Medieval Civilization I

Catalog description

The first semester of a two-semester sequence devoted to an exploration of the medieval European world. This course examines the earlier Middle Ages, from c. 450 to c.1100 AD, that is from the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West and the disintegration of classical civilization to the First Crusade. This course will focus on certain kinds of historical themes and issues and will adopt a certain approach to historical inquiry. The main purpose is to understand the culture and society of the medieval world. How was society organized? What was the mental outlook? What values were assumed or articulated? In particular, what was the role of Christianity, and how did Christianity as a set of beliefs and as a set of institutions influence, and in turn become influenced by, medieval society? In considering these matters, less attention will be paid to a narrative of events than to a scrutiny of key developments and transformations. We will look at the barbarian world, the Carolingian Empire, the Vikings, the development of feudalism, and the circumstances that led to the First Crusade. PRE, EUR