Aims

By the end of this course, students should be able to analyse an institution, point out its various facets, identify the actors, determine competences and functioning, as well as their impact and evolution in placing them in their economic, social, ideological, political and cultural contexts

Main themes

This two year course is divided in two parts, one more general, another more specialized. Distribution of the subject matter over the two years is organized by period on a chronological or juridical basis (public law, private law), or else based on levels of competence (central institutions, regional and local institutions), etc.

Content and teaching methods

Medieval society was no exception to the rule : to arrange human relations, it provided itself reinforcements. Of course, differences sprang up during evolution. Until the XIIth century, reality often depended on expediency (overthrows, impoverished concepts, rudimentary means). Certain institutions, in fact destined to perpetuate themselves until the XVIIIth century, nonetheless emerged during the high middle ages : the western relationship system and certain social cleavages, vassalage and fief, seigneury, royalty and the Church. Every other year, the course analyses fundaments and structural mechanisms, in explaining documents and comes to decisions on inter-scholastic discussions. The other year, the course concentrates on the period running from the XIIIth to the XVth century : an epoch witnessing development and increasing specialization, the spread of urban institutions, organizing power in territorial principalities, within the kingdoms of western Europe and the Church. Here again, lectures are based on commenting documents.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisites : For the general part of the course, a basic knowledge of Latin facilitates study.
Oral examination.
Evaluation : Individual examination in a manner to be determined by the instructor.
Teaching materials : Student notes, bibliographical references, a portfolio of documents and lectures, or a syllabus, as needed.
Teaching : by the instructor.

Other credits in programs