Indiana University
History H206
Medieval
Civilization
spring 2009
Dr. Deborah M. Deliyannis
Office: Ballantine Hall 708 Place: Jordan Hall A100
email: ddeliyan@indiana.edu Time: TuTh 11:15 am-12:30 pm
Office Hours: Wednesdays 1:30-3:30 pm or by appt. Section: 26668
Description
What do we mean by "Medieval Civilization"? Chronologically, the Middle Ages spans more than a thousand years (from approximately 400 to 1500 AD), and covers the many different political, cultural, and ethnic communities of Europe. There was not one medieval civilization, but many medieval civilizations, related in some ways to each other, but distinct and constantly changing. This class will be an introduction to the history of the Middle Ages through its culture and ways of life.
Because the period to be covered is so vast, we will focus our attention on six moments in time and space that are representative of some of the communities of the Middle Ages. We will look at villages and cathedral towns, monasteries and manor houses, and for each, we will think about how we learn about them through primary sources and physical remains. We will consider who lived in the community, what activities they took part in, what the community looked like physically, and what aspects of medieval life and culture are represented there.
Website
This website contains the syllabus, with all the
relevant links to readings, site
information,
etc.. It has copies of the images
of the various sites that are discussed in class. Other
items, such as examples of good essays and study
guides, may also be added. Some of the links on this website
require a username and password; you can find these on your paper
syllabus, and on Oncourse under "Announcements".
Many other useful resources, including all the powerpoint presentations used in class, will be placed in the Resources folder on Oncourse.
Readings
Readings in this course come from two sources. One of these is a textbook, for sale in the Bookstore:
Barbara Rosenwein, A Short History of the Middle Ages, 2nd edition (Broadview Press, 2004).
In addition, for each class there will be a document or documents which represent primary sources, which can be found on the world wide web or on Oncourse in the "resources" section. These texts are required (and the assignments are based on them); you may either read them online or print them out.
Structure
The class will consist primarily of lectures; if you have a question at any time during the lecture, feel free to raise your hand and ask. If you find something confusing, probably many other people do too, and they will appreciate your question also.
If at any time outside of class you have questions or wish to talk to me about any aspect of the class, please come to my office hours, as listed above. If these times are not convenient, I will be happy to schedule an appointment. I am also very accessible via e-mail.
Course requirements
5% Attendance at lecture
5% Question group (see below)
40% Four short papers on readings (10% each)
20% Midterm exam
30% Final exam
100% TOTAL
Attendance will be taken in lecture; your attendance will be worth 5% of your final grade. You will be allowed two 'free' absences.
In the third week of the semester, each of you will be assigned to a group made up of five or six people. Each group will be assigned one class day. On your assigned day, you will sit in the front row of the classroom. At some point during the lecture you must ask a question. The question can be one of clarification, a request for further information, a question about something you read and didn't understand, or anything that relates in some way to the lecture. If you ask your question, you will receive an A for this component of the course. You should also feel free to ask questions when it is not your turn to sit in the front; but this way everyone is guaranteed the opportunity to ask at least one.
The short (1000 words) papers on each unit will be due in class the day following completion of the unit. Of the six papers, you must write four of them. You may choose the topics that most interest you, or the ones that fit best with your schedule. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE MIDTERM AND FINAL WILL COVER MATERIAL FROM ALL UNITS, EVEN THOSE FOR WHICH YOU SKIP THE PAPER; YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MATERIAL.
For each paper, an essay question has been assigned; you should answer the question specifically by making references to the texts that are the outside readings (and refer to them by name in your paper). Guidelines for the papers can be found online, both on Oncourse as H206paperguidelines.doc and at this link. Assignments are due in class on the day they are due; late assignments will not be accepted, period. You never know what crisis will befall you during the semester; it is strongly suggested that you turn in the first four papers rather than waiting until the end of the semester. Papers will only be accepted in class on the day they are due (i.e. you can't email them during class time or turn them in to the office, without specific permission from the instructor).
The midterm and final exam will consist of a combination of short answer identifications and short essay questions. Questions will address material covered in lectures and the textbook, and also specific questions about the outside readings.
Extra Credit
If you choose to turn in more than four papers, extra credit of up to 2% on your semester average will be given for each extra paper. You will receive 1% extra for a B or B+ paper, and 2% for an A- or A paper. We will calculate your grade to your best advantage.
There will be other opportunities to earn extra credit during the semester, by attending lectures or parts of conferences held at IU. These will be announced via email through Oncourse, and also in class. If you attend such an event and write up a one-page, double-spaced summary of it, you will earn 2% on your semester grade; you are allowed a maximum of two such extra credit assignments.
Tentative
Schedule and Reading Assignments
Introduction
Jan. 13: Introduction
Rosenwein, Short History, pp. 19-75, 95-110
Essay question [due Jan. 29]: How many different kinds of buildings can you account for in a late antique city, based on the texts and on what you know of Ravenna? What groups of people were responsible for these, who used them, and how?
Jan. 15: The Late Roman Empire
Ammianus
Marcellinus, "The Luxury of the Rich in Rome," c. 400 AD
Jan. 20:
Christianity in the Roman empire
Ambrose of Milan, Epistle XX, 'to his sister' (on Oncourse, AmbroseEpistleXX.doc)
Jan. 22: The "Fall of Rome"
Cassiodorus, Variae, two letters (on Oncourse, CassiodorusCities.doc)
Jan. 27: The Byzantine Mediterranean
Jan. 29: The rise of Islam
Ravenna
papers due
West
Stow: an Anglo-Saxon village
Rosenwein, Short History, pp. 75-94, 110-130
Essay question [due Feb. 17]: What do we know about the early medieval rural lifestyle? How much can we learn from archaeology about their lives, as compared to from texts of the sort that you have been assigned?
Feb. 3: The Germanic Kingdoms: the case of Anglo-Saxon England
Salic Law,
selections (on Oncourse, SalicLaw.doc)
Feb. 5:
Religion
Bede, selections from the Ecclesiastical History (on Oncourse, bedeH206.doc)
Feb. 10: Towns
and trade in the Germanic kingdoms
Alcuin, Life of Saint Vedastus (selection) (on Oncourse, Vedastus.doc)
Gregory of Tours, Life of St. Patroclus (on Oncourse, gregVPpatroclus.pdf)
Feb. 12: Charlemagne and his empire
Asnapium:
An
Inventory of One of Charlemagne's Estates
Abbe Irminon-Polyptyque de Villeneuve-St. Georges, c. 800
Rosenwein, Short History, pp. 177-183, 192-206, 239-249, 251-278
Essay question [due Feb. 26]: How does the layout of a monastery, like Cluny, help to foster the aim of a monastic life?
Feb. 17: The development of Christian monasticism
West Stow papers due
The Rule of St. Benedict, selections, c. 530 AD (on Oncourse, BenedictRule.doc)
Feb. 19: Church and State
Feb. 24: Cluny
and later reforms of monasticism
Critique and Ideal: the Cistercian Renewal (read Bernard of Clairvaux, from the Apology for William and "Peace on Earth": A Contemporary Description of Clairvaux)
Feb. 26: The Crusades
Cluny papers due
Mar. 3: MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Wharram
Percy:
a feudal village
[note: the link here is to an external website]
Rosenwein, Short History, pp. 131-164, 184-190, 207-223
Essay question [due Mar. 26]: How does a later medieval village reflect the organization of society in the later Middle Ages?
Mar. 5: The Vikings and their impact
Dudo of St. Quentin, Gesta Normannorum, selections (on Oncourse, dudovikings.doc)
Mar. 10: Feudal society
The Domesday Book, Instructions and Example
Fulbert of Chartres, on Feudal Obligations, c. 1020
Mar. 12: The agricultural revolution
Manorial
Management and Organization, c. 1275
SPRING BREAK
Mar. 24: The medieval castle
Selections from The History of the Counts of Guines and Lords of Ardres (on Oncourse, Guines.doc)
Mar. 26: The Middle Ages in the movies
Wharram
Percy papers due
Chartres: a twelfth-century cathedral town
Rosenwein, Short History, pp. 171-176, 190-192, 224-238
Essay question [due Apr. 16]: Twelfth-century art and culture was concentrated in the newly thriving cities. Why was this? Who was sponsoring and paying for it?
Mar. 31: The economic expansion and the rise of cities
The Cathedral Chapter of Chartres-The Riot of 1210
Three Disputes involving the Cathedral Chapter of Chartres, 1215-1224
Apr. 2: NO CLASS - SHIFTING FRONTIERS CONFERENCE
Apr. 7: The 'twelfth century renaissance'
John of Salisbury, Metalogicon, selections, c. 1159 (on Oncourse, Metalogicon.doc)
Jacques de
Vitry,
History, Life of the Students at
Paris
NOTE:
SCHEDULE HAS BEEN REVISED DUE TO CANCELLATION OF CLASS ON APRIL 9
Apr. 14: Chivalry and Courtly Love
Medieval song lyrics (on Oncourse, lyrics.doc)
Apr. 16: Gothic architecture
Suger, De administratione (excerpts)
Florence: a city and the Black Death
Rosenwein, Short History, pp. 279-323
Essay question [due Apr. 30]: Who are the movers and shakers in a late medieval city like Florence? From where do they get their authority? How do they impact the development and appearance of the city? Who are the other inhabitants?
Apr. 21: The
boom and bust of medieval trade and commerce
Chartres
papers due
Treaty
for
Peace and Commercial Harmony Between Florence & St. Gimignano, 1225
Apr. 23: Famine, War,
and the
Black Death
Boccaccio,
the
Decameron, Introduction
Apr. 28: Revolt,
war, and the Renaissance
Giovanni Villani, Florentine Chronicle, selections
Niccolo
Machiavelli, History of
Florence,
on Lorenzo de' Medici
Conclusion
Apr. 30: The
End of the Middle Ages
Florence
papers due
FINAL EXAM:
Tuesday, May 5, 10:15 am-12:15 pm , in Jordan Hall A100 (the
usual
classroom)