Need more medieval in your life?

Well that was an awesome semester. Thanks everyone! But don't mourn its passing too soon. The internet is a treasure trove of amazing medieval information. Here I'm just highlighting a few places you could go in particular for podcasts (online audio files) about historical topics, including medieval ones, by famous historians from all over the world.

For example, did you know that the BBC History Magazine has a free online section with audio interviews and brief talks? You can hear the latest one, or browse the archive for whatever topic takes your fancy, from the Crusades to WWII: http://www.historyextra.com/podcast-page

If you want a bit more detail, try the online lectures available [on almost any topic] from the Universities of Oxford (http://itunes.ox.ac.uk/) and Cambridge (http://www.cam.ac.uk/video/itunesu.html).

Did you know that our own Clare Monagle is also a podcasting sensation? Check her out on Radio National talking about the medieval concept of 'political theology': http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/encounter/politics-and-god/3126076

And if you enjoyed the Robert Bartlett series Inside the Medieval Mind, linked earlier in semester, you could follow up by listening to this interview with him about making the series and what he wanted people to learn.

The end of semester doesn't have to be the end of medieval!

Naturally, there are also other Medieval and Renaissance units you can take here at Monash - just check out the Handbook! In semester 2, look for ATS1317 (Renaissance Europe); ATS2603 (Age of Crusades); and ATS2604 (Arthur: History and Myth). In summer 2012 there will be the exciting travel unit ATS2612 (Renaissance in Florence). And in 2013 look our for ATS3288 (Angels & Demons: Rome, the Papacy and the World); ATS2572 (Crisis and renewal in the late Renaissance); ATS2573 (Relics and legends); and ATS2579 (Witches and depravity).

See you then...
Kathleen

P.S. Comments remain open, so those of you still writing your essays, please feel free to post queries about citation, etc., below.

Test Revision

So I'm just putting this here to provide a space for those who would like to make use of a communal discussion to help them think about the unit and revise for the test on Monday.

God the Geometer, Codex Vindobonensis 2554

Details, in case you missed them, are:

• The test takes place in the lecture slot on Monday 21 May.
• It is expected to take about an hour, but you can take up to two if required. 
• It will follow an essay format.
• It will take the form of a statement you must discuss with reference to primary sources.
• Select primary sources will be provided.
• A mock test is available on Blackboard
• The marking criteria are listed in the Unit Guide
  
• There is no exam in the exam period.
• There is no tutorial in week 12 after the test.
• Please submit outstanding essay hard copies to the SOPHIS essay box (Menzies W604).

It's been a blast, so thanks everyone. And good luck on Monday!
Kathleen

Unit feedback

Dear Students,

You will have received an email from SETU (Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units), inviting you to evaluate ATS 1316. Please do so! We really want to know what you think.

These surveys are taken extremely seriously by the University. They are used when staff members apply for promotion, or for other jobs. They are also used to make changes to the units for next year, drawing on student comments. These blogs, for example, emerged out of comments by students that they sometimes felt disconnected during first year. Hence, we have tried to build community and encourage your readings by running these blogs.

So let us know what you think of the unit. YOU ARE VERY POWERFUL!

Many thanks, Clare

P.S. You will also see a link on the right to a survey specifically asking you about the blog. We are really interested in your feedback on this learning tool in particular. This is separate from the University's SETU feedback.
Thanks!
Kathleen


P.P.S. Read on below for the Black Death blog!

Renaissance in Florence

Prato

Those interested in following up on the medieval and renaissance world by taking the summer subject in Prato and Florence should look at the ASA website here.
Also, consult the University handbook for more detail about prerequisites, etc., here. 
You may also want to contact the course coordinator, Peter Howard.

The Black Death blog follows below...

The Black Death

Explain the nature of the ‘flourishing urban civilization’ that Margaret King describes in Italy prior to the Black Death. What were the economic foundations of the civilizations of Florence and Venice?

The thirteenth century in Venice and Florence saw growing prosperity economically which would provide opportunities to pursue arts and culture that would create an ‘early-Renaissance’. Merchant success in Florence began with two enterprises, Banking and Wool brought both by a close relationship with the Church. The close bond with the papacy gave the chance for merchants to collect Tithes and taxes as the position of the Pope’s tax representative.

The textile industry blossomed from Papacy’s victory in the Two Sicilies which exported wool from their sheep-herding enterprise to Florence for production. Venice’s economic development began from trading basic commodities like salt and fish for timber and metal that would establish a ship manufacturing and managing industry for international trade. With a sudden economic boom Guilds were created which would involve and intrigue merchants and workers in political affairs. Urban renewal was now attainable with a strong economy resulting in new infrastructure such as Churches, guildhalls, hospitals, bridges, roads and walls for protection built with new architectural designs. Arts and culture had taken a new turn from revolving entirely around Christianity to reflecting on the cities and connecting more directly to the people. The economic foundations of banking and wool in Florence and shipping and trade in Venice provided the stable opportunity for exploration in arts and culture before the disaster of the Black Death.
--Tom

The Legal and Political Structures of Florence and Venice During the days of the Renaissance
Italy was not a single political entity, but was divided up into city-states and territories. According to Margaret King, Venice and Florence were one of the few remaining republics. Although they did not have the democratic political systems in place that we have become accustom to, there were many political structures that placed the notion of liberty in high regard. In Italy, particularly Florence and Venice, in which the renaissance flourished, participation in governance and belief in liberty was a large aspect and the foundations of modern political ideology. One, who contributed to these theories, was Marsilius of Padua. He wrote the Defensor Pacis (“Defender of the peace”) between 1320 and 1324, which was an immensely ‘original work of political theory’. The Defensor pacis ‘sketched out the contours of the modern state as an entity that was both autonomous and secular, and which provided security and order to its citizens, who were the source of its power and legitimacy’. Whilst Marsilius was declared a heretic and spent his later years at the imperial court, it still forms the basis of our current political foundations.

Cities within medieval Europe and the era of the Renaissance had an established legal system. With courts, laws and rules that generally followed the same code from city to city. The Italian judicial system was based upon Roman law and followed, to a certain extent, the notions of their political and legal systems. There was one group of intellectuals that had a major influence over Italian cities at that time. These intellectuals were known as Jurists. These were men trained in Roman law. Jurist’s were prominent among the ‘citizen leaders’ and took part in the development of communes. They were held in high-regard within Florence, Venice and Italy in general during these times. The Jurist’s were men, generally those who came from money, who were schooled and trained (within schools of law in Italian universities) in order to produce the valuable service of compiling ‘urban law codes, to document contracts and exchanges of property, and to negotiate alliances and treaties of peace with other states’. Bartolus of Sassoferrato was one such Jurist, who developed a political theory, in which wealthy cities such as Venice and Florence were ‘best ruled by a combinations of prominent men’. These theories developed by Bartolus and Marsilius serve as a basis for further liberal and democratic theories and form the foundations of our own political and legal systems today.
-- Ben

Does the extract from Petrarch’s Letter to Posterity indicate an optimistic or pessimistic sense of his legacy?
Francesco Petrarch (1304 – 1374) was a medieval writer who composed both literary and scholarly texts. His work Letter to Posterity, composed in 1351, is a perfect example of the legacy and influence he had not only on the Renaissance, but on all future generations. Margaret King referred to Petrarch as an ‘inaugurator of the Renaissance’, as his works were all based on the study of classical antiquity, and as such had a great influence on early Renaissance writers. However his legacy was not just based on this, but on his self-awareness and thoughtfulness as a composer.

In the extract provided in this week’s readings from the Letter to Posterity, Petrarch manages to convey a sense of truly humble self-consciousness despite his comfortable upbringing and lifestyle. One of the most fascinating things about the extract is that it can be considered as both optimistic and pessimistic in regards to Petrarch’s ‘legacy’. On one hand the very fact that Petrarch is writing the letter in the first place indicates that he does have some hope that his works will live on, and will teach generations to come about the people he writes about and inadvertently about the value of modesty and self-awareness.

On the other hand, however, Petrarch sees himself as ‘one of your own clock’, as ordinary and mortal. He discusses his faults and his attributes without seeming falsely modest or displaying any sort of arrogance. He is hopeful that his works might have some lasting effect on future generations, but he is not vain or cocky or expectant that this will be the case. Petrarch seems to really be taking into account how he, himself, can pass on the knowledge that he has been able to gain only through experience and age. His self-awareness as a writer and as a man is very important as it was not an incredibly common feature of composers. The fact that he is writing an auto-biography is very telling; he sees how important his role is within his own works and why people might want to know what type of man he was.

In this extract Petrarch seems to be both hopeful about what the future may bring, and about his effect on it, but his sense of humility and modesty are also predominant features of his personality and prevent him from having total confidence in his legacy.
--Hannah

How does king characterize the economic and social impact of the Black Death? Do the documents relating to the Black Death reflect King’s understanding of the impact of the Black Death?

Just before the Black Death, King characterizes the thirteenth century as a growing ‘flourishing urban civilization’ that would eventually progress into the Renaissance.  She highlights the growth in the economy, the increase in popularity and the evolution of new ideas and revolutions such as workers rights and changing political structures.

King, by starting her chapter with all the growth and changes of the thirteenth century, is able to directly juxtapose the changes that the fourteenth century Black Death bought into society.  As Giovanni Boccaccio states ‘And, in this great affliction and misery of our city, the reverend authority of laws, divine and human, was almost wholly ruined’, the previous developments of ideas stopped in the face of the influenza.  As the plague ravaged the cities; the strict religious focus began to relent and give way to humanism and skepticism, as God, it seems, did nothing to save or aid his people. During the plagues reign, people did not follow any of the rules they had depended on religiously before; for example,  Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’ juxtaposes with the quote byGiovanni Boccaccio ‘The fact was that one citizen avoided another, that almostno-one cared for his neighbor’. King claims that the plague only temporarily stopped the ‘flourishing urban civilization’ rather than completely stopping it as she argues that the Renaissance wouldn’t have otherwise taken place.

--Alanah

Plague in a city

The Crusades and Christian Love

Sir Steven Runciman on the Crusade
Steven Runciman locates reasons for the failure of the subsequent crusades in the events of the First Crusade. Summarise his argument in relation to the impact of the First Crusade in particular.

Runciman believes that the tragedy of Byzantine Empire was caused by a movement (namely the first Crusade) launched by a ‘noble-minded’ Pope with ‘good will’ and misunderstandings, and Crusades were simply great barbarian invasions. The only way I find from the given material to argue that the failure of the subsequent crusades were caused by the events of the first Crusade is that the series of Crusade failed to secure Byzantine Empire and such failure emerged in the events of the first Crusade. Runciman presents the impact of the First Crusade in different aspects. In Politics, the misunderstandings between the west and Byzantium lead to a situation that people were not sympathy to each other. In religion, the intolerant attitude towards Greek of Latin Christian and the tolerant attitude towards Muslim of Byzantines even worsened the political misunderstandings. In military, the west did not efficiently help Byzantium out from Turks as promised, rather raised a war against the whole Muslim which put Byzantium into a dangerous position. In economics, to cater the huge armies worsened the decayed economic situation of Byzantium and the wealthy of Constantinople might stimulate the greed of the Latin west.

What does he mean when he refers to a ‘melancholy pile of misunderstandings’ throughout the First Crusade?

According to Runciman, there were three main misunderstandings between Pope Urban and the Byzantium. First, Alexius Comnenus, the Byzantine emperor, wanted mercenaries to drive the Turks back in Anatolia which was almost entirely lost. However, the Pope, with a ‘noble mind’ according to Runciman, organized a whole army to succor him over which he had no control. Second, though the emperor wanted to recover as much of Anatolia as possible, he never meant to stand against the whole Islamic world. However the Pope expected to go on after succoring Byzantium to establish Christian rule over Palestine, ‘so that pilgrims could be ensured forever’. Third, the two misunderstandings above made the Byzantines embarrassed by the appearance of crusading armies and not wholly in sympathy with their aims, which made the Crusaders fell they were impious.
--Shang

Jonathan Riley-Smith - 'Crusading as an Act of Love'

Jonathan Riley-Smith

The first reading for this week looks at Riley-Smiths writing on the Crusades as acts of Christian love and charity. Riley-Smith suggests that this love 'encompasses love of God and love of ones neighbour' (p32.) and was important in the conception and promotion of the crusades. He consistently references writings of Popes during the times of the crusades (e.g Innocent III, Urban II) and other contemporary people of authority (e.g Odo of Deuil). It is these writings and these individuals who promoted, supported and provided the "propaganda" for the crusades.

It is important to consider that in order for the crusades to be successful, the church had to appeal to communities and present crusading in ways people understood and that encouraged support, e.g comparing 'crusading love' to 'love of family' (p.49) and viewing crusading as vengeance for other Christians.

Urban II preaching at Clermont

Pope Urban's sermon at Clermont:
Your full brothers, your comrades, your brothers born of the same mother, for you are sons of the same Christ and the same Church

Baldric of Dol: 'It is much less evil to brandish the sword against the Muslims; in a particular case it is good, because it is charity to lay down lives for friends'

It is also important to note the biblical texts which were used in support of the crusades: "Whoever doth not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple" (Luke xiv, 27)

Particularly interesting is the idea of 'loving ones enemy' (p31.) and 'punishment imposed through love' (p42.) that were expressed by St Augustine and adopted by some of the Popes in support of crusading. Would this reasoning be accepted today? Again (like past blogs) we come to the differences in Christian beliefs and Christianity's role in society between the middle ages and today.

In particular consider these ideas in relation to the fourth crusade. Do you believe the crusades were undertaken through charity and love? What could be some arguments for and against this?
--Gen

The Fourth Crusade

Route of the Fourth Crusade

The Fourth Crusade has been cemented in history as having one of the most controversial and improbable end-games.  Beginning with Pope Innocent III’s call-to-arms in 1198 to re-capture the Holy City and further the cause of Christendom, excitement quickly spread through Europe against the less-than-ideal political climate of the time.  Arriving in Venice in 1201, the idea was to acquire supplies and ships, and sail down to Egypt, making their way up to Jerusalem from there.

Sack of Constantinople

However, an ill-fated treaty led to a diversion to Constantinople.  What was supposed to be a crusade against the Muslims became an attack on Byzantium.  The Crusaders laid siege on the city in 1203, and a stalemate ensued until 1204 when, after gaining some ground and favourable conditions, and with the help of the Venetians, the holy warriors brutally captured the city.  Following the infamously horrific ‘Sack of Constantinople’, the great Byzantine Empire was conquered, and sitting on its throne was the ill-equipped Emperor Baldwin I, previously known as Baldwin of Flanders. After a shameful and embarrassing turn of events, the Crusaders had not regained their Holy City, destroyed an Empire, usurped its throne, and set it up for devestation.  In the words of Donald Queller and Thomas Madden in The Fourth Crusade, ‘[It was] the result no-one could have forseen, for it was the most improbable of all outcomes: a Flemish knight now reigned in the city of the Caesars’.

--Tiff

Why was the fourth crusade was so controversial? Discuss with reference to the various accounts in the primary sources

 The fourth crusade was in Constantinople (modern day Istanbul in Turkey) in 1204 and was launched by Pope Innocent III (see above). Its initial aim was to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims, by arranging a Venetian fleet to transport a the Crusaders to Egypt. Here they planned to conquer the land and then march to Jerusalem and re-claim the Holy Land. However, this initial aim of the Fourth Crusade never came to be. Instead, they attacked Constantinople, one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the Christian world, but also the capital of the Byzantine empire.

The controversies surrounding the Fourth Crusade, steam from the reasoning and cause of the actual attack of the Crusader on the Byzantine Empire’s capital. From the Primary sources, there seems to be two prominent reasons.

The first being that the fourth crusade was a series of unfortunate accidents which turned out to be good grace of God. With many of the crusaders failing to meet in the summer of 1202 in Venice meant that the passaged cost they owed to the Venetians was well under and improvised their army. Therefore the crusade leaders had little choice but to accept the Venetians offer to sail to the city of Zara, whereby the takings of this city will be split fairly and the Crusaders can pay back their dues with their takings (p.226). However, the City of Zara did not provide the extent of resources and takings as first envisioned and therefore sought to conquer elsewhere (p.230).  Thus, Alexios Angelos promised to pay the expense of the voyage and conquer of Constantinople once his father (the emperor Isaac II) was returned to his rightful place on the throne (p.230). However they were slow in repaying their debt and the Franks and Venetians (the crusaders) attack Constantinople. The 1204 war on Constantinople was debated and justified by the bishops and clergy as a

“righteous one… for the Greeks were traitors and murders, and also disloyal, since they had murdered their rightful lord, and were worse than jews… [we] ought not hesitate to attack the Greeks, for the latter were enemies of God.”  (p.232)

However, the collection of documents from the Sack of Constantinople paint a different picture of the Franks and Venetians reasoning behind the crusade, being religious difficulties. As the Byzantines were tolerant of other churches, but the crusaders understood one uniformed ritual of the church. Thus found it strange and hardly Christian to see oriental Christian churches (p.251). Thus, the second collection of  Primary sources in the reader, focuses on the Crusader’s destruction of religious relics, devastation of churches, looing of treasures and anything of religious importance to the Byzantine’s (p.260). Thus the Byzantines were seen as disloyal and traitors to the Christian cause and necessary for the Christian army to remain the Constantinople for at least a year “in order to strengthen the empire in its devotion” (p.262)

What reasoning to think explains the Fourth Crusade? A series of incidental accidents, religious tensions or a combination of both?   

--Deniz

Francis and Dominic

Slocum’s explanation of the foundation of the Franciscan Order

Kay Slocum follows the life of Francis Belardorne of Assisi. He was a young man who involved himself in the conflicts between Assisi and neighbouring towns in which he was taken captive and placed in prison where he became violently ill. In seeking out religious consolation Francis heard a voice from the altar at the Church of St. Damian saying, “Francis, go build my church.” After this he began, using the materials from his father’s shop, to repair his church. His father, enraged, imprisoned Francis however Francis managed to escape and sought refuge with a local bishop. Shortly after Francis dramatically stripped himself of clothing and proclaimed his allegiance to God and renounced his father. Such was the beginning of his life as a holy man.

Francis proceeded to repair churches, however, did not understand fully what his role was in the service of God. This was until a priest’s sermon allowed Francis to realise that he should live and preach the apostolic life, a life in which one was completely unburdened by the possession of personal property or money. Francis, having attracted some followers, drew up a rule detailing this lifestyle. In contrast to the cloistered monks of the Cistercian Order Francis advocated a life residing amongst the people surviving on work and alms. This was inspirational to those, particularly the literate, who sought to imitate the life of Jesus according to the gospels due to dissatisfaction with the “moral laxity” of the clergy and tedium of monastic spirituality. Moreover Francis’ appreciation for the beauty of the natural world allowed him to create an emotional connection with the populous including heretics. As Slocum illustrates, however, Francis avoided serious accusations of heresy himself due to his respect for the priesthood and sacraments. Though initially reluctant, this allowed Pope Innocent to approve the Franciscan Rule in 1210.

The Franciscan Order, now official, began to expand and engage in missionary activity throughout Europe. Though the order was conceived initially without governance the increased size required Francis to write the second rule which reinforced the commitment to authority and established an administrational hierarchy. From there on the Franciscan Order had its own mature identity which began to influence further religious orders of holy poverty such as the “Poor Clares.”

Also Slocum’s explanation of the foundation of the Dominican Order 

The Dominican order was different to that of the Franciscans, although in some ways the two mirrored each other closely.  The Dominicans “emphasized learning and education” (p.361) and it “closely resembled the traditional monastic establishments” (p.361).  It was started as an attempt to control Cathar heresy. Dominic de Guzmán, a Spanish priest, and his bishop Diego of Osma, began “itinerant preaching” (p. 361) and eventually became known as the ‘order of preachers’.

Like the Franciscans, the Dominicans adopted the apostolic life of poverty, which suggests that this way of life was becoming more of an ideal sought throughout Europe as it gained wealth.

The Dominicans were unable to create a new rule for themselves, however the Pope Honorius III gave papal confirmation for the order to become a branch of the Rule of St Augustine, as it was very close to the desires of the Dominicans. Unlike St Francis, Dominic readily accepted the need for administration and organisation and created a “representative form of government of the Order of Preachers” (p.365) which was unique to it.

In Celano’s account of Francis’ life, with what values does he imbue the figure of Francis?

Tomas of Celano, in his account of Francis’ life, portrays him as a pious and devoted man who despises the burdens of material possession in favour of spiritual wisdom, appreciation of God’s creation and the apostolic life. Francis is bold yet gentle which serves to create an enigmatic and almost Christ-like persona. These qualities are illustrated as Francis, on receiving payment for the sale of his clothes and horse, offers it almost immediately to a church in disrepair both in order to rebuild the church and free him of the monetary burden. On the priests refusal of the donation Francis throws the money out of the window “treating it as if it were dust.” He does this, according to Celano, because “he wanted to possess wisdom, which is better than gold, and prudence, which is more precious than silver.” This contempt for worldly possessions is illustrated further when Francis, on hearing the priest’s explanation of the gospel, discards all that he owns in favour of a crude tunic. Even in poverty Francis reinforces his humility through mortification of the flesh and his devotion to the service to god as he strips himself of his clothes and hands them to his father, standing before him completely naked unashamed. This is further established in his capture by the Saracens in which he remains composed in the face of death and torture. His dramatic actions are, however, always laced with a selflessness and respect for all of God’s creation. His generosity is matched with his affection for nature. Celano’s Francis possessed a powerful emanating grace which earned him much exultation as a preacher. It in is this romantic balance between confidence and compassion that Celano achieves the portrayal of Francis as almost a Christ like figure.

From Celano’s stories how do you understand Francis’ relationship with the natural world?

Francis, in Celano’s stories, is profoundly and connected to the natural world. He believes it crucial that all of creation should know the word of God and became famous not only for his preaching to the animals but the command he seemed to have of them.

“…He exorted all birds, all animals, all reptiles, and even nonexistant creatures to praise and love the creator for every day, when the name of the saviour was announced, he himself saw their obedience”

Celano tells us about Francis’ travels as he returns fish to the water, preaches to the birds and commands wildlife. Perhaps most notable, however, is the way in which Celano shows Francis’ holiness and compassion seems to miraculously emanate as if he were a Christ-like conduit of the grace of God. This can be seen in the story of the woman made able to give birth safely by touching the reigns of a horse ridden by Francis. His way with the animals, was so great, that the animals themselves became holy.

Le Goff places Francis life in the context of increased urbanisation. What argument does Le Goff make about the impact of urban life upon Francis’ religious life?

In the years preceding Francis’ birth, the population of Europe increased dramatically, and “people had to be fed, materially and spiritually” (p.1).  People began to live closer together and so more urban societies began to form as built-up areas formed around castles and churches. Le Goff states that “holiness related more directly to towns” (p.2), in order to maintain influence over the population, the Church had to embrace towns and adapt to them.

The importance of possessions and property grew, creating a more materialistic society. In response to that “the Church was the first to change” (p.3). The Gregorian reforms were introduced which created strong distinctions between the Church and laity, it also “involved an aspiration … to achieve the true apostolic life” (p.4) New Orders appeared which preached a return to poverty, these Orders were successful because they were able to connect with the people in urban life who were becoming “increasingly active in religious life” (p.5).

Le Goff suggests that the rise of urbanisation created a society where religion was more accessible to the people but the world was becoming “one of exclusion” (p.11), Francis, in contrast, proclaimed the “divine presence in all creatures” (p.11). Thus it could be argued that Francis saw the world as becoming increasingly focused on individuals and their property and problems. As a result he tried to create a life of equality amongst all, where the divine was the centre of all life. Throughout his life, St Francis was often compared to Jesus, many believing that he was a new incarnation of the Son of God. 

--Bobbie & Jeremy

Clarification

Clarification I:
There are no classes on campus for ATS1316 in week 8. Your posts on the Crusades and Crusade Historians post, below, constitute your 'virtual tutorial' for this week.

Clarification II:
Blogs by presenters in week 9 will go live on Wednesday. Everyone needs to read and comment on these, even if they are not presenting.

Clarification III:
For presenters in weeks 9-11:

Topic	St Francis (wk 9)	Crusades (wk 10)	Black Death (wk 11)
Blog Post to Kathleen	5pm Tue. 24th April	5pm Tue. 1st May	5pm Tue. 8th May
Presentation	Mon. 30th April	Mon. 7th May	Mon. 14th May
Essay Due	Fri. 11 May	Fri. 18 May	Fri. 25 May

Important Announcement

Unfortunately the audio of the week 7 lectures have not been recorded. The slides are available, however, on both MULO and Blackboard. I am very sorry for the inconvenience, but sometimes technology does fail. I know that some of you have clashes and need to rely on the recordings. I would urge, however, those of you who can attend the lectures to do so, because that is the only absolutely guaranteed way that you have of hearing the material
Cheers, Clare

Crusades and Crusade Historians

  [Edit: spelling of Tyerman corrected. Thanks JJ!]

Truce between Christians and Saracens.

Matthew Paris, Chronica Maiora, Parker MS 16II, f.139v.

In lectures during week 7 Clare raised the issue of thinking about where historians are coming from when they write. I'd like us to try and incorporate this into our discussions in this week's virtual tutorial. I've provided some links that give you other people's perspectives on Christopher Tyerman, author of the chapter on the Meaning of the Crusades, and his work. There are reviews of one of his recent books by Jonathan Philips - another well-known historian of the Crusades - and Dame Janet (a.k.a. 'Jinty') Nelson, a prominent early medievalist. I've also given you a link to an interview with Dr Tyerman himself. If you can, I recommend reading through these after you've looked at Tyerman's chapter. Address the questions in the reading pack, but also consider whether Tyerman's view seems to represent a consensus; and how his views differ from or relate to those of others who have written and thought about the Crusades.





Urban II preaching at Clermont


• Review of God's War by Jonathan Phillips in The Telegraph, September 2006.
• Review of God's War by J.L. Nelson in the London Review of Books, 2007.
• Interview with Christopher Tyerman about his book God's War.

In this interview, Tyerman talks about how it is misleading and ahistorical to draw direct connections between modern wars in the Middle East and the medieval crusading movement. I agree with him on this point, and it brings me to a general matter I forgot to mention in class, which is: while modern parallels and experiences can be useful tools for helping us think about the past, we should never confuse them with historical argument itself, which always has to be based in the evidence and context of the period. I'm sure you knew this - but especially following our discussions about ANZAC cove and Canterbury it seemed a good time to remind ourselves of this point...



Urban II preaching the crusade



But back to the Crusades! The Institute for Historical Research in London runs a monthly seminar about the Crusades, so clearly there's no shortage of opinion and debate on the topic.



The same was true at the time of the very first crusade. As Megan told us a couple of weeks back, pope Urban's sermon was recorded in different versions by a range of observers. Does applying similar principles of interpretation to these reports help you think about how and why they differ? Where were these medieval writers coming from, do you think? Why were they writing? Who was in their assumed audience?
Post your thoughts and responses to these readings below by Monday evening. Then we'll be moving on to St Francis and Co.!

Women's Roles

The Role of the Bible

This week’s readings look into the word or medieval women and how the views and roles of women during medieval times were shaped by the bible.

What are some of the difference between the expectations of today’s women and the medieval women?

• What were the expectations of medieval women?

Mary

From the Bible Genesis 1:24-2:9; 2:15-3:20, we see how Christianity viewed women and coming into existence after men, women were created to be a partner for men. “She shall be called women because she was taken out of man.” (p.157) From this and other bible readings we can see a picture forming where men are seen as superior to women. “Christianity Preached equality but regarded women as morally and physically weaker than men.” (p.156) It is interesting to see how overtime these views have been outdate, but to what extent? “Mary in Christian Theology, was both a virgin and mother. Her sinlessness made her an unattainable ideal but her humanity made her an attractive advocate for prayer.” (p.187).

• How much really has changed about this being the ideal women?

Women of the High Middle Ages, c. 1100-1400

What we know of women during that period is largely from male writers. As well, stories that we know of women tend to be about what men admired or abhorred. Peter Lombard a theologian wrote of much affection of women; that women were brought from the rib of man to be a companion and friend of man.

On the other hand, it is interesting to see that women were seen as both the “bent rib of man”, an unequal due to gender. In the narrative of Adam and Eve, Eve was seen as the downfall of man, a natural temptation that brings about the sins to man. However, in some writings women were seen as valued higher than man, a bearer of life.

Mary Magdalene interestingly was a repentant sinner. Her transformation to a devoted Christian; made Mary of Magdalene somewhat more revered than the pure and sinless Virgin Mary. Therefore in a religion where one was in sin from the moment they were born; Mary of Magdalene was seen as “everywoman”, someone whose actions were revered by medieval women, which aimed to influence and inspire them from their sinful ways.

Status of women played an important part in medieval society. A woman was revered on three accounts: a virgin; married woman; or one that was married to God and thus the Church. Society gave women who did not get married the only other alternative of joining the nunnery.

• To what extent did religious writing of Adam and Eve, the story of Mary of Magdalene or theologian writing influence Christianity’s control of medieval women in society?

Women’s Voices

Women participated in history however they did not write it. Early medieval women are only present in the backgrounds of stories about gallant men. Women did not exist much else in medieval history from what we know, until they were given a voice which was much later towards the 13^th -14^th century. This voice however was minuscule and relied only upon a few ‘well off’ women who had been granted (by their male elders) the right to an education.

Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury tales, 14^th century:

“If wommen hadde written stories

As clerks han withinne hire oratories,

They wolde han writen of men moore wikkednesse

Than al the mark of Adam may redresse.”

• Do you think that if women were given more right to have their say then history would be written differently?

However, some women were given a voice even if it were not their own. It appears that women who are written about were more ‘bad’ than ‘good’ (addressing what was socially acceptable). No one was intrigued by mundane women who played their lesser role in society. Joan of Arc, leading the French army to numerous victories; Heloise, certain behaviours out of wedlock; Eleanor of Aquitaine, joining the second crusade and annulling her marriage. All these women stood outside the social norms in one way or another and therefore have gained an infamous status in history. 

Eleanor of Aquitaine; Joan of Arc; Heloise and Abelard

Easter Week

Hi everyone,
I hope you're having a nice break - but not too much of a break, because essays are looming! Use time off lectures and tutorials to get ahead on your research if you can. In the meanwhile, here's some medieval Easter music to pass the time...

Resurrexi, Music for Easter Sunday, British Library, Crowland Gradual, c.1240.

The image shows a manuscript called a Gradual, which is a collection of musical items for the Mass. There are two musical pieces on the page. The decorated capital R is the beginning of the introit for Easter Sunday. An introit, as you might guess from the name, is sung at the beginning of the Mass. This one comes from Psalm 138, and reads, in Latin:

Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum, alleluia. Posuisti super me manum tuam, alleluia. Mirabilis facta est scientia tua, alleluia. Domine probasti me et cognivisti me. 

[I rose up and am still with thee, alleluia. Thou hast laid thy hand upon me, alleluia. Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me, alleluia. Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me]

Listen to a performance of a medieval setting of this psalm by Schola Cantorum here

Then, with the large black "h", begins another psalm, no. 118:
Haec dies quam fecit Dominus: exultemus et laetemur in ea

[This is the day that the Lord made: let us be glad and rejoice in it.]

Listen to a performance of a later (16th century) setting of this psalm by The King's Singers here

Can you make out any of the words, now that you know what it should say?

See you on Monday week,
Kathleen

The Passion

The Passion, for those who don't know, is a term for Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday. In medieval times one of the symbols of this was the pelican. A widespread story, often illustrated in Bestiaries, related how the pelican fed her starving young with her own blood; this was taken as a metaphor of Christ's sacrifice. The Pelican in her Piety, as this story was called, became a common artistic motif in medieval religious architecture, and in encyclopaedic books. The image here shows the Pelican in her Piety represented in a misericord at St Mary's Abbey, Beverley, in Yorkshire, a famous example of 14th century English Gothic style. She is pecking her own breast to release the blood and feed the chicks. (They weren't shy of graphic images in those days!)

Pelican in her Piety, St Mary's, Beverley. By awmc1 @ flickr

A misericord is a little folding seat in the quire (i.e. choir) area of churches that the monks or canons could lean on during long services. It comes from the Latin for mercy, because allowing a tired singer to sit down was like taking mercy on him! In the medieval period the underneath of misericords, like the one shown here, came to be decorated in marvellous carvings, since this was the part of the seat most often visible to those moving about the church between services. Some had religious images, and others had very surprisingly secular ones, like illustrations from tales of knightly deeds and the rescue of fair maidens, or images of monsters.

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Week 6 tutorial blog follows below...

Library Tutorial Week

Hi everyone,

A reminder that our week 6 tutorial will take place in the Mattheson library in the ground floor Training Room 1 (a library floor plan is here). It's compulsory to attend this class and complete a worksheet based on what you learn. The aim is to give you the skills you will need to research your essay and reference it properly using the expected footnote style. It's a very important week for setting you up to study history in general as well as specifically to prepare for your essay in this unit. To get ready for next week, first use Monash's Search system to try and identify any book about Charlemagne that was published in the last 10 years and is available in the Mattheson library. Then try to find a journal article about Carolingian law written in the same period. Write down all the publication details you can find for these two items. Try to articulate what strategies you used to find the two items, and any difficulties you encountered. Come prepared with your results and any post any questions or problems that want solving below. In addition...

Love and Devotion is on at the State Library of Victoria

if this is your first year at Uni: Try to define these terms for yourself:

• reference
• citation
• primary source
• footnote
• plagiarism
• secondary source
• bibliography

if none of this is new to you: Think about your experience of researching and writing an essay. What are your top tips for finding relevant books and other sources? What problems have you encountered when referencing essays? What useful feedback from tutors have you gained? Be ready to share your expertise with the rest.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

And since there is no required reading, here are some links you might want to peruse to keep you thinking medieval!

• For those of you fascinated by the difference between the East and West in the medieval period, you might want to look at the exhibition currently showing at the State Library of Victoria, Love and Devotion, which is a lavish display of Persian manuscripts from the 11th century onwards. It looks at Eastern literature on its own terms, and in relationship to contemporary and modern Western society. It's free and it's on until the 1st of July.
• For those interested in the weird and wonderful world of religious relics, you might be interested in this review of Treasures of Heaven, a recent exhibition of reliquaries (i.e. containers for relics) that was held at the British Museum in 2011.

You can watch the official introduction to the Treasures of Heaven exhibition here:

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eMonk from the University of Edinburgh

Just letting you know when you make a comment it will now look a little different. Clicking on comments will take you to a new screen with the comment box in it. Follow the instructions on screen, and you should then be returned to the blog with your comment showing.

Some people were unable to make comments previously and I am trying to trouble shoot for them. Please bear with me!

Read on below for the week 5 tutorial blog and for info on the Historical Argument Exercise...

Town & Gown

Hi everyone,

In week 5 it's going to be another bumper discussion! Lectures will be introducing us to the rise of two important components of late medieval urban life: communes and universities. The twelfth and thirteenth centuries saw the foundation of some of the most famous universities in Europe, for example, these two, which in some ways still look as though one might bump into a medieval student around any given corner...

Cambridge streetscape, by Andrew @ Cuba Gallery

Hertford Bridge, Oxford, by Jamie @ Daily Info

And in tutorials we will be discussing universities and education in more detail. In particular, we'll use the story of the two people pictured below as a juicy entrée into issues related to education at the time. Think about Abelard's Historia Calamitatum in light of the questions in the reading guide. What does his story tell us about intellectual and philosophical life and thought in twelfth-century France (apart from some pretty gory things about castration...)? If the extract whets your appetite, or you just want to know Heloise's side of the story (!), look for their letters which are published in various editions and available in the library; or look for the works of Monash's own Professor Constant Mews, who is a world expert on their correspondence.

Abelard & Heloise

Our discussion

These were our tutorial discussion points on Monday:

1. What is the relationship between local land holding and organisation, and cross-continental trade routes and goods? How are both of these things related to arguments about early medieval economics? How do they each fit into Davis’ discussion?
2. (According to Davis) what is Pirenne’s thesis? What assumptions underlie Pirenne’s conclusion that Muslim conquests brought about an economic standstill in Western Europe?
3. What objections does Davis raise to Pirenne’s thesis? What does he argue instead?
4. What is an economy of no outlets? What is an economy of restricted outlets? Which does Davis think characterised early medieval Europe? Why?
5. Which came first: Charlemagne or feudalism? (According to Davis) how did Pirenne argue the two are related?
6. What are Pirenne’s assumptions about coins? What does Davis argue about coins? What might money be used for? How did this affect what kinds of money existed?
7. What is the manorial system? Is it the same as feudalism? [How] are the two related?
8. What is the difference between Demesne and Tributary land?
9. What kinds of wealth did abbeys have? What kinds of surpluses might their lands generate?
10. What social and economic pressures resulted in the formation of big estates?
11. What is a serf? What is a colona? What is a servi? What does Davis argue about these words?
12. What were the effects on local society of cultivation in open fields, or in “bosky” land? What explanations can you offer for why land might have been cultivated in one way or the other?

Historical Argument Exercise Due

Don't forget your Historical Argument Exercise is due on Friday (30th March) by 5pm.

• The task is described in the Unit Guide
• It is worth 15%
• The word limit is 800 words
• The assignment should be submitted online via Blackboard
• find Blackboard via the my.monash link to the right
• AND please hand in a hard copy to me in week 6 tutorials

 Any general questions about this assignment? Please post below.

[Update: here is the link to information about formatting
http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/OffCampus/Improve/9.1.html]

It's the economy, stupid!*

Hi everyone,

In week 4 we're going to be considering some heavy hitting economic theories about how medieval Europe worked. In particular, we're going to be comparing the theories of these two historians:
 

R.H.C. Davis

Henri Pirenne

Davis' work will form the basis of the Historical Argument Exercise, due in week 5, so come prepared to think about and discuss it in depth to assist in your preparation.

Remember, the first assessment task is also coming up next week. There will be an in-class test in the second lecture hour on Monday 19th March (unless you have already agreed an alternate arrangement with Clare and myself).


And just because I can't leave a whole blog post with no pretty pictures except photos of eminent old men, here's a completely gratuitous picture of Merton College, Oxford, where Davis worked for a time. It has, in my opinion, the most beautiful sounding bells in the world (or maybe they just make me nostalgic). You can hear them here.

Merton College, Oxford (Image by J. Gollner)

* This is a quote from Bill Clinton, nothing personal!

SBS goes Medieval

So, I forgot to mention this link to you: The Beauty of Maps
It's a documentary about the amazing Hereford Mappa Mundi, a thirteenth-century map of the known (and unknown) world. The link is active for the next 6 days, so take advantage quickly!

No rest for the wicked...

Please note that Monday is not a University holiday. Please join me for tutorials as normal.
This week's blog follows below.
Kathleen

Charlemagne & the Idea of Empire

Hi everyone,

In week 3 we're going to be talking about a famous text known as the Life of Charlemagne by Einhard. There are some leading questions in the reading guide which we'll be trying to answer. In order to kick us off, I've selected (what I hope are) some thought-provoking images gathered from the webosphere to show the different ways in which Charlemagne and the idea of Empire have been linked. I hope these will help you to think about the kinds of messages of cultural and political superiority that are being sent in the text, as well as in these visual representations. Note that these images also come from different periods. Does the image of Charlemagne's power seem to have changed much over time? How?

1. A denier (small denomination coin) of Charlemagne, with the inscription KAROLVS IMP AVG, "Charles, Emperor Augustus". (Cabinet des Médailles, Paris); 2. A 9th century equestrian statue of Charlemagne. (Le Louvre); 3. Charlemagne in an initial from a 9th century manuscript, written in Carolingian miniscule. (BnF, Lat 5927); 4. A 14th century manuscript painting of Charlemagne being crowned Holy Roman Emperor by pope Leo III. (BnF, Fr 2813); 5. A 15th century manuscript painting of Charlemagne building his new capital at Aix-la-Chapelle. (BnF, Fr 6465); 6. Portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer, late 15th century. (Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum). All these images sourced from Wikimedia Commons, or the BnF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) website.

Einhard, as scribe. (14th century; BnF, Fr 2813). Wikimedia commons.

Other contemporaries wrote about Charlemagne too. You can check out the Life of Charlemagne by the fabulously-named Notker the Stammerer here. Both Notker and Einhard's lives are available together in a Penguin edition, Two Lives of Charlegmagne, which is in the library if you want to know more.


PS. While we're talking Carolingians, I can't resist showing you this photo of me meeting Rosamond McKitterick - one of the world's foremost scholars of this period - at a conference in the UK in 2010. There's more to this than me showing off; I think it's important to realise that the historians whose work we are reading are actually real people! A number of Rosamond's wonderful works on this period are on the extended reading list and come very highly recommended! (No wonder I'm looking pretty pleased with myself...)

Christianity, Monks and Monasteries

Hi everyone,

I hope you enjoyed the first lecture and tutorial. Having moved *very* briskly through the Late Roman Empire, this week we're going to be thinking about the ways that Christianity structured life - at least for some people - in the Early Medieval World.

This image shows a plan of a monastery drawn up in a place called Reichenau sometime in the early 9th century (about 819-826 A.D.). It's known as the St Gall Monastery Plan, because it's been stored in the library of St Gall monastery, almost since it was made. The actual artefact is massive; it's made of five pieces of parchment sewn together, and measures 112 cm x 77.5 cm. I've chosen this image to stimulate your thoughts this week because scholars think that this plan isn't a plan at all... In other words, it's not like an architect's drawing to help builders to construct a monastery, or even a drawing of what the floorplan of an actual set of buildings looked like. Instead, they think it might be a kind of map of the ideal organisation of a monastery, and maybe therefore a visual metaphor for the ideal organisation of Christian life. 

So when you're reading and preparing for this week, it might be useful to think about what kinds of ideal Christian organisation the readings are discussing. What are they saying about how monks should live? Or about other Christians? What did this organisation represent; what was it for? Or perhaps you have other responses...!

If you have 'time', you might also want to think about how differently from us medieval people thought about time itself. How does the Benedictine Rule structure the hours of the day?

Post your thoughts, comments, ideas, questions or uncertainties below, and we'll discuss further when we meet on Monday.


Have a great week!
Kathleen


P.S. You can read more about the St Gall Plan and zoom in to see the amazing detail here: http://www.stgallplan.org/en/
P.P.S. You can find out more about medieval concepts of dates and times here: http://www.gardenhistoryinfo.com/medieval/medtime.html

It's official - we are too popular!

Apparently the book shop has run out of course guides for ATS 1316.

Fear not! More have been ordered, and the readings for next week can all be accessed online.

You should prepare the essential readings labelled "Week 2" (in the Unit Guide, or in your purple book) for next Monday. These are:

1. The Benedictine Rule (http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/source/rul-benedict.asp)
2. A Chapter in the book called "Medieval Worlds" by Moran Cruz and Gerberding entitled "The Early Medieval Church and the West, 500-800". (Available as a digital copy by following the relevant links on the Library Readings List to be found on the right hand panel.)

The Week 2 tute blog will go up tomorrow morning.

Thanks everyone!

Welcome to Medieval Europe Tutorial 3

Hi everyone. I'm Kathleen and I'm your tutor for this semester. Let's get this conversation going!

I love visiting historical places, and one of my recent trips was to the north of England and Scotland. This shot is one I took of a ruin called Hadrian's Wall, in county Northumberland, in the far north of England. The wall was a defensive fortification built by the Romans during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian to protect the parts of Britain they had conquered from the parts over which they didn't have control. You can see the square base of one of the guard towers and part of the wall in this photo:

Hadrian's Wall at Twice Brewed, Northumberland

The medieval period in Britain is often considered to begin when the Romans withdrew (410 A.D.) and the wall fell into disrepair, but they left behind lots of cultural influences that continued throughout medieval Europe, like the use of Latin for administration and religious worship. Luckily, you don't need to know Latin to enjoy this semester, because all the documents we'll be reading have been translated into English.

By the way - it was very cold and windy when I was in Northumberland - as you can probably tell from this shot...!

A wind-blown blogger