29558 - Medieval Political Institutions (1) (LM)

Academic Year 2022/2023

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in History and Oriental Studies (cod. 8845)

Learning outcomes

The student at the end of the module acquires in depth and specific knowledge about the main institutions and medieval political structures, with attention to the synchronic and diachronic framework, and applying to problems and specific documents appropriate research methodologies. He knows how to effectively communicate the results of their historiographical reflection.

Course contents

Bologna in the fifteenth century: a Renaissance State?

The course focuses on the political-institutional history of the "long Quattrocento" of Bologna, considered as a possible case study of the so-called Renaissance state. The investigation will be carried out through the analysis of institutional changes, autonomist tensions, forms of subjection to the papacy, elaboration of oligarchic forms and a signoria within a political language and an institutional architecture still partly with a communal character.

Main topics covered in the lecture

  • Brief historiographical insight into the periodization and conceptualisation of the late medieval period and the category of the Renaissance State
  • Outlines of the political history of the Church State
  • Outlines of the political history of Bologna in the 14th century
  • The political relationship between Bologna and the Papacy from the end of the 14th century to the end of the 15th century
  • Political and institutional evolution of Bologna from 1376 onwards
  • The concept of libertas
  • Diplomatic relations as an instrument of political negotiation of the libertas
  • The evolution in an oligarchic and then patrician sense of the Bolognese ruling class
  • Outlines of the history of Bentivoglio's signoria

Readings/Bibliography

ATTENDING STUDENTS (who attend AT LEAST 12 lessons):

In addition to the notes and material used during the lessons, attending students will prepare the exam on:

1) S. Carocci, Città e governo papale nel Quattrocento, in Id., Vassalli del papa. Potere pontificio, aristocrazie e città nello Stato della Chiesa (XII-XV sec.), Roma, Viella, 2010, pp. 99-159

2) T. Duranti, Libertas, Oligarchy, Papacy: Government in the Quattrocento, in A Companion to Medieval and Renaissance Bologna, ed. S.R. Blanshei, Leiden, Brill, 2018, pp. 260-288 (available on virtual.unibo.it)

 

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS:

1) S. Carocci, Città e governo papale nel Quattrocento, in Id., Vassalli del papa. Potere pontificio, aristocrazie e città nello Stato della Chiesa (XII-XV sec.), Roma, Viella, 2010, pp. 99-159

2) A. De Benedictis, Lo "stato popolare di libertà": pratica di governo e cultura di governo (1376-1506), in Bologna nel Medioevo (Storia di Bologna, 2), a cura di O. Capitani, Bologna, BUP, 2007, pp. 899-950

3) T. Duranti, Diplomazia e autogoverno nel Quattrocento (1392-1466). Fonti per la storia delle istituzioni, Bologna, Clueb, 2009, pp. 11-117 (available on virtual.unibo.it)

3) T. Duranti, Libertas, Oligarchy, Papacy: Government in the Quattrocento, in A Companion to Medieval and Renaissance Bologna, ed. S.R. Blanshei, Leiden, Brill, 2018, pp. 260-288 (available on virtual.unibo.it)


Teaching methods

Frontal lectures. During some lessons some particularly important sources for the theme of the course will be provided and analyzed together with the students.

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

Attending students may choose to study a topic in greater depth agreed upon with the lecturer, who will also provide some bibliographical references, on a case-by-case basis; the in-depth study will be the subject of a classroom presentation at the end of the course, by means of a power point and an oral report.

For all others:
The exam is oral. The assessment will be done through a few questions designed to ascertain the knowledge gained in the lessons and topics contained in the books in the program; the property of language and exposure; the ability to make links between the various topics.

The achievement of a comprehensive and critical knowledge of the studied themes and an articulated exhibition capacity will be assessed with a rating of excellence.

Knowledge only mnemonic of topics, with synthesis and exposure in a proper language will be evaluated with discrete votes.

Gaps in knowledge and an elementary language during exposure will be evaluated with just enough votes.

Gaps in knowledge, inappropriate language and lack of orientation within the materials indicated in the program will be evaluated negatively.

 

This course (6CFU) is a member of the integrated course "MEDIEVAL INSTITUTIONS AND CIVILISATIONS (CI) (LM)". If the student has the Integrated Course (12CFU) in the study plan, the final grade will be the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in the two components ("CIVILIZATION OF THE LATE MIDDLE AGES (1) (LM)" and "MEDIEVAL POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS (1) (LM)").

Teaching tools

The teaching tools used during the lessons will also be available on virtuale.unibo.it


Office hours

See the website of Tommaso Duranti

SDGs

Sustainable cities Peace, justice and strong institutions Partnerships for the goals

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.