Questions about example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Fourteenth"

Q: What does Compared to fourteenth century, I was born in mattered much less mean?

Q: As early as the fourteenth century, Europeans described Ethiopians as having monkey-like faces, but it was during the slave trade of the fifteenth century to nineteenth century that the comparison between black people and great apes gained traction.

Hello guys, I've got a question regarding the expression 'as early as' here.
From my knowledge, this expression is emphasizing that it was not that far back from the times of slave trade that black people were mocked to be monkey-like. But I'm kind of failing to make sense of this sentence. Exactly what point the author is making here? If anybody would care to help me with this, I'll be grateful.

Q: Please show me how to pronounce five, fourteen, fifth, fourteenth.