509588 - POLITICS AND CULTURE IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE

courses

ID:

509588

Duration (hours):

36

CFU:

SSD:

STORIA MEDIEVALE

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (23/02/2026 - 22/05/2026)

Course Objectives

- close reading of selected chapters from Salimbene's Cronaca - ability to employ the most important methods of historical critique - knowledge of the historical context of Italy and Western Europe in the 13th century - knowledge of the bibliographical tools necessary for doing research on problems of ecclesiastical and political history of the 13th century - comprehension of the contributions of international research (especially written in English) to the topic of the seminar

Course Prerequisites

B.A. in Lettere or a similar discipline. Ability to read modern articles in English. General knowledge of medieval history.

Teaching Methods

- Lectures - Powerpoint presentation of images and maps (available on KIRO e-learning: https://elearning.unipv.it) - classroom reading and discussion of selected passages from the Cronaca di Salimbene and of studies on the topic - oral presentation of arguments chosen by the students - optionally written essay

Assessment Methods

For students who will attend the class: Oral exam (50-75%) about the content of the lessons and the programme of reading. The main criterion for a successful exam – besides the knowledge of the most important aspects of the content and the historical context of the topic – is the student's competence in reflecting on the use and criticism of historical sources. In one of the two modules (Politica e cultura nell'Europa medievale or Civiltà del basso medioevo), to be chosen, students have to prepare a paper (about 10 pages) on a limited argument connected with the topic of the seminar (instructions will be given at the beginning of the lessons). In this module the delivery of the paper is required for being admitted to the oral exam. A possible oral presentation of the same argument in class, the student's contributions to the discussions during the lessons and - optionally - the essay account for another 50% (without essay: 25%) of the final evaluation in the module "Politica e cultura nell’Europa medievale". Students without credit points in medieval history have to complete their knowledge with a handbook and are requested to contact the professor in time. These students are exempted from preparing a written paper. For students who will not attend the class: Oral exam about the entire programme of reading and the historical context of the topic (ca. 75-100% of the final evaluation in the module "Politica e cultura nell’Europa medievale"). The main criterion for a successful exam – besides the knowledge of the most important aspects of the content of the programme and the context – is the student's competence in reflecting on the use and the criticism of historical sources. Non attending students, too, will prepare a paper (about 10 pages) on a limited argument connected with the topic of the seminar (instructions will be given at the beginning of the lessons), but only in one of the two modules (Politica e cultura nell'Europa medievale or Civiltà del basso medioevo), to be chosen. In this module the delivery of the paper is requested for being admitted to the oral exam and accounts for ca. 25% of the final evaluation in the module "Politica e cultura nell’Europa medievale". In case the paper is written for the other module, the oral exam will be the only criterion (= 100%) of the finel evaluation. Students without credit points in medieval history have to complete their knowledge with a handbook and are requested to contact the professor in time. These students are exempted from preparing a written paper. NB: "To attend the class" means actively participating in at least 75% of the lessons.

Texts

Reading for students who will attend the class: (1)- notes from the lessons (2)- the parts of the Chronicle (ital. transl.) as read and discussed during the lessons (3)- from the book Salimbene de Adam e la "Cronica", Spoleto 2018, the contribution by E. Menestò, La figura di Salimbene de Adam, pp. 1-20 (4) - from the book Salimbene de Adam. Filologia, arte, storia, Roma 2024, the contributions by M.T. Dolso, Predicatori e predicazione (.), pp. 63-82, and N. Gensini, „Ut scriptura Merlini“ (.), pp. 103-130 (5) - from the book Approaches to poverty in medieval Europe, Turnhout 2016, the contribution by Allison Edgren, From saint Francis to Salimbene de Adam: Begging in the early Franciscan World, c. 1210–80, pp. 93-116 Reading for students who will not attend the class: (1)- the parts of the Chronicle (ital. transl.) available in KIRO (2)- Jacques Paul e Mariano d'Alatri, Salimbene da Parma testimone e cronista, Roma 1992 (3)- from the book Salimbene de Adam e la "Cronica", Spoleto 2018, the contribution by E. Menestò, La figura di Salimbene de Adam, pp. 1-20 (4) - from the book Salimbene de Adam. Filologia, arte, storia, Roma 2024, the contributions by M.T. Dolso, Predicatori e predicazione (.), pp. 63-82, N. Gensini, „Ut scriptura Merlini“ (.), pp. 103-130, and M. Moglia, Salimbene e i milites di Parma, pp. 195-210 (5) - from the book Approaches to poverty in medieval Europe, Turnhout 2016, the contribution by Allison Edgren, From saint Francis to Salimbene de Adam: Begging in the early Franciscan World, c. 1210–80, pp. 93-116

Salimbene da Parma and his Chronicle: an eyewitness in 13th century Europe Salimbene de Adam (1221-1288), a Friar Minor from Parma, compiled his Chronicle in the last years of his life, i.e. from 1282 to 1288. The work narrates events of religious and political life between 1168 and 1287 in a personal tone and presents itself to the eyes of those who study it as a compendium of 'things seen'. It recounts – alongside the events of Emperor Frederick II and his conflicts with the papacy – the spread of early Franciscanism and the birth of heresies such as that of the 'Apostles' of Gherardo Segarelli. Information about the social groups at the head of the 13th-century communes and the first attempts to create seigniorial regimes will be obtained, as well as the author's direct experiences and personal interests. During the lessons, selected passages of the Cronaca (original in Latin, but an Italian translation exists) will be analysed, with contributions also from the attending participants, in order to place them in a broader historical (cultural, political and religious) context. The course consists of three parts entrusted to three lecturers (Thomas Frank, Daniela Rando, Michele Spadaccini).