HIAKb105 Introduction to Medieval History

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
10/10/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Asynchronous teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Tomáš Borovský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Tomáš Borovský, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Hana Ambrožová
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Fri 13. 3. 14:00–17:40 B2.52, Fri 10. 4. 9:00–12:40 B2.52, Fri 17. 4. 9:00–12:40 B2.52, Fri 15. 5. 14:00–17:40 B2.52
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Abstract
The course places emphasis on
the knowledge of the historical profession with the focus on the history of the Middle Ages,
the ability to interpret the sources, on the capability to distinguish their division, the method of the explication,
the ability to resume the structure and the organization of the critical medievistics,
the knowledge of the principal workplaces, libraries,
the knowledge of the contemporary methodical and conceptual problems,
the knowledge of the terminology, of the system of the sources.
Learning outcomes
Students should know the historical work focused on the history of the Middle Ages,
the capability to distinguish the division of medieval sources and its explication,
the ability to resume the structure and the organization of the critical medievistics,
the knowledge of the principal workplaces, libraries,
the knowledge of the contemporary methodical and conceptual problems,
the knowledge of the terminology, of the system of the sources.
Key topics
  • 1. Introduction, methodological guide, the medievalist’s workplace, magazines
  • 2. Periodisation of the Middle Ages, terminology
  • 3. Medieval man and his world
  • 4. Sources and literature, means of assessment, editions, archives, muzeums, libraries
  • 5. Official sources I
  • 6. Official sources II
  • 7. Narrative sources, classification
  • 8. Early medieval narrative sources
  • 9. Late medieval narrative sources
  • 10. The emergence of critical historiography in the Czech lands
  • 11. František Palacký
  • 12. The Goll School
  • 13. The modern medievalist
Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • FUHRMANN, Horst. Středověk je kolem nás. Translated by Tomáš Klimek. Vyd. 1. Jinočany: H+H, 2006, 410 s. ISBN 8073190427. info
  • GUREVIČ, Aron Jakovlevič. Kategorie středověké kultury. Translated by Jaroslav Kolár. 1. vyd. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1978, 286 s. URL info
    recommended literature
  • LE GOFF, Jacques. Za jiný středověk : čas, práce a kultura na středověkém Západě: 18 esejů. Translated by Irena Neškudlová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2005, 436 s. ISBN 8072035983. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Seminary, class discussion.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Written test consisting of questions focusing on the basic notions of the discipline.
Language of instruction
Czech
Study support
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/phil/jaro2024/HIAKb105/um/
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2026/HIAKb105