Today we return to Prof Eugen Weber’s course, ‘The Western Tradition’. Today he discusses: The Dark Ages .
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Please follow this link out to 17 The Dark Ages
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The Barbarian kingdoms took possession of the fragments of the Roman Empire. As the Barbarians became Christianized, the Christian Church is influenced by them, the legends of ‘supernatural power’ of the saints is on the rise as patron while the leaders of the church become violent and unjust at times, and conversion is done by a new power that impressed and subdued the barbarians.
The ruling classes are gradually changed and succession to power is stabilized by the church’s decrees. The church offers an escape from the ‘doomed world’ to those that are baptized and follow. Monasteries and Convents start as a refuge, and mature during this period. They then spread the word, educate, convert, and transcribe, and write. The Monasteries are an interesting counterpoint to society in general.
Tags: History, saturday lecture series, the middle ages, western tradition
