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	Learn more about our featured books: The Renaissance Stories in History Reformation and Enlightenment Stories in History		The period in western European history from the decline of the Roman Empire until about a.d. 1500 is called the Middle Ages, or the medieval period. During this time, the power of Rome shifted to the Byzantine Empire. Germanic peoples, once thought to be barbarians, spread their influence across Europe. Their great king, Charlemagne, created an enlightened empire that included much of western Europe. Feudalism became a way of life. The influence of the Catholic Church waxed and waned as popes engaged in power struggles with the world’s leaders. A new religion, Islam, was born, leaving its mark on the political structure of Europe and the Middle East.