The Middle-Age
In Denmark the Middle-age runs parallel with the Catholic period, beginning with the introduction of Christianity around the year 1050 and ending with the Reformation in 1536. This historical period is often described as "the dark ages" in Anglo-Saxon countries. An obscure period with sinister and mysterious figures dressed in brownish robes, when regicides and bishop disputes were the order of the day, and when wars raged and the plague devastated large parts of the country. This is how most people imagine life in the Middle Ages, but most of this perception is based on myths and misunderstandings.
The Middle Ages were both colourful and dynamic, and the people creative and innovative. Medieval clothes were anything but dull, on the contrary, they were most often made of clear, bright materials to match the colourful personalities of medieval people. Think about famous figures like Richard the Lion-Hearted, Robin Hood, Ivanhoe and El Cid - and in Denmark, bishop Absalon, founder of Copenhagen, King Valdemar Atterdag, and Queen Margrethe I who established the Kalmar Union in 1397, uniting Denmark, Norway and Sweden in one single kingdom.
