Why was the period between the roman empire and the renaissance called the middle ages?

The Middle Ages were given their name in retrospect during the Renaissance in the 14th century. The Renaissance was a time of great cultural change and many looked to ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. The Middle Ages, or Medieval Ages, refers to the period between the fall of Rome in 476 C.E. and the beginning of the Renaissance

the triple alliance. germany and austria-hungary were already allies by 1879 when, worried about a threat from russia, they formed the dual alliance. italy joined the group in 1882. there was a concern about a possible attack from france and the alliance needed powerful friends to defend it.