The Church and the Dark Ages (430-1027): St. Benedict, Charlemagne, and the Rise of ChristendomWhat if the Dark Ages werent really dark after all? You may have learned in world history class that the fall of the Roman Empire led to centuries of violence, ignorance, and barbarism in Europe. But thats not all that happened during that time! The period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the High Middle Ages also was characterized by institutional, spiritual, and cultural advancements such as the rise of monasticism with St. Benedict of