Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course students should have:
- an understanding of how and why medieval historians used pseudohistorical material
- developed skills in analysing medieval historical writing
- shown an ability to comment on contemporary sources in writing and verbally.
Indicative Module Content:
The module addresses such topics as:
- The nature and purpose of medieval historical writing
- The use of religious miracles in writing history; the intersection of religious and political narratives
- Origin legends (national and dynastic)
- The role of King Arthur and other pseudohistorical figures
- The supernatural: ghosts, werewolves, vampires, and zombies
- Local legends, folklore, and placenames
- Signs, portents, and prophecy
- The reactions of medieval historians towards their predecessors and contemporaries
- The historiography of modern approaches to medieval source material
- Fictionality and historicity in the Icelandic sagas