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36. Medievalism, Pop Culture, and the Present
November 23, 2023
Observe how medievalism in the 20th century moved from the realm of high art into popular and public culture, through routes such as new Gothic architecture and medieval ion plays. Assess the contribution of medievalist authors J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. Reflect on the range of
35. Medieval Inventions That Changed the World
November 23, 2023
Among landmarks of medieval technology, trace the development of mechanical clocks, a seismic shift in the measurement of time, and of the majestic clocktowers that graced medieval cities. Follow the 13th-century emergence of eyeglasses in northern Italy, and of maritime charts that revolutionized global navigation. Then, witness the introduction of cannons and handheld firearms into warfare.
34. Medieval Revolutions in Dress and Dining
November 23, 2023
Learn about the symbolism of colors and other markers of class in medieval clothing, and track the burgeoning uses of silk, velvet, and cotton. Note major and long-lasting medieval contributions to fashion, with new garments and styles of dress that endured into the modern era. Delve into refinements in dining and tableware, such as new utensils, foods, and a more inclusive dining culture.
33. Medieval Games We Still Play
November 23, 2023
Dig into the medieval origins of globally popular games and sports, beginning with the French invention of tennis. See how tennis developed, becoming a major phenomenon by the 16th century. Learn about the culture and rowdiness of football in the Middle Ages. Finally, chart the evolution and penetrating cultural presence of chess and the colorful medieval history of playing cards.
32. Rediscovering Medieval Sex and Gender
November 23, 2023
Take of the Church
31. Medievalism and Modern Racism
November 23, 2023
Trace the growth of the later medieval European slave trade, its racialization of slavery, and new ideas about European superiority. Grasp the grounding of modern supremacist thinking in the idea of a superiority based in Europe
30. The Medieval Invention of Race?
November 23, 2023
Study early medieval conceptions of differences between peoples, which show an absence of judgments based on physicality. Observe how these views change in the 14th and 15th centuries, manifesting in an increasing preoccupation with skin color and bodily differences, with Jews represented as racially different from Europeans.
29. The Black Death
November 23, 2023
Encounter epidemics and pandemics in antiquity, and explore the conditions of war, urbanization, and human and animal mobility that facilitated the spread of pathogens. Study new findings about the origins of the medieval bubonic plague, known as the Black Death, and the ecological, economic, and political factors that exacerbated it.
28. The Medieval Artistic Imagination Persists
November 23, 2023
Discover the ways in which Romanticism rejected Enlightenment doctrines and looked for a return to a medieval worldview. See how currents such as the British Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts movements and widespread neo-Gothic architecture glorified medievalism, not only in Europe but also in the United States.
27. Recovering Medieval Arts and Artists
November 23, 2023
Locate the medieval origins of oil painting, long attributed to Renaissance artists. Then uncover the unknown legacy of female artists in illuminated manuscript production and reckon with the visionary paintings of Hildegard of Bingen and the visual works of Christine de Pisan. Contemplate the erasure of medieval women artists
26. How Vernacular Bibles Transformed Faith
November 23, 2023
In the spread of Christianity across medieval Europe, follow the processes by which biblical texts were revised, translated, and depicted visually to be comprehensible and acceptable to a new audience. Witness the clash between Church opposition to non-authorized Bibles and movements advocating the reading and interpretation of scripture by ordinary laypeople, in their own languages.
25. The Medieval Rise of Professional Authors
November 23, 2023
Learn about authorship within the monastic profession and under the patronage of aristocratic elites and the clergy. See the contours of medieval authorship in Boccaccio, Chaucer, Christine de Pisan, and Margery Kempe, and grasp how the internet replicates the channels through which many medieval authors worked.
24. Medieval Rhyme, Romance, and Sagas
November 23, 2023
Delve into three medieval building blocks of European literature that endure to the present day. Track the adoption of rhyme from Arabic literature as a core feature of Western poetics. Then, see how verse and prose romances emerged in European traditions, commenting on contemporary values. Finally, encounter the dramatic Norse sagas and their key themes and archetypes.
23. Medieval Evolutions in Hospitals and Prisons
November 23, 2023
Examine the factors that caused hospitals and prisons to emerge as prominent civic institutions in the Middle Ages. Trace the rise of subsidized public hospitals, often attached to religious complexes, and positioned centrally within towns. Study the culture of medieval prisons, their integral place in the urban landscape, and the role they played in civic life.
21. The Medieval Explosion of Documentation
November 23, 2023
Through illuminating historical examples, see how the need for documentation became a necessary fact of life: to validate legal claims, transactions, and to preserve family legacies, with writings and written evidence becoming valuable possessions. The resulting documents leave us a fascinating record of everyday medieval life and its resonances in our own era.
20. Our Debts to the Medieval World of Money
November 23, 2023
Examine medieval ing systems that were used until the 19th century, and the transformative innovations of Arabic numerals and the number zero. Delve into medieval forms of calculation, techniques of bookkeeping, letters of credit, and new methods of managing risk. Note that increasingly complex financial instruments and moneylending led to great disparities in wealth, then as now.
19. The Origins of the Scientific Method
November 23, 2023
Learn the story of medieval science, and its integral contributions to the modern scientific method. Review the work of great medieval scientists, such as Anselm, al-Haytham, Ockham, Copernicus, and others. Grasp how their innovations crystallized the inductive-deductive method, while religious currents surrounding the Reformation effectively suppressed key elements of their work.
18. The University
November 23, 2023
Witness the rise of medieval universities, following on the religious schools that preceded them. Note how curriculums were broadened to a range of more secular subjects, leading to universities as confraternities of teachers, scholars, and students. Delve into the intellectual culture that surrounded universities, which transformed medieval lives.
17. Medieval Narratives in Modern War
November 23, 2023
Explore the co-opting of medieval history by the nations fighting World War I, seen in the symbolic invocation of Joan of Arc, England
16. Medieval Narratives of Nationalism
November 23, 2023
Examine 19th century European nationalist movements which sought to self-legitimize by grounding their identities in the medieval past. Witness this in the attempts of at least five countries to claim the Beowulf epic as national patrimony, and the efforts of numerous others to base nationalist claims on medieval events. Observe how these divisive nationalist
15. The Medieval Roots of the King
November 23, 2023
Investigate how the modern English language came into being, beginning with the text of the oldest recorded English song in the 13th century. Follow the language
14. Medieval Sovereignty and the State
November 23, 2023
Examine criteria for how we might define sovereignty, and the ways in which medieval state sovereignty was complicated by the power of the Church. Observe how English and French monarchs worked to establish inviolable authority over defined territories, and how the debate over the nature of national sovereignty would continue for centuries, down to our own day.
13. Medieval Government and Collective Rights
November 23, 2023
Trace the origins of representative government in the medieval era, in the phenomena of councils, general assemblies, and the Norse tradition of the
12. The Medieval Rise of the Rule of Law
November 23, 2023
Learn about the earliest medieval law codes, the precepts of English Common Law, and the use of trial juries derived from Anglo-Saxon and Roman customs. Note legal principles embodied in the Magna Carta, and the opposition within the West of two competing ideals: absolute power by monarchs versus a system of law which would hold rulers in check.
11. Guilds and the Rise of Organized Labor
November 23, 2023
Take the measure of medieval trade guilds, as they offered a sense of group solidarity and protections and posed threats to authority. Study the case of the jongleurs
10.
November 23, 2023
Witness the rise of medieval towns as a new phenomenon, often growing organically around monasteries or castles. See how newly empowered townspeople were able to demand liberties, charters, and the right to self-governance, creating unprecedented opportunities for social mobility, new civic institutions, and new forms of urban entertainment.
9. The Legacy of Heraldry and Pedigree
November 23, 2023
Flowing from medieval chivalric codes, the arts of heraldry arose to provide symbolic
8. The Imaginative Power of Chivalry
November 23, 2023
The medieval culture of chivalry embodies behavioral and moral ideals that still resonate today. Find the roots of chivalry
7. The Cult of the Virgin Mary
November 23, 2023
Uncover links between the veneration of Mary and ancient traditions of divine leaders begotten through virgin births. Learn how the doctrine of Mary
6. Holy War and Its Long Legacy
November 23, 2023
Track the various factors that gave rise to the medieval concept of
5. Anti-Semitism
November 23, 2023
Learn how Jews in the Latin West were rare, considered suspect, and depended on protection from local rulers. Trace the proliferation of anti-Jewish tropes, from lies connecting Jews with violence to Christian ideology condemning them for the death of Jesus and prohibiting usury, spurring pogroms and negative portrayals in popular culture.
4. The Beginnings of Orthodoxy and Heresy
November 23, 2023
As Christianity grew and developed, trace the process by which religious and political elites aligned to enforce conformity within the religion. Observe how early variations of belief and practice were systematized after Christianity became the state religion of Rome, leading to codified theological beliefs and canonized scriptures, with conflicting views labeled as heretical and punishable.
3. Medieval Innovations in Record Keeping
November 23, 2023
The medieval era gave us techniques for recording words, sounds, and knowledge that were not sured for centuries. Learn how medieval scholars revolutionized writing, making texts easier to read; created musical notation and methods for recording poetry and song; and how these technologies allowed more people to record their experiences and insert themselves into the historical record.
2. The Medieval Birth of the Book
November 23, 2023
Take of the seminal medieval contribution to the format of the book and the accessibility of reading. Chart the centuries-long evolution of written texts, from ancient scrolls of papyrus to wax tablets, codices, and texts written on parchment and vellum. Grasp how medieval books democratized reading, creating the framework for how we think about and practice it.
1. Discovering the Medieval Legacy
November 23, 2023
Begin the course with a look at what
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Where to Watch The Medieval Legacy
The Medieval Legacy is available for streaming on the The Great Courses website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Medieval Legacy on demand at Amazon Prime and Amazon.
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Premiere DateNovember 23, 2023
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