Alternative spellings

• mediaeval (UK), mediæval (rarely)

Adjective

medieval (comparative more medieval, superlative most medieval)

Positive medieval

Comparative more medieval

Superlative most medieval

1. of or relating to the Middle Ages, perhaps AD 650 to 1550.
2. having characteristics associated with the Middle Ages.
3. brutal.
   • 1969 Mar 24, New York Magazine, page 58:

     Brute force can get you into any apartment if you want to get medieval about it.

   • 2003, Robert Ludlum, The Janson Directive, page 579:

     "Oh, what a nifty idea," Collins said dryly. "Get a bunch of angry brothers with a blowtorch and some pliers and get medieval on his ass."

Derived terms

• medievalism
• medievalist
• medievalize

The Middle Ages of European history (adjective form medieval or mediaeval) are a period in history which lasted for roughly a millennium, commonly dated from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century to the beginning of the Early Modern Period in the 16th century, marked by the division of Western Christianity in the Reformation, the rise of humanism in the Italian Renaissance, and the beginnings of European overseas expansion. There is some variation in the dating of the edges of these periods which is due mainly to differences in specialization and focus of individual scholars.

The Middle Ages form the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three "ages": the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the modern period. The idea of such a periodization is attributed to Flavio Biondo, an Italian Renaissance humanist historian but commonly seen periodization ranges span the years ca. 400–476 AD (the sackings of Rome by the Visigoths to the deposing of Romulus Augustus) to ca. 1453–1517 (the Fall of Constantinople to the Protestant Reformation begun with Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses). Dates are approximate, and are based upon nuanced arguments; for other dating schemes and the reasoning behind them, see "periodization issues", below.

The Middle Ages witnessed the first sustained urbanization of northern and western Europe. Many modern European countries owe their origins to events unfolding in the Middle Ages; present European political boundaries are, in many regards, the result of the military and dynastic achievements during this tumultuous period.