| Course | Instructor |
|---|---|
| Spring Quarter, 2004 | |
| MEDIEVAL STUDIES 130A: WARRIORS AND WARFARE IN THE MIDDLE AGES | Kevin Roddy |
| An Upper-Division Civilization and Culture Course (Writing) | Lecturer |
|
Discussion Section: 83783 W 6:10-7:00PM WELLMAN 5 |
Course Designers: David Chiu Trenton McManus |
| 267 OLSON | 350 Voorhies (752-4541) |
| 10:30-11:50 TuTh | Office Hours: Tu 3:00-5:00; Th 1:00-3:00 |
| Class Web Page (http://medieval.ucdavis.edu/130/) | Instructor email (kproddy@ucdavis.edu) |
| Class Email (mst130a-s04@ucdavis.edu) | |
| Class Email Archive (http://listproc.ucdavis.edu/class/200403/mst130a-s04) |
Course description:
This class is meant to examine myths about warfare in the Middle Ages. We
will compare, as we must,
the way medieval warfare (or should we say, medieval
TOTAL warfare, whatever that is) is commonly described today, but the
emphasis will rest on the way people in the Middle Ages viewed violent
conflict. We will discover, I presume, that some of the
things we commonly believe about warfare and fighting in the Middle Ages are
true. Some are "somewhat" true. And some things definitely are not. This
class will help sort out which things are which.
Recommendations for reading: we've tried to keep the readings to a manageable level, no more than 20-30 pages due on any given day, and on most days a good deal less than that. There is one reading you might want to be aware of in advance - Grettir's Saga, which is 110 pages long, and is the subject of a paper.
Iliad: Fagles Translation, but if it does
not work, Iliad: Butler Translation
Livy Speculates on a Confrontation between
the Macedonians Under Alexander the Great and the Early Roman Republic
Roman Legionary Pictures
Tacitus
Anglo-Saxon Pictures
Germanic Tribes Pictures
Battle of Maldon
Saxons, Normans, and Vikings
Pictures
Viking Hersir Pictures
The Campaign of Emperor Herakleios
Charlemagne's Way of Raising Troops
The 1165 Levy for the Army of Wales
Levy of Troops for Wars in Bohemia
Military Organization in the Guta Saga
Honore Bonet, on Who Can Be Compelled to
Fight?
Collection
of 1200 marks, for sending one hundred horsemen and as many foot soldiers
into Scotland
Requisition
for the supply of Arbalesters and arms at Berwick upon Tweed
London
sends a letter to Edward III, relating their contributions to England's military
Pictures of Arms and Armor
Weapon Comparison at MyArmoury.com
(re-created weapons -- not necessarily authentic)
Western European Armor Changes
Hurstwic: Viking Age Arms and Armor
How a man shall be armed for his ease when he shall fight on foot c. 1450
Honore Bonet, on Duties in Battle
The Skill of Archery from a 14th century Mamluk-Kipchak
Military Treatise
Liber de Arte Gladitoria Dimicandi
Castles
and Fortifications
Laws
Concerning Castles, from Las Siete Partidas
Castles on the Web
Siege
Weapons
Honore Bonet, on Ransom and Imprisonment
Honore Bonet, on the Spoils of Battle
Froissart's Account of Mercenary Commander John Hawkwood
Battle of Agincourt
Enguerrand de
Monstrelet's Account of the
Battle of Agincourt
Agincourt
Figures at Agincourt
Figures of Russian Warriors and their Enemies; The Battle of Lake Peipus
Honore
Bonet, Military Philosophy
The
"Tree of Battles"
John de Froissart: Two Captains Harass the French Party in Auvergne
John de Froissart: Bertrand du Guesclin
Honore Bonet, on Specific Questions
of Military Philosophy
A
Treatise on the Form and Organization of a Tournament
John de Froissart: A Challenge is Fought before the Earl of Buckingham c. 1380
John de Froissart: French and English Knights Tourney in Brittany 1380
Pierre de Masse's challenge
1438
Bernard of Clairvaux, In Praise of the New Knighthood Early 12th century
Contemporary
Reactions to the Founding of the Templars
Map
of the Crusader States
Frederick
Barbarossa Issues Rules for His Army
Laws
Concerning Armies, from Las Siete Partidas
An
Account of English Troops in Portugal
Scenes from Monty Python
Due dates:
Sample papers:
Stephen of Blois
Daimbert
Paper 1:
Eulogy of Grettir
The first paper will be a eulogy of Grettir, from Grettir's saga. There are
two options for the point of view of the paper. A student may pick one of
the people left at the end of the saga, and have them give a eulogy of
Grettir. Second, as an alternative, the student may take the point of view
of a saga writer, such as Snorri Sturluson, who gives an account of
Grettir's life centuries after. One of the key differences in the two
approaches might be the presence or absence of Christianity in the Icelandic
perspective.
Sources (All of these courtesy of David Chiu):
The Vikings A Norwegian site, by
Arne Emil Christensen
Scandanavia and the Northern Seas: Vikings
By Tamsin Hekala [ORB]
Link to sagas, including historical
background
Icelandic Sacred-Texts A good source for Icelandic mythology and sagas
The Prose Edda may be very useful. Its first part is a collection of Norse
mythology, its second is on literary diction, and its third part is on
poetic meters. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the third part,
the Hattatal, online. I'm pretty sure it is available in translations at
the library, however.
Even More Sagas Berkeley Sunsite
Even Still More additional Sagas
Scandinavian and Viking Warfare (De Re Militari)
Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus
Academic article on Icelandic sagas
An annotated bibliography of books about trolls
The Viking Answer Lady. Her picture makes her seem a little bit weird, but she seems to have done some rather thorough research. She touches upon topics such as Scandinavian war oaths, witches, ghosts, and beserkers.
An article on "Hidden Folk" and trolls It's part of a website with excellent pictures of Icelandic geography.
Paper 2: King Edward III Requests a Levy from the City of London to Build a Warship
The French Chronicle of London
The second paper will be a letter from King Edward III of England to the
city of London requesting a warship. This warship is described at
The Royal
Barge
Primary Sources on the Wars of Edward III
Be sure to check out "Edward Seeks Additional Subsidies from Parliament,
1340" and "The English Prepare a Fleet, 1340"
Secondary source on Anglo-French Naval Warfare:
Edward III's letter detailing his campaign in France
Life of Edward the Black Prince
Unfortunately, it begins "In times of yore," so I don't have much hope for
the translation.
A letter from the Black Prince to London
(could help as model for letters)
Paper 3:
Honore Bonet Addresses Charles V on the subject of Bertrand du Guesclin
For this paper you will be Honore Bonet, writing to King Charles V regarding
the tactics of Bertrand du Guesclin. This paper will probably be written
sometime in the 1370's, prior to the death of Bertrand (and Charles)
in 1380, but when
Bonet, who is born in 1340, will be old enough to have acquired some
authority. If in the course of your research, you find that Bonet could
have written this letter earlier, or even later, you may pick a date for the
paper that suits you.
Prologue to the Tree of Battles
Vegetius
Frontinus
