Syllabus
1. Introduction to the Middle Ages. The chronological and geographical scope. Christian sphere of Western Europe (the common and the individual aspects). The character of successive Medieval periods, the transition between Early and High Middle Ages: the rise of power of the Church, of nobility, establishment of chivalry culture, colonization, the emergence of Medieval towns, advancement of education. Society in the Middle Ages: the three orders of society. High and Late Middle Ages, the demise of the Medieval Period.
2. The Migration Period; the Franconian Empire.
3. Arrival of Slavs in Bohemia. Samo’s Empire, Great Moravia.
4. Dawn of the Holy Roman Empire. The Ottonian dynasty.
5. Bohemian state during her onset in 10th century.
6. Creation of Poland and Hungary; Bohemia in 11th century.
7. The Holy Roman Empire, the Salian dynasty, the Investiture Controversy.
8. The Holy Roman Empire, the Hohenstaufen dynasty; 12th century Bohemia.
9. Europe after 1197; the Hohenstauf-Welf controversy, Přemysl Ottokar I, England, France.
10. The rise of Bohemian state in 13th century. Colonization, establishing of towns, silver mining. Gothic Europe and its onset in Bohemia. Bohemia under Wenceslas I; Austria, Wenceslas’s attempts at the Babenberg legacy.
11. The Holy Roman Empire during the Interregnum period (1257-1273), Přemysl Ottokar II, Rudolf of Habsburg. The Bohemian nobility on the rise.
12. Development of Europe at the turn of 13th and 14th century. Holy Roman Empire, Bohemia under Wenceslas II, Poland, Hungary, France.
13. Bohemian lands under Wenceslas III. Extinction of the Přemyslid line. The 1306-1310 period.
Annotation
The course “General History I” focuses on the period between 476 CE and the beginning of 14th century. The political and civilizational developments of the Early and High Middle Ages in Europe and in the Bohemian lands are highlighted through selected chapters.
Individual lectures tackle the Migration Period, the “Barbarian” states of the 5th to 9th century including the earliest Slav pre-state and state polities. Special attention is dedicated to the Frankish Empire as the most important phenomenon of early medieval Europe.
From the tenth century on, emphasis is laid on the developments within the Roman Empire (later Holy Roman Empire) and the Bohemian state. The course includes lectures on Capetian France, England until the beginning of 14th century, on crusades and many other themes.
Together with facts on political history, the course provides information on economic and social changes marking the transition from Early to High Middle Ages. Extra chapters take up the situation of the Church throughout the Early and High Middle Ages.