Course: History of Middle Ages

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Course title History of Middle Ages
Course code UHV/STRE
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study 1
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Čapský Martin, prof. Mgr. Ph.D.
  • Téra Michal, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
The Middle Ages as a term, the context in which it is used, from what time. Christianity, the early Church (after being accepted as an official one), communes, ministries, hierarchy, apostles' order. Missionary mission of the Church, breaking free from the Jewish tradition. OT and NT. Heresy as streams in the search for orthodoxy (Gnosticism, Manichaeism, Marcionism, Encratism, Montanism, Aryanism, Modalism, Adopcianism, Nestorianism). Great councils of the Early Middle Ages. Forms of turning to Christianity (Ireland and the Saxons). The cult of the saints. Antique parallels (cults of heroes) and Christian martyrs - relics (the criticism of Apostata "criminals' corpses"). The cult of body resurrection, martyrs' graves as "sovereign places of heaven on earth". Churches and pilgrim places. The economy. The population reaches the level of Rome (imp.) till the 11th century. The beginnings of the Middle Ages. Mediterranean Sea still "mare nostrum", solidus as the most stable currency. The 7th century's "rapid" start of the Muslims (Poitiers). The feudal system, the land - the only stable currency, freedom and power. Vassals and masters, loyalty for protection. Rights and duties on both sides (familia). Gradual renovation of long distance business, the origin (renovation) of towns (Pirenne). The role of the Church and towns - bishopric and Ireland. Towns and their legal base (immunities) "stadtluft macht frei", guilds. Exploitation of minerals and their ancient (primeval) tradition. Business passages. Business associations and their political role. The origin of banking (bills of exchange, security bonds, loans) Italian towns. Flanders towns. Universality in the arts. Axioms followed with local variations in the whole of the European area (Western Christianity). The Gothic as a reflection of belief and its practice. The mentality of Medieval people is the limit of Gothic style. Gothic, "Northern" art for its style (sharp roofs, snow, pillars, woods, etc.)

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic (reading, lecture, briefing), Demonstration
Learning outcomes
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the basic features of the development of European, and sometimes non-European, countries in the period from the 5th till the turn of the 15th centuries in the political, economic, and cultural field. National history, i.e. the history of the Czech state, is included into a broader European and Central European context. The lectures provide an introduction to some phenomena that are characteristic of the Middle Ages: Christianity and its development, the economy (feudal system), universities and education, art (Gothic), political culture, etc.
Students will be able to evaluate basic phenomena connected to the Middle Ages, their knowledge will be developed in a practical way during seminars and through literature reading.
Prerequisites
unspecified

Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination

Recommended literature
  • BLÁHOVÁ, M. - FROLÍK, J. - PROFANTOVÁ, N. Velké dějiny zemí Koruny české I. Praha - Litomyšl: Paseka, 1999.
  • BOBKOVÁ, L. - BARTLOVÁ, M. Velké dějiny zemí Koruny české IVb. Praha - Litomyšl: Paseka, 2003.
  • BOBKOVÁ, L. Velké dějiny zemí Koruny české IVa. Praha - Litomyšl: Paseka, 2003.
  • ČORNEJ, P. - BARTLOVÁ, M. Velké dějiny zemí Koruny české VI. Praha - Litomyšl: Paseka, 2007.
  • ČORNEJ, P. Velké dějiny zemí Koruny české V. Praha - Litomyšl: Paseka, 2000.
  • VANÍČEK, V. Velké dějiny zemí Koruny české III. Praha - Litomyšl: Paseka, 2002.
  • VANÍČEK, V. Velké dějiny zemí Koruny české II. Praha - Litomyšl: Paseka, 2000.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy Study plan (Version): History (2013) Category: History courses 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Summer
Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy Study plan (Version): Documental and Archival Services (2013) Category: History courses 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Summer
Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy Study plan (Version): History (2013) Category: History courses 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Summer
Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy Study plan (Version): Cultural History (2013) Category: History courses 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Summer