Medieval Europe: Fact not Fiction Hist 2533 Harley MS 4399, f. 22r Dr. Jennifer MacDonald Office: BAC 443 Office Hours: Tuesdays 2-4, Fridays 1:40-3:40 Email: [email protected] Phone: (902) 585-1243 Course Description: King Arthur? Richard the Lionheart? Flat earth? Inquisition? Study the real stories of disaster and renewal. Learn about Germanic migrations, development of kingdoms, feudalism, urbanisation, art, architecture, and learning. Discuss religious vitality and conflict as the Christian Church expanded, changed, and clashed with kingdoms, heretics and other religions. Course Objectives: In this course, you will gain new insights into the Middle Ages and this will help you have a greater understanding of the medieval people and how they lived. This course will make heavy use of primary sources and you will thus improve your ability to work with historical documents. You will think about how historians can use various types of sources when evaluating the past. This course will give you a solid foundation for European studies. Marking Scheme Assignment Date Due Weight Record your mark Participation Continuously 5% Primary Source sign up September 20 2% Primary Source Analysis October 4 20% Midterm October 16 15% Optional Primary Analysis Rewrite November 1 Essay December 1 30% Exam In exam period 28% Page 1 of 10 Textbooks Rosenwein, B. Reading the Middle Ages. 2nd ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2014. (History) Rosenwein, B. A Short History of the Middle Ages. 4th ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2014. (Reader) Readings and Schedule The reading schedule is a guideline. Topics will be covered in roughly this order, but topics may carry on into the next day(s) depending on this class’s interests. Most readings will be discussed in class, but some will be discussed on Acorn. All adjustments will be discussed in class and it is your responsibility to stay on top of the reading schedule. September 6 Introduction to the Course Late Antiquity September 8 Late Antiquity History: 1-8 Reader: 1.1 Toleration or favoritism? Edict of Milan (313) 1.4 Heretics: A Donatist Sermon (c.318) 1.5 Orthodoxy's declaration: The Nicene Creed (325) September 11 Eastern Roman Empire History: 28-36, 39-44 Reader: 1.2 Law: The Theodosian Code (438) 1.3 Plague: Gregory the Great, Letter to Bishop Dominic of Carthage (600) 2.1 Byzantine village life and the education of a saint: The Life of St. Theodore of Sykeon September 13 Growth of Christianity and Papal Power History: 8-21, 74-5 Reader: 1.6 Relating this world to the next: Augustine, The City of God (413-426) 2.10 A world explained by words: Isidore of Seville, Etymologies (c.615-c.630) Internet Medieval Source Book: Gelasius I on Spiritual and Temporal Power, 494 https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/gelasius1.asp September 15 Growth of Monasticism and Cult of Saints Reader: 1.7 Monasticism: The Benedictine Rule (c.530-c.560) 1.8 The virginal life: Jerome, Letter 24 (To Marcella) (384) 1.9 The eremetical life: Athanasius, Life of St. Antony of Egypt (357) 1.10 The active life: Sulpicius Severus, The Life of St. Martin of Tours (397) September 18 Germanic tribes History: 21-28, 72-77 Reader: 1.13 Gothic Italy as Rome's heir: Cassiodorus, Variae (State Papers) (c.507-536) 1.14 Gothic Spain converts: The Third Council of Toledo (589) Map 3.1 Major European Slave Exports (700-900) 3.3 The sale of a slave in Italy: A Contract of Sale (725) See Acorn for supplemental reading Page 2 of 10 The Early Middle Ages September 20 Developments in the East – Byzantium and Islam History: 45-57, 79-95, 115-123 Reader: 2.3 The iconoclastic argument: The Synod of 754) 3.2 Byzantine guilds: The Book of the Prefect (886-912) 2.6 The sacred text: Qur'an Suras 1, 53:1-18, 81, 87, 96, 98 (c.610-622) 2.7 Umayyad diplomacy: The Treaty of Tudmir (713) 3.7 The minority—that is, Christian—view: Chronicle of Albelda (c.883) Plate 1 Dome of the Rock (692) Plate 4 Page from a Qur'an (993) 3.14 The Slavic conversion: Constantine/Cyril, Prologue to the Gospel (863-867) 3.15 The Bulgarian Khan in Byzantine guise: Seal of Boris-Michael (864-889) Plate 11 Seal of Boris-Michael (864-889) 3.16 The Bulgarians adopt Christianity: Pope Nicholas I, Letter to Answer the Bulgarians Plate 2 Icon with Saint Demetrios (2nd half 10th c.) Plate 3 Reliquary Locket (10th-11th c.) September 22 Merovingian France History: 58- 64 Reader: 1.11 St. Radegund as ascetic: Venantius Fortunatus, The Life of St. Radegund (before c.600) 1.12 St. Radegund as relic collector: Baudonivia, The Life of St. Radegund (c.600) 1.15 Merovingian Gaul's bishop-historian: Gregory of Tours, History (576-594) 2.11 A modern martyr in Francia: The Passion of Leudegar (680s) 2.12 The settlement of disputes: Judgment of Childebert III (709 or 710) September 25 Early Carolingians and beginning Charlemagne History: 96-99, 102-114 Reader: 2.13 Reforming the Continental church: Letters to Boniface (723-726) 3.1 Manors in the West: Polyptyque of the Church of Saint Mary of Marseille (814-815) 3.10 The pope and the Carolingians: Pope Stephen II, Letters to King Pippin III (755-756) 3.11 Charlemagne as Roman emperor: Einhard, Life of Charlemagne (825-826?) 3.12 Modeling the state on Old Testament Israel: The Admonitio Generalis (789) September 27 Charlemagne continued September 29 Later Carolingians History: 99-102 Reader: 3.13 Ideals of family and fidelity: Dhuoda, Handbook for Her Son (841-843) October 2 Early Anglo-Saxon England History: 64-72 Reader: 2.14 Creating a Roman Christian identity for England: Bede, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731) Page 3 of 10 October 4 Vikings History: 127-131 Reader: 4.19 Christianity comes to Denmark: The Jelling Monument (960s) Plate 13 The Jelling Monument (960s) October 6 No Classes October 9 University Closed October 11 Viking Age British Isles History: 135-139 Reader: 4.17 Literacy: King Alfred, Prefaces to Gregory the Great's Pastoral Care (c.890) 4.18 Law: King AEthelred, Law Code (1008) Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: see Acorn October 13 Vikings in the North Atlantic See Acorn October 16 Midterm The High/Late Middle Ages October 18 Feudalism and Knights History: 213-218 Reader: 4.4 Love and complaints in Angouleme: Agreement between Count William of the Aquitanians and Hugh IV of Lusignan (1028) 4.5 The Peace of God at Bourges: Andrew of Fleury, The Miracles of St. Benedict (1040-1043) 4.6 A castellan's revenues and properties in Catalonia: Charter of Guillem Guifred (1041-1075) October 20 Town and Country History: 131-135, 160-164, 281-220-244-250 Reader: 5.1 Cultivating new lands: Frederick of Hamburg's Agreement with Colonists from Holland 5.2 Ibn 'Abdun, Regulations for the Market at Seville (early 12th c.) 5.3 The role of royal patronage: Henry I, Privileges for the Citizens of London (1130-1133) 6.8 Women's work: Guild Regulations of the Parisian Silk Fabric Makers (13th c.) 6.9 Men's work: Guild Regulations of the Shearers of Arras (1236) October 23 Changes in Monasticism, Romanesque Art & Architecture History: 164-5, 180-195 Reader: 4.3 Donating to Cluny: Cluny's Foundation Charter (910) and various charters of donation 5.20 The Cistercian view: St. Bernard, Apologia (1125) 5.21 The Cluniac view: Peter the Venerable, Miracles (mid-1130s—mid-1150s) 7.4 Poland as a frontier society: The Henrykow Book (c.1268) Page 4 of 10 October 25 Ottonian Germany & Eastern Europe History: 139-145, 146-151 Reader: 4.12 Hungary as heir of Rome: King Stephen, Laws (1000-1038) 4.13 Coming to terms with Catholic Poland: Thietmar of Merseburg, Chronicle (1013-1018) 4.14 Poland's self-image: Boleslaw's Coin (992-1000) Plate 12 Boleslaw's Coin (992-1000) 4.16 An Ottonian courtier/bishop: Ruotger, Life of Bruno, Archbishop of Cologne (late 960s) October 27 Church Reform and Investiture Conflict History: 164-170 Reader: Plate 5 A Holy Vestment (late 10th-early 11th c.) 5.4 The royal view: Henry IV, Letter to Gregory VII (1075) 5.5 The papal view: Gregory VII, Letter to Hermann of Metz (1076) 5.6 Vesting Prayers (c.1000?) 5.7 The Star of Clerics (c.1200?) 5.8 A Visitation Record (1268) Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Dictatus Papae http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/g7-dictpap.asp October 30 Reform Continued November 1 Late Medieval England and France History: 173-178, 201-208, 236-239 176-178 Reader: Plate 14 The Bayeux Tapestry (end of the 11th c.) 5.13 The pro-Norman position: William of Jumieges, The Deeds of the Dukes of the Normans 5.14 The native position: "Florence of Worcester," Chronicle of Chronicles (early 12th c.) 5.15 The Conquest depicted: The Bayeux Tapestry (end of the 11th c.) 5.16 Exploiting the Conquest: Domesday Book (1087) 6.3 English common law: The Assize of Clarendon (1166) 6.13 Henry II and Becket: Constitutions of Clarendon (1164) 6.15 King and nobles: Magna Carta (1215 7.16 A charismatic ruler: Joinville, The Life of St. Louis (1272) 7.17 Summons of Representatives of Shires and Towns to Parliament (1295) November 3 England Continued, and Late Medieval France November 6 Mediterranean Worlds: Byzantium, the Crusades, and Spain History: 123-127, 155-160, 170-173, 175, 197-201, 233-236, 252-3 Reader: 4.2 The powerful in the Byzantine countryside: Romanus I Lecapenus, Novel (934) 4.7 Military life: Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Military Advice to His Son (950-958) 4.8 Imperial rule: Michael Psellus, Portrait of Basil II (c.1063) 4.15 Kievan Rus': The Russian Primary Chronicle (c.1113, incorporating earlier materials) Plate 6 Tlemcen, Great Mosque (1236) 5.9 Martyrs in the Rhineland: Rabbi Eliezer b.