Poland was shockingly liberal during the 1400s
<i>I tended to think Western history had been progressing toward the modern rule of law since the Dark Ages</i><p>History always tells you as much about its author as it does about its subject. That narration is, a sort of british (and american) propoganda from the British colonial era.<p>The way they thought of history (of &quot;Western Civilization&quot;) was (1) The &quot;spark&quot; starts in ancient greece. (2) It is handed Rome, who build inherit the empire (3) Rome falls (ignore the eastern empire) (4) Civilization rekindles in Italy (5) to torch passes to the British who spread it to the world.<p>Everything culminates in the American-British civilization, and whatever British intellectuals thought was important about Britishness. It also plays down Europe&#x27;s (especially western Europe) relatively small part in the history of &quot;civilization&quot; until relatively recently.<p>The narration would be totally different depending on who wrote it.<p>For example, think of it from a Middle Eastern perspective. Alexander&#x27;s conquests would be seen as something akin to Gengis Khan&#x27;s conquest of China. An outsider barbarian that invaded and ruled the Persian empire.<p>That is, Cyrus created a great persian empire. Greeks captured it, and it continued. Rome captured it, and it continued. Then, western rome fell. But, these were mostly barbarian territories with roman outposts. You can&#x27;t compare Roman Brtain to Roman Syria, for example. Syria was urban, literate and civilized. Britain was a barbarian island with some roman roads and forts. High status cultural influence (eg christianity) was imported from east to west, not the reverse.