Um, fewer starved because of advanced crops, three field crop system, advanced fish farming, padded horse collars, advanced plows, compasses, new wine presses. Disease is always a part of humanity. But the level of growth in the period 600-1300, despite Muslim invasions, was significant. If it was "dark" there would have been retardation.
The entire notion of "dark ages" is an invention of secular Enlightenment writers trying to make themselves look better.
87 posted on 06/20/2015 4:56:20 AM PDT by LS
('Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually.' Hendrix)