Module HIST2721: THE COURT: ART AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN EUROPE

Department: History

HIST2721: THE COURT: ART AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN EUROPE

Prerequisites

• A pass mark in at least ONE level one module in History.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To introduce students to a comparative history of European courts from c.1500 to c.1715.
• To introduce students to a variety of historical approaches, including art history, architectural history, history of collecting, and music history.
• To introduce students to some key themes of early modern social and cultural history.

Content

• The content will include the following themes to be covered in lectures and in detail in seminars
• The definition of the court.
• The organisation of the court, and the Burgundian model.
• The roles and definitions of courtiers
• Favourites
• Ceremonial culture and the 'theatre state'
• Ceremonial entries
• Court ballet and masques
• The Elias debate
• Religion at court
• Town planning
• Palace building
• Court painters
• Male and female princely patronage, and the patronage of courtiers
• Papal patronage

Learning Outcomes

• Students will gain: Knowledge and understanding of aspects of early modern European court history.
• Understanding of different approaches for examining aspects of early modern court history.

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/
• In addition students will acquire an ability to construct analytical and sophisticated arguments on historical issues in a form and at a length appropriate to the material.

• Key skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching will be by lectures and seminars.
• The lectures will indicate to the students the major historical and historiographical issues and seminars will give them the chance to focus on issues arising from the lectures.
• Formative work will include seminar presentations which will be submitted and returned with comments.
• Summative assessment will be by two essays of 2,500/3000 words.
• This will enable the students to examine particular areas in detail within the module's range of study in greater detail, reflecting the particular nature of the secondary material and teaching resources available for art and cultural history.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One or more short assignments submitted in writing or delivered orally in a group seminar context.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University