians and Protestants. For historians, the Ancient, when there was just wisdom and great

conquers in Rome and Greece, and the Modern Ages, when there was a renascence of the old

treasures and people became illuminated, were the more essential ones. In the halfway of these,

there was a period not so crucial. A time when, as is commonly heard, the Church suppressed

all education and made people blind and gullible. Also, a moment when there were neither

many discoveries nor records. In short, a pointless epoch. A witness of this was Petrarch. He

was an Italian poet, a precursor of the Renaissance, born in 1304, and therefore a partaker of

the Medieval Times. Petrarch was a great admirer of the ancient classical writers, but he also

belittled his comrades of the 'Middle.' Once when referring to after the fall of Rome, Petrarch

said it was a period surrounded by "darkness and gloom." 1 So, the title dates back to even the

XIV century. A tendency is to overestimate the ancient discoveries and the Renaissance, the

revival of that. Therefore underestimate the inventions of the Middle age. As the Enlightenment

was a period when the Church was not in the center, and people were 'enlighted,' the opposite

1
Phillip Campbell, The Church and the Dark Ages (430–1027): St. Benedict,
Charlemagne, and the Rise of Christendom (Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 2021), XX.
situation, therefore, when the Church was the regent, then must be a period of darkness. The

other group, the Protestants, was less motivated by love for the ancient and more by hate for

the Christians. They had revolted against the Church and been ever since a prodigal son who

insists on squandering his Fathers wealth as if it was his own. Many Protestants called the

Middle Age the Dark Times because, during this time, the Church was the most influential in

Europe. So they saw it as a period when Church restrained true faith and gave idols to people

to adore. Richard Sibbes was a British from 1577. He was an Anglican theologian and a

representative of the main line of Puritanism. A biblical exegete, teacher, preacher, and

founding member of the Feoffees, a group interested in advancing the cause of Puritanism in

England. Sibbes explained the justification for the obscurity. It is because “Christ was veiled.” 2

However, the reality is different from what they had thought, as is demonstrated below.

The Church was the primary base for much of the goodness of the Middle Age. It firmed

many values in society, predominantly through monasteries. Some people would retire their

lives from the world to dedicate them only to love God. Whence the Lord would

straightforward elevate them to the "height of perfection"3 through the observance of the right

things. Saint Benedict said the monks should be "chaste, sober, and merciful." 4 The

concupiscence would not overcloud the sublime activities of the soul, nor would the superb

prevent them from being compassionate. The standards and rules imposed by St. Benedict, if

adapted to one's state life, can lead to order and holiness. Hugh of St. Victor, who was made

2
Richard Sibbes, The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes, D.D.: Memoir of Richard
Sibbs (Edinburgh: John Greig & Son, Old Physic Gardens, 1862), 24.
3
Benedict of Nursia, The rule of St. Benedict in English (New York: Vintage Books,
1998), 85.
4
Benedict of Nursia, The rule of St. Benedict in English (New York: Vintage Books,
1998), 76.
"master of the school"5 of St. Victor, made cherished considerations about the virtues needed

in the study. The lack of these attributes hinders many people's lives even nowadays. Hugh said

a man who moves on "step by step" 6 is the one who moves along best. Thus, stressing that one

needs to be patient and persevering. Besides, when about the utility of different knowledge,

Hugh uttered that one should learn "everything"7 because, afterward, he will notice nothing is

"superfluous."8 In the medieval, significant reforms occurred in the Church. One agent of these

adjustments was Saint Francis of Assissi. The Lord talked to Francis. And utter him to "[g]o,

and repair"9 the falling house of God. And so Francis did. Another noteworthy man was Pope

Gregory the Great. His moral theology "shaped the medieval spirituality." 10 And also Pope

Gregory VII, a man who felt called to "revive" 11 the olden grandeur of the Church. The

philosophy in this period had divided into two sections: the Patristic and the Scholastic. The

patristic began earlier, but it has a part in the medieval. Patristics seek rationalization of the

Christian faith. Boethius, for example, said philosophy explained that God could understand

everything from His "eternal mind," 12 while humans only see things from their "temporal point

5
Hugh of St. Victor, The Didascalion (New York: Columbia University Press, 1961),
38.
6
Hugh of St. Victor, The Didascalion (New York: Columbia University Press, 1961),
137
7
Hugh of St. Victor, The Didascalion (New York: Columbia University Press, 1961),
137.
8
Hugh of St. Victor, The Didascalion (New York: Columbia University Press, 1961),
137.
9
“The Franciscan Calling.” Franciscans. https://www.franciscans.ie/the-franciscan-
calling/ (Acessed in July 7 2022)
10
Carole Straw. ”St. Gregory the Great.” In Encyclopædia Britannica, 2022.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/St-Gregory-the-Great (Acessed in July 7 2022)

11
Uta-Renate Blumenthal. ”St Gregory VII” in Encyclopædia Britannica, 2022.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Gregory-VII (Acessed in July 7 2022)
12
Severinus Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy (New York: Modern Library,
1943), 115.
of view."13 Saint Isidore of Seville pointed out that philosophy consists of "knowledge," 14

when known with definiteness, and "opinion," 15 when uncertain. The other part, the scholastic,

includes the "summit of medieval achievement," 16 Saint Tomas Aquinas, prince of Scholastic.

The time was to find answers to questions, what St. Tomas succeeded in doing, notably in his

Summa Theologica. St. Bonaventure, with his "angelic purity of life" 17 and pronounced

intellect, was surpassed by Saint Tomas alone. Saint Anselm, described as the "ripest fruit" 18

of monastic schools, deeply explored the mysteries of the faith. All these men are remarkable

yet, and their writings are still studied.

With the fall of Rome and the rise of the Church as the dominating authority, some

things changed. No man could monopolize power anymore because he knew God was the

source of it all. The emperor of Rome was above every one and every law. Now, God had this

place. Emperor Charlemagne demonstrated this during his lifetime. In every conquered region,

he would build a fortress and a church. Charlemagne was an education supporter and built

many schools throughout his empire. He became so illustrious that Richard Winston, an

American translator and writer, once said, "[w]hat King Arthur was to Britain, Charlemagne

became to France." 19 The movement against the monopolization of power led to the creation

of some documents and organizations. The Magna Carta is a sample. The barons of England

13
Severinus Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy (New York: Modern Library,
1943), 115.
14
Ernest Brehaut, Na Encyclopedist of the Dark Ages: Isidore of Seville (New York:
Columbia University, 1912), 116.
15
Ernest Brehaut, Na Encyclopedist of the Dark Ages: Isidore of Seville (New York:
Columbia University, 1912), 116.
16
David Knowles, The Evolution of Medieval Thought (London: Longman, 1988), XI.
17
David Knowles, The Evolution of Medieval Thought (London: Longman, 1988),
215.
18
David Knowles, The Evolution of Medieval Thought (London: Longman, 1988), 90.
19
Richard Winston, Charlemagne (New York: American Heritage Pub. Co, 1968),
146.
accused King John of "abusing royal power."20 Hence, they forced the King to sign the charter,

stating that the "sovereign is not above the law."21 The British Parliament is another example;

it "evolved almost organically." 22 The King would meet clerics, barons, and other advisors in

a small council called Witan. And some bishops, sheriffs, lords, and commoners (from

'community,' not 'common people') meet in moots. The first official Parliament began in 1215

with the creation of the Magna Carta. Then, after some changes and organization, the model of

nobles, bishops, and two representatives from each county was established. These meetings

prevented the monopoly of authority and helped the political needs of the kingdom.

In Medieval Times, people supported education accordingly to their capacity. The

families sent their children to monastic schools, and most became clerics. Because in the

hierarchy of education, Theology held the "crowning position." 23 The primary objective was

this study. Soon, monastic schools became cathedral schools. Each cathedral came to have its

own. They hired teachers, and students would change from one school to another depending

on the professor. The seven liberal arts were the base of study. Martianus Capella, Saint

Augustine, and Cassiodorus transformed the Graeco-Roman knowledge about it into

something that had meaning for medieval society. They arranged the material into model

curricula from an "academic vacuum" 24 of classification knowledge to teaching experience.

Later, the foundation of universities happened. They were the 'studia generale' because students

20
Rebecca Favorito, “The Magna Carta and Its Legacy.” Origins.
https://origins.osu.edu/magna-carta-and-its-legacy (Acessed June 22 2022)
21
Rebecca Favorito, “The Magna Carta and Its Legacy.” Origins.
https://origins.osu.edu/magna-carta-and-its-legacy (Acessed June 22 2022)
22
“British Parliament.” HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/british-
history/british-parliament (Acessed June 22 2022)
23
Allan B. Cobban, The Medieval Universities: their development and organization
(London: Methuen, 1975), 12.
24
Allan B. Cobban, The Medieval Universities: their development and organization
(London: Methuen, 1975), 13.
from many places came there. Although a studium could only be erect with a "papal or imperial

prerogative."25

In the subject of Math, some weighty contributions appeared. Al-Khwarizmi was not a

European. However, the impact he had on the whole world is considerable. Al-Khwarizmi was

a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and writer. There is not much data about

his life, but a fact known is that he was a genius, according to his resume. He is the man who

gave the Indo-Arabian numbers to the Western, the only authentic "global language;" 26 the zero

also came from him. However, the Europeans did not sympathize with the "usefulness of

zero"27 immediately; it took some time until they accepted it. Also, the words 'algorithm' and

'algebra' came from Al-Khwarizmi's name and one of his book's titles. Leonardo Fibonacci was

another impressive scientist from the Middle Age. His books helped to introduce the ideas of

Al-Khwarizmi and other Eastern mathematicians into the West. One book of his, Liber Abaci,

is regarded as the “mathematical masterwork” 28 of the epoch. Fibonacci learned much during

his travels. He incorporated those pieces of knowledge into his works, but Fibonacci was far

from a simple copier. These men laid the foundation needed for the practicality and innovations

of today.

Although there were many intellectual and moral discoveries, the inventions and events

also included other areas. In agriculture, the Medieval Warm Period changed society

significantly. It was an increase in temperature caused by a rise in incoming solar radiation and

a decrease in volcanic activity. Therefore, people could cultivate more land, new cities arose,

25
Allan B. Cobban, The Medieval Universities: their development and organization
(London: Methuen, 1975), 26.
26
John Farndon, The great scientists : from Euclid to Stephen Hawking (London:
Arcturus Publishing Ltd., 2012), 23.
27
Margaret J. Anderson and Karen F. Stephenson, Scientists of the Ancient World
(Springfield: Enslow Publishers, 1999), 97.
28
David M. Burton, The history of mathematics : an introduction (Boston: McGraw-
Hill, 2003), 258.
and there was a populational increase. The inventions made changed the whole world of

agriculture. They facilitated the work, making it faster and safer. As an example, the iron shoe

date to this time. There is not any evidence that it existed in this form earlier. Vegetius, who

died in 450 A.D., was a man that “enumerates everything” 29 about army forge. And he made

no mention of it. As the horses needed to be “serviceable,” 30 they demanded something to

protect their hooves. The legend of Wayland, the “invisible smith,” 31 existed in this epoch, and

so did the one of St. Eligius. He once cut off a horse's leg to shoe its hoof and then replaced it

without letting any scar. Besides, the horse collar, one of the “most important inventions,” 32

came from the Medieval. It made it possible for horses to work without getting hurt. And the

heavy plow, which came from this period, caused the farmers to improve the land, creating a

"breeding ground"33 for economic and city growth. Because the people were able to cultivate

lands that they could not in the past times.

As exposed, the Middle Ages had many innovations and significant people. They can

look simple and disposable to some. Though, they were the base needed for the posterior

discoveries. There were advances and records of this, but some liberal historians often belittle

it. Because the firm root for all that happened was the Church. Therefore, it was not a period

of darkness and monotony but endurance and effort.

29
Delabere P. Blaine, The outlines of the veterinary art, or, The principles of
medicine as applied to the structure, functions, and oeconomy, of the horse, and to a more
scientific and successful manner of treating his various diseases : comprehending, also, a
concise view of those of neat cattle and sheep (London: Boosey & Sons, 1826), 633.
30
“The History of Horseshoes.” Dressage Today. 2020 https://dressagetoday.com
(Acessed June 22 2022)
31
"Wayland the Smith." In Encyclopædia Britannica. June 19 2021.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wayland-the-Smith (Accessed June 22 2022)
32
"Horse Collar". In Encyclopædia Britannica. May 9 2016.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/horse-collar (Accessed June 22 2022)
33
Ulla Lund. “How the heavy plough changed the world.” Science Nordic. Jan 22
2013. https://sciencenordic.com/how-the-heavy-plough-changed-the-world (Acessed June 22
2022)
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