The Bright Middle Ages

3 Credits

The period that precedes the Renaissance has been traditionally labeled as the "dark" Middle Ages and it is common to associate an evil, brutality and barbarian life style with the time span comprised of between the 5th and the 15th centuries. This undergraduate seminar does not intend to embellish the truth or to minimize the hardships of life and death at the time of the Crusades. In fact, an objective timeline of historical events that marked that period as middle will be provided, and the central question to be addressed in this class is, "Middle of what"? As we try to answer it, we will be able to examine many "modern" aspects of the Middle Ages. Some of them have been highlighted since the beginning of the 20th century and justify a view of the Middle Ages as a bright and "modern" period in which, while overcoming despicable difficulties and a lack of facilities, the most precious treasures of our times were intellectually conceived, manufactured, built, and written. Taught in Spanish.