Founded in the course and aftermath of the First Crusade the near eastern crusader lordships were home to numerous religions and cultures, which for almost 200 years co-existed, converged and clashed in multiple and often unexpected forms. This course aims to capture and analyse the variety of engagements and contacts between Latin settlers and indigenous Christians, Muslims and Jews in the crusader lordships by looking at aspects and concepts of cultural borrowing, assimilation, exclusion and identity from a social and religious perspective.

10x one-hour lectures and 5x 2-hour seminars over 10 weeks as scheduled in MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in History and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

None.

None.

Essay (2500 words) - 40%

Examination (120 mins) - 60%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The course aims to:

■ Examine the social, political, and religious dynamics that shaped the Crusader States in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries

■ Develop a critical understanding of intercultural interactions in the Crusader States through analysis of social, political, and religious exchanges between different cultural communities and assessment of their impact on the region's complex social and political structures.

■ Encourage student-led enquiry and debate on the relative validity of differing historical interpretations through promotion of a collaborative learning environment where students can explore and advocate for their own insights while appreciating alternative viewpoints.

■ Develop students' ability to engage with historiographical debates related to the interplay of religion and politics in the Crusader States through comparative analysis of written and material evidence and oral presentations to peers.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Identify the key social, political, and religious interactions that shaped the Crusader States, situating these dynamics within the broader context of twelfth- and thirteenth-century Levantine society.

■ Distinguish and evaluate different historiographical traditions and methodological approaches relevant to the study of medieval trans-cultural relations in the medieval Levant, assessing their contributions to current historical understanding.

■ Critically engage with and interpret various types of primary written evidence (including charters, letters, chronicles, and travel accounts) to develop nuanced insights into the social, political, and religious aspects of the subject.

■ Consolidate and apply skills of critical analysis, argument, and expression to construct and communicate well-reasoned interpretations of historical interactions in the Levant.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.