The Renaissance and early modern period were not a better time to be alive than the Middle Ages they are said to have rescued Europe from.

Medieval historian and author

Their wordsI am not here to tell you that the medieval period is a specifically peaceful time, but it pales in comparison to what goes down in the early modern period, in which both the apparently beloved Renaissance and Enlightenment periods lie.

Historian of the Renaissance and of the history of ideas

Their wordsAs a Renaissance historian, I feel it’s my job to shoulder the other half of the load by talking about what the Renaissance was like, confirming that our Medievalists are right, it wasn’t a better time to live than the Middle Ages