The Kingdom of France in the Middle Ages (roughly, from the 10th century to the middle of the 15th century) was marked by … See more

From the Middle Ages onward, French rulers believed their kingdoms had natural borders: the Pyrenees, the Alps and the Rhine. This was used as a pretext for an aggressive policy and repeated invasions. The belief, … See more

At the end of the Middle Ages, France was the most populous region in Europe—having overtaken Spain and Italy by 1340. In the 14th century, before the arrival of the Black Death, the total population … See more

During the Middle Ages in France, Medieval Latin was the primary medium of scholarly exchange as well as the liturgical language of the Catholic Church; it was also the language of science, literature, law, and administrati… See more

In the Middle Ages in France, the vast majority of the population—between 80 and 90 percent—were peasants.
Traditional categories inherited from the Roman and Merovingian period (distinction… See more

During the later years of the elderly Charlemagne's rule, the Vikings made advances along the northern and western perimeters of his kingdom. After Charlemagne's death in 814 his heirs were incapable o… See more