Guide in PDF format

Medieval History

Code: 106847
Credits: 6

2026/2027

Degree programme	Type	Course
Archaeology	FB	1

Contact lecturer

Name :: Jesus Brufal Sucarrat
Email :: jesus.brufal@uab.cat

Teaching staff

: Nil Rider Enrique
: Raúl Muñoz Céspedes

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites.

Objectives

The course offers a general overview of the various stages and the main processes and events that took place during the Middle Ages, between the 5th and 15th centuries, through various thematic approaches of historical science (social, political, economic, ideological, identity, cultural) and through theoretical and practical activities.

The main objective of the subject is to provide students with the appropriate resources to acquire the basic knowledge about the historical framework of the Middle Ages that will serve as a basis for learning in subsequent subjects of the degree in Archaeology

Learning outcomes

CM02 (Assess the potential of certain findings for preservation and adaptation to a wider audience.) Assess the potential of certain findings for preservation and adaptation to a wider audience.
CM03 (Preserve historical archaeological materials to provide a fair, ethical vision of societies in the past.) Preserve historical archaeological materials to provide a fair, ethical vision of societies in the past.
CM04 (Analyse the historical contributions of each gender from archaeology, appreciating the bias of historical texts.) Analyse the historical contributions of each gender from archaeology, appreciating the bias of historical texts.
KM05 (Match materials with their corresponding period to recognise their chronology and their function within an archaeological context.) Match materials with their corresponding period to recognise their chronology and their function within an archaeological context.
KM06 (Analyse historical texts to critically interpret material archaeological remains.) Analyse historical texts to critically interpret material archaeological remains.
SM04 (Apply historical knowledge to explain the archaeological remains at a certain historical site.) Apply historical knowledge to explain the archaeological remains at a certain historical site.
SM05 (Analyse materials from different periods to associate them with specific activities of a historical moment.) Analyse materials from different periods to associate them with specific activities of a historical moment.
SM06 (Describe in written or oral form the result of the interpretation of certain materials in a specific archaeological structure.) Describe in written or oral form the result of the interpretation of certain materials in a specific archaeological structure.

Theme 1. What is the Middle Ages and how do we perceive them today?
Theme 2. The Germanic migrations and the end of the Western Roman Empire.
Theme 3. The Eastern Roman Empire and Sassanid Persia.
Theme 4. The spread of Christianity and the first heresies.
Theme 5. The birth, expansion and consolidation of Islam.
Theme 6. The birth of Hellenised Byzantium.
Theme 7. The rise and fall of the Carolingian Empire.
Theme 8. The Europe of the year 1000.
Theme 9. Society and Production in Western Europe (7th-12th centuries).
Theme 10. The Church in the 8th-12th centuries.
Theme 11. Europe in the 13th century.
Theme 12. The European economy in the Late Middle Ages.
Theme 13. Society in the Late Middle Ages.
Theme 14. The Church, spirituality and culture in the West (13th-14th centuries).
Theme 15. European kingdoms in the 15th century.
Theme 16. Thought and culture at the end of the Middle Ages.

Learning activities and methodology

Title	Hours	ECTS
Theoretical classes led by the teacher	35	1.4
Individual Study	25	1
Seminars and practical sessions led by the lecturer	10	0.4
Comprehensible reading of texts and interpretation of maps, graphs, tables and archaeological documents.	20	0.8
Reviews, papers and analytical commentaries	30	1.2

-Theoretical classes led by the teacher.

-Seminars and practical sessions led by the teacher.

-Practical sessions linked to organised outings.

-Comprehensive reading of texts and interpretation of maps, graphs, tables and archaeological documents.

-Writing reviews, papers and analytical commentaries.

-Individual study.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title	Weight	Hours	ECTS	Learning outcomes
Exam 2	30%	6	0.24	CM04, KM05, KM06, SM04, SM05, SM06
Reading control	40%	18	0.72	CM02, CM03, CM04, KM05, KM06, SM04, SM05, SM06
Exam 1	30%	6	0.24	CM04, KM05, KM06, SM04, SM05, SM06

The continuous assessment is made up of the following tests and percentages:

- Two written exams (30% of the grade each).

- Four reading controls (10% of the grade each).

Relevant information:

- Assessment activities submitted within the deadlines set by the course teacher will be re-evaluated; under no circumstances may an exercise be submitted for the first time during the re-evaluation period. The re-evaluation will consist of a written test that will examine the student's knowledge of the entire theoretical programme of the course. The grade for the re-evaluation exam will be passed/not passed.

- A student will be considered \"not assessed\" if he/she has not presented 30% of the evaluable evidences of the course.

- In the event that a student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation exercise, this will be graded with a 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be initiated. In the case of several irregularities in other exercises, the final grade will be 0.

- The student will have the right to review the results of the tests taken. The teacher will establish the mechanisms for this in due course.

- In the event that the tests cannot be taken in person, their format will be adapted (maintaining the weighting) to the possibilities offered by the virtual tools of the UAB. Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through wiki forums and/or exercise discussions through Moodle, Teams, etc. The teaching staff will ensure that students have access to these tools or will be offered alternative means.

Single assessment:

This subject does not allow a single assessment.

Erasmus students:

Erasmus and exchange students who requests to advance an exam must present a document from their home university justifying their request.

Bibliography

Reference Manuals

García de Cortázar, J. A.; Sesma, J. A.: Historia de la Edad Media, una síntesis

interpretativa. Alianza Universidad, 1997.

Salrach, J.M., Entre Roma i el Renaixement. Història i textos de l’Occident Medieval, Eumo, Vic, 2002.

Contamine, Bompaire i altres. La economía medieval. Akal. Madrid, 2000.

Baschet, J. La civilisation féodale. De l’an mil à la colonisation de l’Amérique. Aubier,Ed. Flammarion, París 2004. Traducció: La civilización feudal: Europa del año mil a la colonización de América. Fondo de Cultura Econòmica, USA 2010.

Wickham, Chris. Europa en la Edad Media. Una nueva interpretación. Ed. Crítica, Barcelona, 2017.

Donado Vara, J. - Echevarría Arsuaga, A. Historia Medieval I (siglos V-XII), UNED, Madrid, 2014.

Donado Vara, J. - Echevarría Arsuaga, A. - Baquero Goñi, C. Historia Medieval II (siglos XIII-XV), UNED, Madrid, 2014.

General works (by periods and themes)

Devroey, J-P. Économie rurale et société dans l’europe franque (VIe-Ixe siècles). Ed. Belin, Paris, 2003.

Faci, J. Introducción al mundo Bizantino. Ed. Síntesis, 1996.Bresh, H.; Guichard, P.; Mantran R.: Europa y el Islam en la Edad Media. Ed. Crítica,

Barcelona, 2001.

Wickham, C: Una historia nueva de la alta Edad Media. Crítica, Barcelona, 2009.

Toubert; P: Europa en su primer crecimiento. De Carlomagano al año mil.

Publicacions de la Universitat de València, 2006.

Bartlett, R.:La formación de Europa. Conquista, civilización y cambio cultural,

950-1350. Publicacions Universitat de València, 2003.

T. Bisson: La crisis del siglo XII. Ed. Crítica, 2010.

G. Bois: La gran depresión medieval: siglos XIV-XV: el precedente de una crisis

sistémica. Publicacions de la Universitat de València, 2001.

P. Contamine: La guerra en la Edad Media. Ed. Labor, 1984

Instrumental Bibliography

Kinder-Hilgemann. Atlas Histórico Mundial, ed. Istmo, 2 vols.

Bonnassie, P. Vocabulario básico de la historia medieval, ed. Crítica.

Loyn, H. R. Diccionario Akal de Historia Medieval. Akal, Madrid, 1998.

MacKay-Ditchburn (eds). Atlas de Europa Medieval, ed. Cátedra.