From A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester, what is Machester's thesis regarding thinking in the Middle Ages?

Hi Ish,

As the title of the
book suggests, A World Lit Only By Fire portrays the Middle Ages as
a barbaric and brutal period of history.

For Manchester,
this was an era dominated by chaos, violence and stagnation. At the heart of
Manchester's thesis is the centrality of the Church. This was a powerful and pervasive
organisation, plagued by immorality and corruption. It failed to provide proper
leadership for the people of Medieval Europe and was also responsible for halting
scientific advancement.

In essence, Manchester believed
that this period deserved to be known as the 'Dark Ages'.