This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2007-2008 (archived)
Module HIST58630: The English Nobility in the Thirteenth and Early Fourteenth Centuries
Department: History
HIST58630: The English Nobility in the Thirteenth and Early Fourteenth Centuries
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 4 | 30 | Available in 2007/2008 | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- None
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combinations
- None
Aims
- Understanding of the secular elite of English society.
- Examination of the careers of some of the earls in the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries.
- Grasp of the way in which family histories affected national politics.
Content
- The module will look at the role of the upper nobility in England in the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. It will examine the way in which patterns of inheritance affected the comital structure, paying attention to the failures of the Marshal and Clare families in the male line. Crown policy towards the earldoms, particularly under Edward I, will be assessed. The economic basis of magnate authority will also be examined. The role of the earls in war, both as commanders and as providers of troops, will form another theme. It will be possible to concentrate attention on the careers of a number of individuals, such as Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk, or Henry de Lacy Earl of Lincoln. A range of sources will be used, notably chronicles and official government records.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
Subject-specific Skills
Key Skills
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorials | 9 | Weekly | 1 hour | 9 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 291 | ||||
| Total | 300 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 100% | Essay | 5000 words | 100% |
Formative Assessment
There is no seperate formative assessment, but at least one initial draft of the summative essay will be handed in for comment. The tutor will provide regular oral feedback on work in progress.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.