School of Humanities  
 
 
HIS-20072 Castle and Cloister in Medieval Europe, c. 900-1250  
Co-ordinator: Dr Philip Morgan    Room: CBB0.048, Tel:33204  
Teaching Team: Miss Amanda  Roberts, Dr Philip  Morgan, Mrs Christine  Edge, Dr Kathleen Cushing, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts, Dr Andrew  Sargent  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 2 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
History Dual Honours (Level 2)
History Major (Level 2)
History Minor (Level 2)
History Single Honours (Level 2)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
No
Barred Combinations
None

Prerequisites
Pass at level one, or appropriate alternative qualifications for visiting students.

Description

In late 996 or early 997 when Count Fulk Nerra of Anjou together with armed retainers entered the cloister of Saint-Martin in Tours and did extensive damage, they probably presumed that no power could force them to make amends for their atrocious attack on unarmed and innocent monks $ú they were wrong! Some time later Fulk begged forgiveness in the church and signalled his humiliation by going barefoot.

Lords and knights are credited with having extensive authority in the middle ages and their castles were undeniably symbols of often-deadly power in medieval Europe. Monks and monasteries, however, had access to even greater powers and as such wielded tremendous influence over medieval society, especially aristocratic society. Monks after all were the original milites Christi, or soldiers of Christ, battling demons on behalf of Christian society.

This module explores the complicated relationships that arose between aristocratic society in the world and its generally aristocratic counterpart cloistered from the world in the pivotal years of c. 900-1250. Whilst providing a general familiarity with the key socio-political and religious developments in medieval Europe during this period, it will also address patronage, the power of women, the role of monasteries in familial strategies and gift networks, the use and abuse of spiritual power and how secular powers benefited by controlling jurisdiction over monasteries.
Aims
To introduce students to two of the most prominent features of medieval culture: monasticism and aristocratic society, by exploring the complicated and contradictory relationships that arose between elite lay society in the world and its (often equally) elite religious counterpart ostensibly cloistered from the world in the pivotal years of c.900-1250, in order to advance students&© historical and historiographical knowledge using a wide variety of primary and secondary sources.
Intended Learning Outcomes
acquire a broad understanding of the complicated relationships that arose between elite lay society and its generally aristocratic counterpart cloistered from the world along with familiarity of the key socio-political and religious developments in the period c.900-1250. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3,4
develop the ability to understand and evaluate scholarly debates on this topic, in particular the significance of patronage, gift-networks and the use and abuse of spiritual power. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3,4
develop the ability to read and use contested texts and other source materials critically, while addressing the issues of genre, content, perspective and historicity. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3,4
develop and support reasoned historical arguments and to present them in a clear and persuasive manner both orally and in written work. will be achieved by assessments: 2,3,4
Study hours
150 hours: 10 lectures, 7 seminars, 48 hours seminar preparation, 60 hours essay preparation, 25 hours lecture consolidation.
Description of Module Assessment
01: Essay-Plan
A brief plan or bibliographic study in preparation for the assessed essay.
Formative assessment: an essay-plan and related bibliography, to be submitted in preparation for the module essay (assessment no. 2). Feedback will be provided to guide the student in the completion of the essay.
02: Essay weighted 40%
Essay of c.2000 words
An essay of c.2000 words, chosen by the student from a list of c.6 questions set by the tutor.
03: 2 Hour Unseen Exam weighted 40%
Two questions in two hours.
An unseen two-hour examination in which students will be expected to answer two essay questions from a list of 8.
04: Portfolio weighted 20%
Sources commentaries, short exercises
Participation in seminars, assessed according to level of contribution as well as academic ability, and EITHER 5 short written exercises/source commentaries OR 2 / 3 longer written exercises, all set by the tutor and in either case totalling no more than 2000 words in length. Half the marks will be given for seminar participation and half for the written portfolio.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Mar/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.