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2016/17 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

MEDV5335M The Holy Land under the Franks: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and its Enemies, 1099-1187

30 creditsClass Size: 10

Module manager: Dr Alan Murray
Email: a.v.murray@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

a) To understand the course and effects of the Frankish settlement, conquest and defence of Palestine in the period 1099-1187.
b) To explore the society, economy, art and architecture of Franks and native communities.
c) To develop critical analysis and interpretation of Latin, Arabic, Armenian and Syriac primary sources pertaining to the Latin East

Learning outcomes
Students should be able to:
a) understand the contexts of production of diverse medieval narrative and documentary sources produced in the Latin East
b) write detailed critical analysis and commentary on sources.
b) engage critically with modern theories and models of medieval society and interactions between Europeans and Eastern populations


Syllabus

The conquest of Palestine by the First Crusade was one of the most important encounters between East and West in the Middle Ages, in which a society governed by Western European settlers ruled over Eastern Christians, Muslims and Jews and defended itself against the external threat from Arab and Turkish polities. This is an interdisciplinary module with a thematic structure designed to allow exploration of a wide variety of topics. Students will be expected to rapidly acquire familiarity with the main events and historical developments in the kingdom of Jerusalem in the period 1099-1187, so that seminars can concentrate on detailed study of historical geography, government, society, religious affairs, economy, military history, art and architecture.

This will be a research-led module, with an emphasis on the criticism and analysis of original sources, notably the Latin histories of William of Tyre and Fulcher of Chartres, narratives originally written in Arabic and Syriac, and numerous Latin documents. Sources will be read in English translation, but some key documents (all of them optional in terms of assessment) will be studied in Latin. In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of the module we will also study material culture.

Classes will deal with the following topics:
1. Narrative and Documentary Sources / Historical Geography of Palestine
2. Conquest and Settlement / The Fatimids
3. Kingship and Government
4. The Latin Church and Pilgrimage
5. Military Service / The Kingdom and Atabegate of Damascus
6. The Frankish Nobility and Lordships (case studies)
7. The Native Communities: Eastern Christians, Jews and Muslims
8. Castles and the Defence of the Kingdom
9. Trade and the Economy
10. Art and Architecture
11. The City of Jerusalem / The Fall of the Kingdom

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Seminar112.0022.00
Private study hours278.00
Total Contact hours22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)300.00

Private study

General background reading and preparation for seminars; researching and writing assignments; preparing seminar presentations.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

2 x 2,000 word essays and 1 x 2,000 word source commentary exercise. Shorter non-assessed source commentary exercises will be set in Weeks 1-4.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Essay2,000 words to be submitted by 12.00pm on Monday of teaching week 633.00
Source Analysis2,000 words to be submitted by 12.00pm on Monday of teaching week 833.00
Essay2,000 words to be submitted by 12.00pm on Monday of examination week 234.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 27/04/2016

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