Course Materials

History 6110: Readings in Medieval European History
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Overview
In this readings seminar of the European Middle Ages (600 c.e. to 1400 c.e.), we will explore the time period in between the fall of the Roman Empire (“Late Antiquity”) until the emergence of the European Renaissance (1400s). Although we will primarily focus on the European experience, especially how Northern and Southern European peoples re-ordered their social, political, and cultural relations, we will also investigate Europeans’ relationship with their sibling culture, the Islamic civilization in the Mediterranean.

The primary course objective is to expose history graduate students to the major historical themes, issues, and debates that populate medieval European historiography utilizing critical scholarly texts as well as through exposure to a broad array of narrative and non-narrative primary sources.

Syllabus

Required Texts
  • Marc Bloch. Feudal Society: Vol 1: The Growth and Ties of Dependence [ISBN: 978-0415039161]
  • Marc Bloch. Feudal Society: Vol 2: Social Classes and Political Organisation [ISBN: 978-0415039185]
  • Barbara H. Rosenwein. A Short History of the Middle Ages, third edition [ISBN: 978-1442601048]
  • Bede. Ecclesiastical History of the English People [ISBN: 978-0140445657]
  • Henri Pirenne. Mohammed and Charlemagne [ISBN: 978-0486420110]
  • Phillip K. Hitti, Usâmah ibn-Munqidh’s An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades [ISBN: 978-0231121255]
  • Charles H. Haskins. The Twelfth Century Renaissance [ISBN: 978-0674760752]
  • Winthrop Wetherbee. The Cosmographia of Bernardus Silvestris [ISBN: 978-0231096256]
  • R. I. Moore. The Formation of a Persecuting Society: Authority and Deviance in Western Europe 950-1250 [ISBN: 978-1405129640]
  • Paul H. Freedman. Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination [ISBN: 978-0300151350]
  • Primary source readings and supplemental articles (listed below) as assigned and posted to Blackboard.
  • Tyranny of a Construct article (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)
  • Review of Mohammed and Charlemagne (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)

Primary Source Readings (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)

Assignments and Examples (downloadable, .PDF files)

Book Reviews
  • Each book review is limited to 1000 words and should provide a brief summary of the text, but more importantly, evaluate the author’s argument, themes, book organization, analytical methods, sources, biases, and writing style. Your reviews should employ the writing guidelines set forth in the Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian’s A Manual for Writers.
  • Download example book reviews (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)
  • Download an example of a student’s book review (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)

Primary Source Analyses
  • Each primary source analysis is limited to two-to-three pages, double-spaced. For each primary source analysis, select one document to evaluate. You should historically contextualize the document, discuss the content of the document and what it reveals about the Middle Ages, and identify how your own biases/perspectives might lead you to misunderstand or misinterpret the document. Your analyses should employ the writing guidelines set forth in the Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian’s A Manual for Writers.
  • Download example Primary Source Analysis #1 (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)
  • Download example Primary Source Analysis #2 (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)

Lesson Plans

Brief Proposals for Research Projects
  • You will prepare a brief two-page discussion of the research project you intend to pursue during the following semester. This proposal will identify research questions and issues, as well as provide a preliminary bibliography.
  • Download a more 20+ page comprehensive research proposal. Your research proposal does not need to be this detailed, but this example illustrates how one might approach the assignment. (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)
  • Download a shorter 5-page research proposal. (downloadable, password-protected .PDF files. Email me if you have forgotten the password)