The Middle Age (Medium Aevum) ends with the death of Emperor Maximilian in 2272 AUC. The era that follows is known as the Golden Age, probably the most egregious misnomer ever invented.

For, the Golden Age was a time of strife and bloodshed as well as of brilliant discoveries and innovations. Historians have long tried to re-cast the image of this  century, but without success. One calls it the Iron Century, while another calls it the Age of Contradiction. Nothing has stuck so well as “Golden Age” though, a phrase given us by Desiderius himself.

The age ends with the Peace of Nations in 2401 AUC. The fact that the terminus of the era is marked by the end of the bloody Thirty Years War is sufficient indication of the tone of the times. Even so, this was also a period of extraordinary accomplishments.