HIST 100

EARLY MEDIAEVAL EUROPE

Dr Niall Christie

Office Hours: Mon, Wed and Fri, 12:00-12:30 pm and 3:00-3:30 pm, or by

appointment

Copy of outline on the web at:<http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/

HIST100outline.html>

History: Why do we care?

History, n. An account mostly false, ofevents unimportant, which are brought aboutby rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostlyfools.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914),The Devil's Dictionary

To avoid the mistakes of the past

To help us understand other cultures

To help us understand ourselves

Why study history?

Some Mediaeval Achievements

Transformation of Roman Empire intoprecursors of modern nation-states

Birth of precursors to moderngovernmental systems

Establishment of Christianity and Islam

Major advances in science and technology

Major works of literature in Latin andother languages

“Middle Ages”“Dark Ages”

medium aevum (1688) “Mediaeval”

Not used at time

Geographically limited

Issue of determining start and end:476 (end of Roman Empire in west) to1492 (Columbus)?