[1] Drury's "History of the Middle Ages", page XIV.
1. The decline of the Roman Empire and the successful accomplishment of two invasions.
2. The transient brilliancy of the Arabian civilization.
3. The attempted organization of a new empire by Charlemagne, and its dissolution.
4. The rise and prevalence of feudalism.
5. The successive crusades.
6. The contest between the pope and the emperor for the sovereignty of the world.
The history of these ten centuries falls naturally into three great divisions:
1. Fifth to tenth century, the destruction of the past and transition to new forms.
2. Eleventh to thirteenth century, feudal society with its customs, its institutions, its arts, and its literatures.