when we think of medieval england, our minds wander to opposing directions.  On the one hand, we think of chivalric knights who protected well-dressed damsels in distress—or who, like Robin Hood, protected the naïve citizens from heinous officials.  On the other hand, we think of the dirty, plague ridden villages that people seldom traveled to or from and whose villagers barely knew of "England" (think here of Monty Python's filmic adaptations).  In an effort to problematize these notions of English history, this class will explore the history of England from its Celtic beginnings to the end of the War of the Roses.  As such, it will detail the diversity of population and the vibrancy of medieval society.  When we complete this course, we will discover, perhaps, yet another way of exploring England of medieval times.

page created: 26 August 2006 / updated 31 August 2008