Europe and the Faith Chapter 6

The Hilaire Belloc Library · Sep 5, 2026 · 13m

In which the period following the fall of the Roman Empire is revealed as a time of essential transformation, marked not by the collapse of civilisation but by a retreat into fundamental arts and a spirited defence of Christendom against relentless military threats. This epoch, known as the Dark Ages, is portrayed as a somnolent yet fertile interval where Europe, besieged by Islamic expansion and barbarian raids, clung desperately to its faith and institutions, preserving the seedbed for a future renaissance.