The Middle Ages, understood broadly
in terms of time (500–1500 AD) and space (Western and Eastern Europe,
Byzantium, and the Caucasus), bear several characteristic traits, one of which
was despotic or monarchic rule: at the head of church and "state" we
find men, usually singular men, ruling over vast tracts of land and vast
numbers of the faithful on various scales: popes and patriarchs, kings and
emperors, bishops and abbots. The exploits, excellences, and excesses of these
rulers come down to us in a variety of chronological, theological, artistic,
and archaeological sources. Yet what of women in these times and lands? What
were the conditions that allowed for women to rise to political and ecclesial
power? Did women's exercise (and excesses) of power look different than those
of men, and if so, how and why? This proseminar will use the lens of
microhistory and close studies of female medieval rulers — such as queens,
empresses, and abbesses — to seek answers to these questions and provide a more
nuanced view of power in the medieval era that highlights women's involvement –
and exclusion – from these lofty social spheres. Additionally, the proseminar
will endeavour to transmit knowledge of the tools used in historical research
and prepare students for sustained historical research and inquiry.