Εισαγωγή στη Μεσαιωνική Ευρωπαϊκή Ιστορία

The course forms a basic introduction to the history of medieval Europe. It examines the formation and evolution of the Medieval world throughout the European continent, from the fall of the Roman empire and the foundation of the Germanic (“barbarian”) kingdoms to the Renaissance and the transition to the Early Modern Era. The aim is to familiarize the students with the most important historical developments and turning points from the 5th to the 15th c., while helping them understand the main institutional, social, cultural and economic characteristics of medieval Europe and the way they evolved over time. A central theme of the course is how the gradual transformation of the relatively poor western part of the Roman empire laid the foundations of modern-day Europe.  

The topics examined include, among others: the Germanic and Arab conquests, the “Carolingian Renaissance”, feudalism, the evolution of ecclesiastical and secular power and the tensions between them, the Crusades, the growth of towns and commerce, the importance of castles and cathedrals, the 14th-century crisis, the Hundred Years War and the Renaissance.