For starters, many of Italy’s greatest architectural marvels that people often mistake as being Renaissance are actually gothic from the late middle ages. Italy might’ve been fractured into many small kingdoms, but they were generally functional. Of course living on the ruins of one of the greatest empires to ever exist and in the shadow of Byrantine (until it collapsed too) might’ve been mentally draining at times, sure.

But overall the middle ages were a long period in Europe that saw many advancements socially and technologically, and gave rise to cities like Florence and Venice that would reach their peak in the Renaissance, but truly kickstarted as merchant towns earlier in the middle ages.

Some things even stayed more or less the same after the downfall of the Roman Empire. People kept using bath houses all across Europe during the middle ages and modern times up until the 19th century when cholera hit the continent and public bathing was ruled out everywhere.

The middle ages were a far cry from the dark age Hollywood wants to sell us. It just lacked central governing and therefore proper recordings of many small things so we’re kind of left in the ‘dark’ when it comes to details. Italian kingdoms are no different, I assume.