How long was The Middle Ages (Medieval Period)?

The Middle Ages (Medieval Period) lasted 1,000 years (476 – 1453) across 4 major phases.

Duration Overview

Duration

1,000 years

Start

476 AD

End

1453 AD

Early Middle Ages (Dark Ages) 324 years

476 AD – 800 AD

Roman collapse. Germanic kingdoms. Monasteries preserve knowledge. Islam rises.

Carolingian Period 200 years

800 AD – 1000 AD

Charlemagne. Viking raids. Feudal system crystallizes.

High Middle Ages 300 years

1000 AD – 1300 AD

Crusades. Cathedral building. Universities. Population growth. Magna Carta.

Late Middle Ages 153 years

1300 AD – 1453 AD

Black Death (1347-1351). Hundred Years' War. Printing press. Constantinople falls.

That's 1,000 years — about 40 human generations. Longer than all of recorded history.

How long was The Middle Ages (Medieval Period)?

~1,000 years (476-1453). From the fall of Rome to the fall of Constantinople. Feudalism, cathedrals, crusades, plague.

When did The Middle Ages (Medieval Period) start and end?

The Middle Ages (Medieval Period) began in 476 and ended in 1453, spanning 1,000 years.