How So Video Condenses 1,000 Years of Medieval European History into 20 Minutes

A new video from the How So series offers a 20-minute overview of a millennium of medieval European history, challenging the term 'Dark Ages' by highlighting both disasters and rebirth. The video begins with the decline of the Roman Empire—depopulated cities, decayed transport, vanished coins, plummeting literacy—then covers Justinian I's Byzantine expansion, the Islamic caliphate, Charlemagne's unification, Viking and Magyar invasions, the rise of castles and feudalism, the Holy Roman Empire, urban and university growth, the Norman Conquest as depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry, and the Black Death. The plague's aftermath is presented as a catalyst for change: labor shortages led to peasant revolts, higher wages, and new freedoms, fostering creativity and innovation that eventually allowed European scholars to define the preceding period as 'Dark Ages' and position themselves as a bridge to modernity. The video draws a parallel between Rome's decline and current global conditions, suggesting a possible future Renaissance. The piece is authored by Colin Marshall, based in Seoul, who writes on cities, language, and culture.