OVERVIEW

Medieval history is a basic knowledge for the curriculum in history as well as other teachings concerning general contents. It deals with institutions, people, societies and main events from 5th to 15th century. Insights about themes and methods of researches. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will get acquainted with the historic evolution that affected Europe between the Barbarian Age and Late Middle ages (5th-15th centuries). The main themes around which the course is built are: Middle Ages and encounter between civilizations; Middle Ages and Origin of Europe; Middle Ages in Italy. Students will be able to understand the evolution of institutions, societies and political contexts; they will be able to consult historic sources, give examples and refer to historiographic updates.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Focus of learning is Middle Ages in general picture of European history  and  in perspective of its influence over culture and institutions. Students would acquire an incisive view of this period which is commonly neglected or misunderstood.

For students taking the 9-CFU course

At the end of the course  the students should gain:

• incisive knowledge of essential events, contexts and historical development of Middle Ages;
• understanding of topics about comparison  between Medieval West and other Mediterranean civilization;
• awareness of problems and methods of study of the Middle Ages;
• knowledge of main medieval sources.

For students taking the 12-CFU course

At the end of the course students should gain:

• incisive knowledge of essential events, contexts and historical development of Middle Ages;
• understanding of  topics about comparison  between Medieval West and other Mediterranean civilizations;
• awareness of problems and methods of study of the Middle Ages;
• knowledge of main medieval sources;
• capacity in analyzing and describing  examples of medieval sources.

PREREQUISITES

None

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures will be held in-person.​

For students unable to attend in-person, it will be possible to attend online on Teams only by requesting the lecturer to be enrolled on the team (send an email to mariaelena.cortese@unige.it, writing in the subject line: DIDATTICA A DISTANZA).

Students following online will be considered non-attending (see the specific bibliography for non attending students)

Lessons:

For 9 CFU

60 hours of traditional lectures with slides to facilitate comprehension of the lectures on the following topics: main political and institutional events and long-term phenomena (social, economic, cultural) characterising the medieval age; reading and commenting on examples of medieval sources; elements of historiography; typology of medieval sources.

For 12 CFU

80 hours of traditional frontal lessons, with slides to facilitate the comprehension of the lectures, on the following topics: main political-institutional events and long term phenomena (social, economic, cultural) that characterize the medieval age; reading and commenting on examples of medieval sources; elements of historiography; typology of medieval sources.l sources and a historiographic text. Introduction to the typology of medieval sources.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Contents for non attending students taking the 9-FU course

Outlines of medieval history, interpretative categories, historiographical updates. Orientation in reading the sources and a historiographical text.

Contents for attending students taking the 12-CFU course

Outlines of medieval history, interpretative categories, historiographical updates. Orientation to the reading of sources and a historiographical text. Introduction to the typology of medieval sources

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For attending students taking a  9-CFU course: 

1) One textbook of your choice from the following:

• L. Provero, M. Vallerani,  Storia medievale, Le Monnier 2016
• L. Tanzini, F. P. Tocco, Un Medioevo mediterraneo, Carocci editore, 2020

2)  one book of your choice from the following:

• A. Barbero, Carlo Magno. Un padre dell'Europa, Laterza
• A. Cortonesi, L. Palermo, La prima espansione economica europea. Secoli XI-XV, Carocci, 2019
• S. Gasparri, Voci dei secoli oscuri. Un percorso nelle fonti dell'alto medioevo, Carocci, 2017
• T. Lazzari, Le donne nell'alto Medioevo, Milano-Torino 2010 (scaricabile da https://unibo.academia.edu/TizianaLazzari)
• L. Provero, Contadini e potere nel Medioevo, Carocci, 2020

For attending students taking a  12-CFU course: 

1) One textbook of your choice from the following:

• L. Provero, M. Vallerani,  Storia medievale, Le Monnier 2016
• L. Tanzini, F. P. Tocco, Un Medioevo mediterraneo, Carocci editore, 2020

2)  two books of your choice from the following:

• A. Barbero, Carlo Magno. Un padre dell'Europa, Laterza
• A. Cortonesi, L. Palermo, La prima espansione economica europea. Secoli XI-XV, Carocci, 2019
• S. Gasparri, Voci dei secoli oscuri. Un percorso nelle fonti dell'alto medioevo, Carocci, 2017
• T. Lazzari, Le donne nell'alto Medioevo, Milano-Torino 2010 (scaricabile da https://unibo.academia.edu/TizianaLazzari)
• L. Provero, Contadini e potere nel Medioevo, Carocci, 2020

For students taking a single  6-CFU course: 

1) One textbook of your choice from the following:

• L. Provero, M. Vallerani,  Storia medievale, Le Monnier 2016
• L. Tanzini, F. P. Tocco, Un Medioevo mediterraneo, Carocci editore, 2020

BIBLIIGRAPHY FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

Non-attending students (9 CFU or 12 CFU) will add the following essay to the respective syllabus provided for attending students:  G. Sergi, L’idea di Medioevo. Fra storia e senso comune, Roma, Donzelli, 2005.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARIA ELENA CORTESE (President)

PAOLA GUGLIELMOTTI

SANDRA MACCHIAVELLO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

 Lessons will start during the week ot 19th september 2022 

Class schedule

MEDIEVAL HISTORY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The knowledge of the textbook will be tested through a written test (5 questions of different nature must be answered in about 1 hour's time). 

At the end of the written test, the examination continues, with in-person correction of the written test and an oral interview on the chosen monograph(s) aimed at testing the author's ability to analyze and understand a historiographical text, its structure and use of sources.

The final grade is derived from the overall evaluation of the written and oral portions.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The examination will test the knowledge acquired both on the contents of the lectures given by the teacher and on the basic text (textbook) and the texts of the student's choice.

The preparation will be considered adequate if the student has demonstrated knowledge of the topics of the programme and the ability to refer to the topics with language appropriate to the historical exposition. 

The final grade will be expressed in thirtieths.

Exam schedule