Briefly about Middle Ages

Middle Ages is name of historical period between 5th to 16th cetury.

There is division of historical periods in three periods: Antiquity, Middle Ages and Modern Period.

Middle Ages (Medieval, lat. Medium aevum) is period between year 476 and 1453 (or 1492, roughly to 1500).

Historically, as the beginning of Middle Ages is taken year 476 - the year of fall of Western Roman Empire. Rome fell to Ostroghoths (eastern Goths) and Odoacar (theuir leader) in 476. Last Roman emperor Romulus Augustus had abdicated.

As the end of Middle Ages historically is taken the year 1453 or 1492. In 1453 Turks captured the Constantinople (lat. Constantinopolis, gr. Κωνσταντινούπολις), capital of Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire. Thene it is the year of Fall of Eastern Roman Empire. Constantine XI Palailogos, last Byzantine emperor died in defending the city ("queen of all cities" (as they called it)). Some historians take the year 1492 as the end of Middle Ages. In that year Christopher Columbus went on yourney accross the Atlantic Ocean. We can also roughly take the year 1500 as the year of end of Middle Ages.

Middle Ages can also be dividen in three periods: Early Middle Ages, High Middle Ages and Late Middle Ages. Early Middle Ages is period between 476 and 1000. High Middle Ages is period between 1000 and 1300. Late Middle Ages is period between 1300 and 1492.
Renaissance (fr. renaissance - revival) is not historical period but cultural revival. But, name renaissance is created  when renaissance was already long gone. Renaissance is thought as period between 14th to 17th century (I will say it is period between middle 15th to 17th century) but does not take part everywhere at the same period.

It should be noted that name Middle Ages is created much later. People in Middle Ages, also the people in renaissance did not know that they are living in Middle Ages or renaissance.

Historian Morris Bishop stated that, as we now think that we are living in Modern Period maybe people in future will state that we have been living in Middle Ages.

Maybe we can say that reading history is like reading a monument of past.

Picture from medieval manuscript Livre du cuer d'amours espris by Rene D'Anjou from 1465, Viena manuscript.