Definition of the middle age

The average age was a period in European history from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West in the fifth century in the Renaissance at the end of the 15th century. However, there is no view unique among historians on the beginning and much less on the date of the end of the middle ages.

All historians agree that medieval emerged on the ruins of the Roman Empire in the West that ended in 476 when the last emperor, Romulus Augustulus was dismissed by Germanic chieftain Odoacer. Event is traditionally considered the end of antiquity classic and early middle ages that deposition of Romulus Augustulus, itself has not caused any significant at the time change. For this reason that researchers do not consider year 476 as the date of beginning of the middle ages.

There are several other dates to the early medieval times:
year 313. question of the edict of Milan, has proclaimed the religious tolerance, which ended in the persecution of the Christiansyear 375; beginning of the Migration Periodyear 378. decisive defeat of the Roman army by the Visigoths in the battle of 395 Adrianopleyear; death of roman Emperor Theodosius I, and a permanent division of halvesyear Eastern Roman Empire and 410 West. Sack of Rome by Visigothsyear 480; death of Julius Nepos, the last de jure Western Roman Emperoryear 529; closure of the last pagan school Athensyear 647; Muslim conquest in the Maghreb

Also, the historians disagree on the date of the end of the middle ages. Some scientists see the end of the middle age in the spread of the Renaissance in the mid - 15th century, while others believe Renaissance part of the middle age.

As the beginning, the end of the medieval has several other dates:
year 1445. invention of printing by Johannes Gutenbergyear 1453. The fall of Constantinople to the end of Waryear 1492 the hundred years; discovery of America by Christopher Columbus and the end of Reconquistayear 1494; invasion of Charles VIII of France Italy and early Italian Warsyear; 1517 beginning of the 1571 Reformationyear; Protestant decisive defeat of the ottoman Empire by the fleet of the Holy League in the battle of Lepanto