When did the Middle Ages begin and end?

The Middle Ages started in 476 A.D. after the fall of the Roman Empire; however, historians have differing opinions concerning when this time period ended with most placing the date between the 14th and 15th centuries. When the Renaissance period began, this marked the end of the Middle Ages.

Three shorter periods composed the Middle Ages: the Early Middle Ages, also known as the Dark Ages, the High Middle Ages and the Late Middle Ages.

Some events that took place during the Middle Ages were the crusades of the Catholic Church, the rise of the Islamic religion and the Black Death, a global pandemic or plague. The windmill and mechanical clock were both invented during this time.