070289 UE Guided Reading Medieval History - War and violence in the Middle Ages (2023S)

The idea of war and violence in the Middle Ages has two thrusts in today's popular culture: At best, it is a chivalrous (show) fight man against man, at worst a bloody slaughter in which the stronger hunts down the weaker free of rules, cruelly and bloodily. Yet violence and warfare were among the most heavily regulated areas in medieval society because of their feared social and financial impact. This research perspective, based on social and cultural historical aspects of war, was admittedly long overshadowed by an older, tactics-believing military history, the late effects of which continue to have an impact on topics such as 'gender and war'. The aim of the 'guided reading' will be to critically question both the stereotypes of barbarian warfare and its reduction to technical areas. The basis is the reading of corresponding (mainly English) introductory texts as well as selected thematic sources (e.g. historiography, war regulations, Belgrade, etc.): Historiography, war regulations, siege reports, theoretical treatises, damage reports, etc. - in edition/possibly as easily readable original sources). The temporal focus is on the High and Late Middle Ages.
The following topics will be covered:
1. History of concepts and terminology: General approach to the topic of 'war' (what does war mean in the Middle Ages, which terms do we encounter (e.g. knight, crusader, hero, battle, campaign, logistics, tactics, armament, siege, pay, plunder, etc.), how were these understood by contemporaries and in later research discussions?
2. Theory and practice of war: Which theoretical templates were used in medieval warfare and why (e.g. Vegetius, Christine de Pizan) and what was the status of their practical application? Which types of warfare (e.g. knightly battle, crusade campaign, naval battle) were known and feared in the High and Late Middle Ages and how did contemporaries deal with them (e.g. development of tactics and armament, fortification of castles and cities, war regulations and control of the use of force, war diplomacy)?
3. Actors and instruments of war: what were the typical phases of a battle (siege, open battle, close combat, flight, looting)? Who were the bearers and participants of medieval war? (e.g. the ruler and his army; social and military significance of the knighthood; late medieval war entrepreneurs, mercenaries and seasonal part-time soldiers, women in the army and war logisticians). What was the state of armament, and who was not armed?
4. Representation of war and violence: the media treatment of medieval war (e.g. pictures, books, songs) How, for what purpose and with what justification were battles represented in writing and in pictures? Which models were used? How did authors work with the corresponding stereotypes (of the hero, coward or enemy)? The selective perception of medieval wars in 19th century national historiography.

2. Principal aims of the lecture:
1. Formally: Learn to read and understand complex sources and secondary texts in several languages, developing strategies for dealing with unfamiliar languages.
- Be able to reproduce their contents accurately orally and in writing.
2. Content: Know the most important terms, topics and aspects of medieval war history and be able to classify them geographically as well as chronologically. Furthermore, know their position in the (international) modern research discussion.
- Being able to name the most important sources (e.g. pictures/carpets, documents, manuscripts, songs) on war and violence in the High and Late Middle Ages and know their significance for the society of that time.
- Be able to recognize the central importance of historiography for the topic of war and violence and critically question the historiographical use and misuse of certain key narratives.