LFU:online

By discussing various examples the class will introduce methodological approaches of paleography and the study of charters.

Letters are a means to bridge distances and transport information. For modern research they are relevant and interesting not only because they contain historical information but because they are material remnants of the past. To decipher their content and to determine their place in (cultural) history a basic knowledge of the relevant auxiliary sciences is essential. Complementary to the introductory seminar in medieval history we will discuss content and methodological approaches of the auxiliary sciences with a focus on paleography and the study of charters. We will read, transcribe and interpret archival sources together, considering questions of cultural history and the history of mentalities.

Exercises, case studies, discussion, lecture

Contribution in class; short written exam

Giles Constable, Letters and Letter-collections (Typologie des sources du moyen âge occidental 17), Turnhout 1976.