NOTE: This course was last taught in 1994. The syllabus will undergo major revision the next time I offer it.

HISTORY 191 MEDIEVAL ENGLAND

Instructor: Bruce L. Venarde Meetings: Mondays and Thursdays, 1:10-2:30

DESCRIPTION AND GOALS

Catalogue description: England from the end of Roman occupation to the later Middle Ages. Themes will include Germanic and Danish invasions; conversion to Christianity; Anglo-Saxon culture and society; the Norman Conquest and its impact; religious and social change in Anglo-Norman England; kingship and the beginnings of parliament; the Arthur story; war, plague, and revolt at the end of the Middle Ages. Emphasis on scrutiny of medieval source materials: chronicle, biography, law, and imaginative literature.   This is a lecture-discussion course; we will talk about some or all of the readings for each section. Like the making and study of history, ours is a collective enterprise. Your active participation in discussions is absolutely essential to your understanding of the material and the success of the course.

Books for purchase: C. Warren Hollister, The Making of England, 55 B.C. to 1399 Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, ed. G.N. Garmonsway Bede, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People Alfred the Great King Harald's Saga Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain Jocelin of Brakelond, Chronicle of the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds William fitz Stephen, Norman London J.C. Holt, Magna Carta, 2nd ed. Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales

Books on reserve: D.C. Douglas, general editor, English Historical Documents , vols 1-4 L.B. Smith and J.R. Smith, The Past Speaks, vol. 1 John Boswell, The Kindness of Strangers

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADE WEIGHTING

Please familiarize yourself with the geography of England early in the course, and update your knowledge as we proceed. To start, you will find excellent maps in the volumes of English Historical Documents. There will be a map identification portion of the final examination. Written work 5-page source paper due by October 17th - 10-page research paper due by November 23rd - Final examination on December 15th Grade components Class participation: at least 30% paper: up to 20% Long paper: up to 35% Final examination: up to 35%

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS AND READINGS

9/8 Introduction 9/12 Origins and Roman Britain Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (ASC). pp. 3-11 [N.B. In this and all assignments of the ASC, read only the Laud Chronicle (E).] Bede, Ecclesiastical History, pp. 41-62 Warren Hollister,The Making of England,pp. 1-20 9/15 Anglo-Saxons: migration, settlement, conquest? ASC, pp. 13-21 Bede, pp. 62-72 Hollister, pp. 20-31 9/19 The Roman mission and conversion of England Bede, pp. 72-77, 90-142, 322-331 Hollister, pp. 34-45 9/22 Early Anglo-Saxon society and culture "The Wanderer" (handout) ASC, pp. 21-55 Bede, pp. 248-251 English Historical Documents (EHD), vol. 1, pp. 357-372 (early Anglo-Saxon law codes) Hollister, pp. 45-55 9/26 New arrivals, new response: Alcuin to Alfred L.B. Smith and J.R. Smith, The Past Speaks, vol. 1, pp. 15-17 (Alcuin's letter) Alfred the Great , pp. 67-101 (Asser's Life of King Alfred ) ASC , pp. 57-105 Hollister, pp. 55-65 9/29 Tenth-century England The Past Speaks, pp. 7-11 ("The Battle of Maldon") ASC, pp. 105-133 Hollister, pp. 66-84 10/3 Whose England?: the early eleventh century ASC, pp. 133-197 Hollister, pp. 85-92 10/6 Harold Godwinson and the Conquest King Harald's Saga 10/10 NO CLASS: Columbus Day 10/13 William of Normandy and the Conquest ASC, pp. 197-222 EHD, vol. 2, pp. 232-278 (The Bayeux Tapestry) Hollister, pp. 93-121 10/17 Anglo-Norman England: what price peace? ASC, pp. 221-225, 233-239, 256-269 Hollister, pp. 122-138 FIRST PAPER DUE IN CLASS 10/20 War, culture, and society in the twelfth century Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain, pp. 212-284 Hollister, pp. 138-143 10/24 Christianity and its discontents John Boswell, The Kindness of Strangers, pp. 452-458 (Aelred on the nun of Watton) Hollister, pp. 205-218 10/27 The first Plantagenet and his realm EHD vol. 2, pp. 407-410, 438-440, 446-448, 416-417 J.C. Holt, Magna Carta, 2nd ed., pp. 23-49 Hollister, pp. 144-161 10/31 Toward Bouvines and Magna Carta: Henry's sons Holt, pp. 75-122 Hollister, pp. 161-173 11/3 A medieval city William fitz Stephen, Norman London Hollister, pp. 179-205 11/7 Magna Carta and its results Holt, pp. 188-236, 297-346, 449-473 Hollister, pp. 173-176 11/10 NO CLASS (Think about/work on term papers and get a jump on next week's reading) 11/14 Economy and mentality at the turn of the thirteenth century Jocelin of Brakelond, Chronicle of the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds 11/17 Governance in the thirteenth century EHD vol. 3, pp. 396-410, 924-934 (parliaments) Hollister, 219-250 11/21 Economic apogee and a very bad (?) king EHD, vol. 3, pp. 799-805, 823-832 (economy and society) EHD, vol. 4, pp. 282-288 (Edward II) Hollister, pp. 253-268 SECOND PAPER DUE BEFORE THANKSGIVING BREAK 11/28 The beginning of the end, I: war and deposition EHD, vol. 4, pp. 60-69, 77-82, 92-99 (Edward's war), 172-184 (Richard's troubles) Hollister, pp. 269-281 12/1 The beginning of the end, II: plague and revolt The Past Speaks, pp. 199-205 (Henry Knighton on the Black Death and the Peasants' Revolt) EHD, vol. 4, pp. 127-140 (The Peasant's Revolt) Hollister, pp. 282-303 12/5 English lives in the fourteenth century Geoffrey Chaucer, General Prologue and the Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale from The Canterbury Tales 12/8 Conclusions 12/12 Review section 12/15 FINAL EXAMINATION