The Making of Britain: Medieval English History 848-1215

Course Overview

The history of the British Isles in the Middle Ages is one of extraordinary resonance to the rawest elements of the human social order; of faith, belief, war and violence which created a world we still recognise and inhabit even today. From Albion came Britain; a Britain reconnected to a spiritual empire emanating from the Church in Rome, with the proto-institutions of a world not so far removed from our own. This course explores key historical themes such as the emergence and development of government, social order, kingship and religion. It explores what the 'medieval' has meant to historians and historiography - from the Venerable Bede to contemporary writers - and its influence upon the world from monastic theology to romantic nationalism. Above all, students shall consider what the medieval man thought and believed without judgment. From opportunistic and acquisitive warriors to the blessed silence of the monastery, this was a period of the unbelievable richness of character, opinion, and action. This course gives students a thorough and clear understanding of the foundations of medieval history in this country. It is applicable both to GCSE, A-Level, and undergraduate courses, though the conceptual and historical challenge will be altered to meet the student's needs, and tailor it to specific mark schemes (e.g. the Medieval History A-Level).