The Modern History, also called Modern Period, Modern Era or Modern Times, is the most recent period in Western history. Traditionally European history is divided in three periods: Antiquity, Middle Ages and Modern Period. In that case, the now (2020) is part of this period. Other designations for the most recent historical period are contemporary or contemporary history. We will add this as a fourth ongoing limited period.

The term Modern History refers to modernity, but modernization of society, economy and culture does not concide with the historical period. The terms "Modern History'" and "Contemporary History" have changed over time. It can be divided into periods: the Early Modern Period and the Late Modern Period.

As it often is the case with periodization, there is no generally accepted starting point. It starts about 1500 or shortly before. We will follow the end of the Byzantine Empire. It normally spreads the entire period after the Middle Ages, with the distinction of two periods. This custom of dividing Western history into three periods originated during the Renaissance. Humanists believed that after a period of decline and barbarism, like the Middle Ages, renewed flowering of art and science had begun. Antiquity was idealized by them.