Courses Taught
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Medieval Queenship (Honors)
Course Description:
From the end of the Roman Empire until the reign of Elizabeth I of England, the role of the queen in Europe was constantly evolving. At times reviled for having too much power, often at the mercy of their husbands, usually married as a means to gaining power and land for a man, and always refused the right to reign themselves, it wasn't until the 16th century that a woman was finally able to rule over a major European nation on her own. But despite the popular medieval adage: ""Woe be to the land ruled by a woman or a child,"" many queens did wield power or changed their societies. Who were theses women of power? Their roles as wives, mothers, heiresses, and even rulers will be examined. The aim of this course is to explore both the reputation and the reality of the medieval queen.
Course Objectives:
It is the aim of this course to address some of the basic political, social and economic questions concerning the great changes which occurred during the thousand years between the arrival of Christianity and the fifteenth century, particularly as they apply to women and power during a time often viewed as misogynistic. The emphasis in this course will be on using primary sources, sources which actually come to us from the Middle Ages, to understand how medieval people viewed themselves and their world, and of course their queens.
Readings:
Readings for this course have included: Procopius, Secret History , Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks, Thomas Kinsella, The Táin , Alexiad of Anna Comnena, Lais of Marie De France
Grades have been based on :
informed class participation
2 short argumentative papers
research assignments
mid-term examination
in-class presentation
research paper |
10%
20%
10%
20%
15%
25% |
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