Book Review: The Age of Illumination by Scott Rank

The Age of Illumination: Science, Technology, and Reason in the Middle Ages by Scott Rank

In The Age of Illumination, Scott Rank overturns some common misconceptions about the Middle Ages, the period of history circa 500 to 1500 AD. Many historians characterize this time as an age of superstition, ignorance, and disease. It's as if there was a cultural and intellectual black hole between the fall of the Roman Empire (end of the Classical Age) and the Renaissance (beginning of the Modern Age). The Renaissance was a return to classical ideas of the ancient Romans and Greeks as if no progress happened in between. Rank sets the record straight by looking at the history and culture of the Middle Ages.

Waves of barbarian attacks caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire (centered in Rome) but not of the Eastern Roman Empire (centered in Constantinople). The empire had been divided earlier in an attempt to make it more manageable. The theological and cultural differences of the Latin West and the Greek East became a political divide. Even with the fall of ancient Rome, it wasn't long before others tried to reunite the European landscape under one rule, eventually becoming the Holy Roman Empire. A complicated relationship grew between the Catholic Church and the emperors. National identities began to emerge as England and France became rivals, Spain began a long fight to throw off Muslim control, and Eastern Europe faced the growing threat of the Ottoman Empire. 

The Crusades began and ended during this period. Initially, they were an attempt to secure the Holy Land in Israel for Christian pilgrims. As with any large-scale, multi-generational effort, the situation became very complicated and had lots of unintended results. When the Holy Land was secured, the Knights Templar were formed to keep the area safe for travelers. The Knights turned into an international corporation, with Knights in Europe taking deposits from pilgrims (so they didn't have to carry much wealth and thus were less of a target for brigands). The deposits would be paid back in Jerusalem. The Knights became very powerful and were somewhat secretive, leading to their disbanding by jealous and suspicious opponents. The Church, often with ecclesial approval, sold indulgences to finance some of the Crusades, a practice that was corrupt and in part led to the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation became a practical end to the Crusades as Christian infighting arose in Europe.

The culture of the Middle Ages was highly intellectual and creative. During this period, the university system began and all fields of knowledge were encouraged. The feudal system started with serfs who worked lands for vassals and lords who provided military service to the king. Though the life was difficult, it also included a lot more leisure time than we have today. Holy days were feast days in a literal sense--everyone feasted and celebrated, often for more than one day. The calendar was full of holidays (the very word is derived from Holy Days) and work for serfs was periodic, with intense periods planting and harvesting then long periods of little work. The creativity of the Middle Ages can be seen in the cathedrals built all over Europe. The new Gothic style allowed for more light and decoration than the classical Roman and Greek temples. Artisans developed new technologies for creating stained glass, cloth, and even producing food. Thousands of water mills dotted the English landscape and were used to ground grain into flour as well as create hardened armor plate. 

Women were able to have a greater role in society. They often ran castles and estates when the lord was called off to service by the king. They had freedom to move about, often independently like on the pilgrimage described in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Joan of Arc became the French hero of the Hundred Years War. Charges of witchcraft were few during this period since the ecclesiastical opinion was witches do not exist. Charges of conferring with the devil for power were more often leveled at men since such consort required more education. The age of witch burnings came after the Middle Ages, during the Enlightenment.

The book also describes the impact of the Black Death on European culture. The numerous, quick deaths wiped out a large portion of the population, having huge social effects. With a depleted labor force, lords had to pay more to serfs. Industries and towns went dormant, waiting for a recovery. People became more mobile, looking for work opportunities. 

Historians are wrong to characterize the Middle Ages as a time of superstition and ignorance. The period featured a lot of growth intellectually, culturally, and artistically. The foundation of nations and the restraint of government powers through legal means like the Magna Carta began in the Middle Ages.

Highly recommended.