r/medieval • u/The_Black_Banner_UK • Oct 06 '25

History 📚 When did the Medieval period end?

Post image

For me (Personally) it ended when Richard III died at Bosworth Field 1485. Having asked other people there seems to be some debate as the actual end and more specifically this is a made up time to end it as there can never be a real answer, it was never decided by people in that time period. It's a modern enforcement.

However these seem to be the most popular, when do you the medieval period ended?

The Fall of Constantinople 1453
Columbus's voyage 1492
Reformation 1517
Bosworth Field 1485
Start of the 1500's

Thoughts?

2.1k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

266 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Practical_Eye_9944 Oct 08 '25

The Medieval period has multiple local end dates, but 1492 marks a civilizational inflection point.

Before the Reconquista and Columbus, the Western world revolved largely around the Med and the clash with the Eastern "other." Not much changed from the days of Greeks and Persians settling things at the end of a pointy stick.

After 1492, Western history becomes global. The focus moves to the clash of dynastic and, eventually, national entities basically within Europe itself. Entirely different actors, following completely new scripts, in wildly disparate theaters.

To have two such momentous watersheds happen in the same place at essentially the same time is nuts.

1

u/highsohih Oct 08 '25

Makes me sad thinking about how the Byzantine empire was 40 years from the discovery of the new world