Late Middle Ages
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Late Middle Ages
A period of European history that lasted roughly from the 13th to the 15th century and marks the transition from the High Middle Ages to the Early Modern period.
Im Spätmittelalter entstanden viele der großen gotischen Kathedralen in Europa.
In the Late Middle Ages, many of the great Gothic cathedrals in Europe were built.
The word is a clear compound of the adjective 'spät' (late) and the noun 'Mittelalter' (Middle Ages). So it literally refers to the late part of the Middle Ages.
Die Pest war eine große Katastrophe im Spätmittelalter.
The plague was a major catastrophe in the Late Middle Ages.
This word is part of a pattern for naming historical periods. There is also the 'Frühmittelalter' (Early Middle Ages) and the 'Hochmittelalter' (High Middle Ages).
Die Universität wurde im Hochmittelalter gegründet und existiert bis heute.
The university was founded in the High Middle Ages and still exists today.
To express that something happened in this period, German uses the preposition 'in' with the dative. The correct form is almost always 'im Spätmittelalter' (in the Late Middle Ages).
Im Spätmittelalter nahm der Handel zwischen den Städten stark zu.
In the Late Middle Ages, trade between the cities increased significantly.
Middle Ages
'Mittelalter' and 'Spätmittelalter' both refer to historical periods in Europe. 'Mittelalter' is the larger period between antiquity and the modern era, roughly from the 6th to the 15th century. 'Spätmittelalter' is only the later part of it, roughly from the 13th to the 15th century. The words can be confused because the Late Middle Ages are part of the Middle Ages. If you are speaking generally about knights, castles, or the church in this era, 'Mittelalter' is often enough. If you mean specifically the last centuries before the Early Modern period, 'Spätmittelalter' is more precise.
Für die Prüfung liest Lisa einen Text über Städte im Spätmittelalter.
For the exam, Lisa is reading a text about cities in the Late Middle Ages.
Im Geschichtsunterricht sprechen wir heute über das Leben im Mittelalter.
In history class today, we are talking about life in the Middle Ages.