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In these 36 lectures, learn to recognize the medieval impacts on the modern world, including our representative government and the enduring culture of chivalry.

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Episodes

1. Discovering the Medieval Legacy

27m

Begin the course with a look at what "medieval" means, and the challenges of defining when and where the Middle Ages took place. Consider common associations and ideas about the medieval era, both positive and negative, and the substantial inaccuracies of many of them. Finally, investigate what may be the most useful timeline in terms of when the medieval era began and ended.

2. The Medieval Birth of the Book

27m

Take account of the seminal medieval contribution to the format of the book and the accessibility of reading. Chart the centuries-long evolution of written texts, from ancient scrolls of papyrus to wax tablets, codices, and texts written on parchment and

3. Medieval Innovations in Record Keeping

27m

The medieval era gave us techniques for recording words, sounds, and knowledge that were not surpassed for centuries. Learn how medieval scholars revolutionized writing, making texts easier to read; created musical notation and methods for recording poetr

4. The Beginnings of Orthodoxy and Heresy

34m

As Christianity grew and developed, trace the process by which religious and political elites aligned to enforce conformity within the religion. Observe how early variations of belief and practice were systematized after Christianity became the state reli

5. Anti-Semitism's Medieval Roots

32m

Learn how Jews in the Latin West were rare, considered suspect, and depended on protection from local rulers. Trace the proliferation of anti-Jewish tropes, from lies connecting Jews with violence to Christian ideology condemning them for the death of Jes

6. Holy War and Its Long Legacy

32m

Track the various factors that gave rise to the medieval concept of "holy war," undergirding the call to arms of the Crusades. Begin with the phenomenon of divinely sanctioned wars in the ancient world. Then, grasp the Greco-Roman and Christian theories o

7. The Cult of the Virgin Mary

31m

Uncover links between the veneration of Mary and ancient traditions of divine leaders begotten through virgin births. Learn how the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity developed, and about its connections with both the Church's insistence on male autho

8. The Imaginative Power of Chivalry

35m

The medieval culture of chivalry embodies behavioral and moral ideals that still resonate today. Find the roots of chivalry's ethos in the oldest surviving medieval epic. Observe how chivalric ideals were promulgated in romance literature, usually through

9. The Legacy of Heraldry and Pedigree

29m

Flowing from medieval chivalric codes, the arts of heraldry arose to provide symbolic "brands" for individuals and groups. Study the pictorial forms that proclaimed their bearers and "patented" their public identities on coats of arms and seals, using pow

10. Town Air Makes You Free

29m

Witness the rise of medieval towns as a new phenomenon, often growing organically around monasteries or castles. See how newly empowered townspeople were able to demand liberties, charters, and the right to self-governance, creating unprecedented opportun

Extended Details

SeriesMedieval Legacy

Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great CoursesDirector

The Great CoursesProducer

Carol SymesActor