UNDER RE-CONSTRUCTION

History 3348 001  (#60905):
HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES

Spring 2020,  Holden Hall 154
 MWF 9:00-9:50 am

TEACHER

John Howe,
        Professor of History, Advisor, Medieval and Renaissance Studies Center, TTU
Office: 143 Holden Hall                                                                                                                  Office Hours: MW 10-11:15am, Tu 9:30-10:15 pm,, and by appointment
Telephone: 806 834‑7544                              E‑Mail: john.howe @ttu.edu                                  Fax 806 742-1060  
Web: http://myweb.ttu.edu/jhowe  (the best way to access this syllabus)
 

THE COURSE

Purposes
       
To acquire a general knowledge of the crusading movement in Western Europe, including its ideology, organization, military strategies, and leadership. To situate the crusades in the larger economic, cultural, and religious context of the Mediterranean world, a cross-cultural world where Latin, Greek, and Arabic civilizations interacted. To use the crusades as a case study for analysis of the problems posed by "holy war," imperialism, colonization, and the formation of European consciousness.
        To introduce the process by which historians reconstruct historical events from conflicting primary sources.


Expected Learning Outcomes
       
Upon successful completion of this class students will be able to:
1.    Describe major events and individuals associated with the crusades.
2.
 Discuss the documentary foundation that underlies this historical narrative.
3.    Relate the history of the crusades to other major social developments in the medieval Latin West.
4.
 Recognize the origins of some elements of contemporary debates between Western and Islamic societies.
5.
   Be more proficient in the following genres of historical writing: essay examinations and comparative analyses of historical documents.

Methods for Assessing the Expected Learning Outcomes
       
The Expected Learning Outcomes of the course will be assessed through examinations, source problems, student "WEdnesday reports,"class discussion, and miscellaneous classroom assessment activities.


COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Required Texts

Andrea, Alfred J., and Andrew Holt, eds.  Seven Myths of the Crusades. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2015. ISBN 978-1-62466-403-8

Joinville and Villehardouin: Chronicles of the Crusades. Translated by Caroline Smith.  New York: Penguin Group USA, 2008. ISBN 978-0-140-44998-3.

Madden, Thomas F.  The Concise History of the Crusades: Third Student Edition.  Lanham MD: Rowan & Littlefield, 2013. ISBN    Paper 978-1-4422-1573-7     978-1-4422-1576-4 or electronic.  978-1-4422-1576-4

Runciman, Steven.  The First Crusade.   Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004  [out of print, but available in large numbers from third party sellers].  ISBN    978-0521611480

Internet Medieval Sourcebook (IMS): http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html
Some journal articles accessible via the Texas Tech Library through JSTOR
Some materials posted on line, to be accessed through the electronic version of this syllabus.
 

Required Reading
           
Specific reading assignments for each class are listed in the "Reading and Lecture Schedule," just ahead of the lecture date by which they should be completed. Each assignment concerns the subject of the following class meeting.  Read so that you arrive in class prepared to explain, praise, criticize, and question. The assignments are manageable if read on schedule, but overwhelming if you fall behind.
            Successful completion of this course requires regular attendance.  In the classroom difficult reading assignments are interpreted and contextualized, and additional subject matter is introduced.  If you cannot attend 80% or more of the scheduled classes, you should not be enrolled.
 

Examinations
            Midterm tests are scheduled for Friday February 21, and Wednesday April 1   Each includes multiple-choice questions, identification questions, a single essay (from two or more choices), and perhaps map work. If, for good reason, a test is missed, a make-up test may be taken at 3:30-4:30 pm on Monday, May 4. Students receiving a grade below "C" on a midterm should meet with the teacher to discuss it (this will be part of the class participation grade).
            The final examination will
feature multiple-choice and identification questions based on the material covered since the midterm, and three essays
(to be chosen out of six or more alternative questions) covering the material of the entire course. Bring blue books to the final.

Wednesdsay Noon Reports

               On four Wednesdays follwoing the semester break (and the class restructuring), students will have assignments due at noon (they can be submitted earlier).  These are to be submitted not just to Professor Howe but to all members of the class (the emails from the instructor contain the class email list).  Begin the subject line of each of these assignment emails with HIST3348--that will facilitate identifying and filing them into a seprate folder.  Each of the Wednesday assignments is based upon specified readings (Ambroise, Villehardouin, Joinville, and Mitchener). Each requires a student to do two things:  1) present an intelligent question about the sepcified reading; and 2) identify one item from each of these four readings that you found notably "distinctive" (enlightening, odd, wierd, wrong, or whatever). 

Source Problems
            Course assignments include three crusade source problems, cases where the primary documentary evidence seems to be contradictory.  Students will attempt to reconstruct what happened, presenting their findings in papers no longer than five typed, double-spaced pages.  Since the evidence provided for these case studies does not yield any single, indisputable "right answer," all you can do is to present your arguments for the "most probable" scenario.  You will be given information about how to avoid some common errors. Grades will be based on logic, analysis, persuasiveness, and comprehensive use of the sources.  Be careful not to violate the History Department and University guidelines on plagiarism.
 
            The first of these is due on Friday, February 7; the second on Wednesday, March 11; the third on Wednesday April 15.
Papers late by a day or two will be assessed a one grade penalty, but, after the corrected on-time papers have been returned, no later papers will be accepted.

 UNIVERSITY NOTICES

Necessary Accommodations:

            Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible so that the necessary accommodations can be made.

Observance of a Religious Holy Day:
            Texas House Bill 256 requires institutions of higher education to excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day. The student shall also be excused for time necessary to travel. An institution may not penalize the student for the absence and allows for the student to take an exam or complete an assignment from which the student is excused. No prior notification of the instructor is required.

Academic Honesty:

            "
Texas Tech is committed to creating an exciting university atmosphere that is free of academic dishonesty. All members of the university community, including faculty, students, and staff, are upheld to the standard of having integrity in the work they produce. The standard is for all members of the Texas Tech community to contribute to the campus environment in an ethical, fun, and honest manner. Integrity matters because student success matters (TTU Student Judicial Programs
)."
                Because we live in an imperfect world, it is necessary to undergird such ideals with enforcement mechanisms: be aware that Texas Tech defines "Academic Misconduct" and lists specific Disciplinary Outcomes for Academic Honesty Violations.

 GRADING
            The course grade will be computed as follows:  20% from the midterm tests (that is, 10% from each); 45% from the papers (15% from each); 10% from post-break Wednesday reports; 5% from class participation; and 20% from the final.
            The class participation grade is computed in this way. At the end of the semester students are divided into three groups on the basis of attendance, class preparation, and class contributions: 1) individuals who were outstanding; 2) individuals who were generally average; and 3) individuals who were well below average,  In computing the course grade, the first group gets the class participation component credited as an 'A'; the second has these points neutralized (so they neither help nor hurt when computing the course grade); and the third has them credited as an `F'.


READING AND LECTURE SCHEDULE

W    Jan 15     Introductions

 

            Eurasian World ; Mediterranean Topography; Holy Land Topography ; Holy Land Maps; Modern Israel

F   Jan 17        Geography

                                           Runciman 13-22; Wilkinson; Piacenza Pilgrim.

 

[M  Jan 20           MLK Day ]

 

[Tu  Jan 21      Last Day to add a course] 

 

W    Jan 22      Early Medieval Pilgrimage

 

                                    Runciman 1-12; Date Chart; Roman Empire ca. 300; Europe 900; Byzantine Empire mid 11th ; Liutprand 949; Luitprand 963


 F   Jan 24       The Greek East at 1000AD

 

                                          Overview of Islam; "Pact of Omar" ; Kennedy; Andrea 4-20

 

M    Jan 27      Islam at 1000AD

 

                                         John Howe on "Encastellation"; new horse collar; Europe 900;  Europe 1000

  

W  Jan 29       The Latin West at 1000

 

                                   Runciman 33-40; Madden 1-3; Andrea 1-28

 

F   Jan   31      Holy War

 

[F Jan 31         Last day to drop a course and get a full refund.]

 

                                  Runciman 23-32; Madden 4-5; Andrea 17-24; Gregory VII; Late 11th-Century MapsHow to Mess Up the Source Problem. Start Source Problem #1.

 

M   Feb 3        The Turkish Threat

 

                                 Madden 5-13; Runciman 41-51. Continue writing Source Problem #1.

 

W   Feb 5        Church Reform and the Call to Crusade

 

                                        Finish Source Problem #1

 

F   Feb 7         Response to the Call

 

                                         Madden 15-19; Runciman 52-68; Andrea 29-69; Solomon bar Samson

     

M   Feb 10     The Peoples' Crusades

 

                                          Runciman 69-93; Roster of Crusaders; Anna Comnena

 

W  Feb 12      The Crusaders at Constantinople

             Madden 23-30; Runciman 94-125

F  Feb 14        The March to Antioch

 

                                  Runciman 126-168; Battle of Antioch

 

M   Feb 17      The Siege of Antioch

 

                                  Runciman 169-89; Ibn Al-Athīr; Fulcher of Chartres ; Battle of Jerusalem

 

W   Feb 19      The Fall of Jerusalem

 

                                        Study

 

F   Feb 21        Midterm #1

 

                                         Madden 35-46; Andrea 70-90; Crusader States map; Usamah; Fulcher

 

M   Feb 24       Organizing the Crusader States

                  Hamilton, "Rebuilding Zion"; Hamilton, "Crusader Church" ; Crusader Jerusalem

W  Feb 26       Organizing the Crusader Church 

                 Denis Pringle, "The Planning of Some Pilgrimage Churches in Crusader Palestine." World Archeology 18 1987): 341-62 [access through .JSTOR ]

F  Feb 28         Crusader Art & Architecture

 

                                    Madden 46-48; Partner, Templars; Templar Rule.

 

M     Mar 2      The Military Orders

 

                                     Madden 132-33; Crusader Women; Nicholson; Melisende's Psalter. Start Source Problem #2 by reading and itemizing the documents given

 

W   Mar 4       Woman on Crusade

 

                                   Holmes. Start writing Source Problem #2.

 

F  Mar 6         Daily Life in the Crusader States

 

                                  Madden  48-59; Fall of Edessa;  Mayer, "2nd Crusade" . Continue writing Source Problem #2.

 

M  Mar 9         Islam Strikes Back

 

                                  Eugenius III; Capture of Lisbon.  Finish Source Problem # 2.

 

W Mar 11       The Second Crusade

 

  Osprey conquest of Jerusalem ;   Holy Sepulcher ; Nazareth capitols Melisende Psalter  French Crusade Song ;  Krak de Chavaliers

 

  

F Mar 13         Crusader Jerusalem

[Spring Vacation, March 14-22]

M   Mar 23 through Friday Mar 27  Classes cancelled by Texas Tech University

                                        Study

 

M    Mar 30    Midterm #2

                                  Madden 61-72; Dynastic Succession; William of Tyre; Saladin Video ; Hattin; Hattin and Its Aftermath

W    Apr 1      The Kingdom of Jerusalem at Risk &the Battle of Hattin             

                                  Madden 72-77;  Capture of Jerusalem ; Fall of Jerusalem

  Apr 3       The Fall of Jerusalem and the Launching of the Third Crusade

                                 Madden 77-91; The Third Crusade;  Ambroise  Prepare a "Wednesday noon report" on Ambroise, emailing it to the whole class by noon April 8.  

M   Apr 6       The Third Crusade

                                  Madden 115-32; Strayer.  Madden 117-29. Teutonic Knights ; In Defense of Teutonic Knights; Children's Crusades ; Andrea 91-105; Cologne Chronicle. Start Source Problem  #3.

 

W   Apr  8       Spanish Crusades /  Crusades against Heretics / Baltic Crusades / Children's Crusades

 

                                 Queller on "4th Crusade"  (map) and on 4th Crusade Chronology. Continue Source Problem  #3.

 

F   Apr 10       Launching the Fourth Crusade

         

[M  Apr 13        Easter Vacation]

 

                                        Nicetas Choniates ; Villehardouin 74-135. Prepare a "Wednesday noon report" on Villehardouin, emailing it to the whole class by noon April 15). Finish Source Problem  #3.

 

W   Apr 15     The Latin Empire of Constantinople

 

                                  Madden 134-53; Innocent III; Joinville 161-200; Ibn Wasil; LettersMap of the Crusader Kingdom 1192-1243; Capture of Jerusalem in 1244

 

 

F  Apr 17      The Fifth Crusade /  Crusade of Frederick II and Its Aftermath

 

                                Madden 154-68; Letter from 1249; Joinville 200-264; St. Louis Testament.

 

M  Apr 20        Louis IX and the Sixth Crusade

 

[W Apr 22       Last day to declare pass fail, drop a class, or withdraw from the university]

 

                                Joinville 265-330; Mongols, Battle of Ain Jalut Prepare a "Wednesday noon report" on Joinville, emailing it to the whole class by noon April 22.

 

W  Apr 22          Mongols

 

                                       Joinville 331-353; Madden 168-76

 

F  Apr 24        The Mainland Crusader States at Risk

 

                                      Michener ; Fall of Acre.; Abu I-Fidā

 

M  Apr 27       The Fall of Acre

 

                                      Madden 176-77; Andrea 106-26.  Prepare a "Wednesday noon report" on Michener, emailing it to the whole class by noon April 29.

 

W Apr 29        Fall of Papacy and the Templars

 

                                     Madden 178-95; Atiya.                     

 

F   May 1         Later Crusades

 

                                     Madden 9-13, 194-95, and 197-209; Runciman "Summing Up"; Effects of the Crusades ; Andrea 127-49; Bernard Hamilton, "The Impact of Crusader Jerusalem
                                     on Western Christendom,”The Catholic Historical Review 80 (1994): 695-713 [access through JSTOR ]

 

M  May 4        Summing Up 

 

[M May 4        Make-Up Test at 3:30-4:30 pm]

 

[W May 6        Individual Study Day]  

 

                                      Study

 

Th  May 7, 7:30-10:00 am     FINAL EXAMINATION