LFU:online

Acquisition of basic skills for dealing with historic sources and presentations of the Middle Ages as well as skills in presenting the newly acquired knowledge orally as well as in writing. Acquisition of basic knowledge and application of relevant methods aiding scientific research.

The seminar introduces students to the main tools of research in medieval history. Students learn how to analyse different sources and write a paper based on a source.

The Middle Ages are often seen as an expression of a “Dark Age” that was deeply characterized by piety, brutality and fanatical faith. However, this course deals with the fact that the medieval period is a far more complex historical development that took place with a different pace all over Europe and the Mediterranean. By working with specialized literature and sources, critical approaches to time of the so-called “Völkerwanderung” will be discussed. The course will primarily deal with the so-called "Early Middle Ages" and the period between 500 and 1050.

Of special importance are the following concepts:

TRANSFORMATION of the Roman world.

ETHNOGENESIS and the come into being of medieval polities and kingdoms.
FEUDALISM and the social and economic functioning of medieval societies in Western Europe. 

Reading of specialized literature, joint discussion and working with medieval sources. Part of the work assignments will be elaborated in small groups.

Regular participation in the seminar, contribution in class (discussion and presentation), short treatise, written exam.

Büssem, Eberhard / Neher, Michael (Hgg.), Arbeitsbuch Geschichte. Mittelalter (3. bis 16. Jahrhundert), Repetitorium, Tübingen ¹²2003.

Geary, Patrick, Die Merowinger. Europa vor Karl dem Großen. Aus dem Englischen von Ursula Scholz, München ³2006.

Götz, Hans-Werner, Proseminar Geschichte: Mittelalter, Stuttgart ⁴2014.

Götz, Hans-Werner, Europa im frühen Mittelalter, 500-1050, Stuttgart 2003.

Positive assessment of compulsory module 1

Online registration necessary!