Course Syllabus

Course Information:

Course Description:

This course will examine the origins and development of the concepts of Christian and Muslim Holy War in the pre-modern world. We will focus on the period of the Crusades (1095-1270). During this period, Western Christians attacked and colonized the Levant (the eastern Mediterranean) following (and continuously redefining) the precepts of Crusade, the ultimate medieval expression of Christian Holy War. Muslims, in turn, redefined their understanding of the traditions of Jihad during their counter-attack and ultimate re-conquest of Jerusalem and the Crusader states. We will discuss both the correlations and distinct elements between the two traditions, look at their disparate origins, and then examine the influence each had on the other as the Christian and Muslim worlds came into conflict. Although focusing on the defining medieval centuries, the chronology of the course will extend from the origins of Christianity and Islam to the siege of Vienna in 1683.

Beyond learning the specifics of the subject, we will also work on learning how to do historical research, analyze primary documents, and then write about them in both formal and informal writing.

Required Texts:

  • F. Gabrieli, Arab Historians of the Crusades (Hereafter: Arab Historians )
  • C. Tyerman, Fighting for Christendom (Hereafter: Tyerman)
  • E. Peters, The First Crusade (Hereafter: First Crusade)
  • E. Peters, Christian Society and the Crusades (Hereafter: Christian Society)
  • The Oxford Annotated Bible: Revised Standard Edition
  • An English Interpretation of the Holy Qur'an - A. Y. Ali

There will also be numerous other readings either posted online or given out in class. You are required to bring all readings due on any given day to class to aid in discussion. For online materials, this means you must print them out.

I have also arranged to have T. Madden, A Concise History of the Crusades, made available for you to buy in the bookstore. No readings will be assigned from this book, but it provides an excellent source for the historical background of the Crusades.

Course Requirements and Assignments:

  • Reading Journal - 15%
    • You will need to keep a reading journal on the primary documents. For each day that primary documents are assigned for you to read at home, you need to write a few discussion questions or comments about the documents. See the designation "R" (such as R-1) to see when journals are due.
      • Consider the following types of issues. What can we learn from the documents? What should we ask about them in class? What problems do they present? You do not need to address all of the documents equally, but can focus on the sources you find most interesting.
      • Each entry should be about a page long. THEY MUST BE TYPED AND DOUBLE SPACED.
      • There are 18 days which require journal entries, and the best 15 will count for your grade. Entries will be graded S(atisfactory) or U(nsatisfactory). Each S is worth 1% of your final grade.
      • I will collect reading journals from time to time (see below), but will often use them as the basis for class discussion. If you fail to have yours with you when called upon, you will receive a U for the day.
  • Final Paper - 35%
    • You will write an 8-10 page paper on a single extended primary source and secondary materials pertaining to the source. Your grade on the final paper is worth the full 35%, but you cannot receive higher than a C- if you fail to complete each step along the way. These steps are:
      1. Selection: Choose your document and provide a preliminary bibliography. Summarize the question you want to answer. Due Thursday, October 18
      2. Summaries: Summarize the contents of your primary document and the relevant parts of your secondary material. Include an outline of the overall paper. Due Thursday, November 3
      3. First Draft: Bring a complete draft of your paper to class. You will read one of your peer's papers (or possible more) and comment on it. Due Tuesday, November 22
      4. Final Paper is due Tuesday, December 13
  • Short Textual Analysis Exercise - 5%
    • 800-1000 word paper on a short selection from one of our primary documents. Selections will be provided to you on September 29, and the paper will be due on Thursday, October 6 . More information forthcoming.
  • First Exam - 10%
    • In-class exam consisting of several identification questions and an essay question. 50 Minutes Long. Thursday, October 13.
  • Second Exam - 20%
    • In-class exam consisting of several identification questions and two essay questions. Tuesday, November 15
  • Participation and Attendance - 15%
    • Participation is more than just showing up, but it starts with just showing up. You cannot participate if you are not here. I will take attendance every day. Unexcused absences will weigh heavily against your participation grade.
      • Excused absences - severe illness with doctor's note, death in the family, acts of God, or legitimate St. Olaf activities (i.e. the choir tour in the first week of class) will obviously not incur any direct penalty. However, if you aren't here, you cannot participate, so you will need to work hard to make up for any classes missed legitimately. You are responsible for catching up on material missed by consulting both me and your peers.
    • But participation is about more than just showing up. It's about doing the reading, being prepared to talk about it, volunteering your input, being involved in your group work, preparing for the debates and other discussions, and generally being an asset to the class as a whole. We will have a variety of ways in which you can participate, but none matter more than being an active member in our small-group and full-class discussions.
    • Your participation is a large percent of your grade. You will need to earn it. Take initiative. Do not expect to speak only when directly called upon and ace this section of the class.
    • Finally, being late consistently may be counted as being absent. It will certainly lower your participation grade.

The Grade:

  • Reading Journal - 15%
  • Final Paper - 35%
  • Short Textual Analysis Exercise - 5%
  • First Exam - 10%
  • Second Exam - 20%
  • Participation and Attendance - 15

Course Policies

  1. Follow the St. Olaf Code of Student Conduct. If you are unsure about whether something is plagiarism or cheating, ask first.
  2. No assignment, under any circumstances, will be accepted by fax or email.
  3. Students must bring readings to class on the day they are assigned. Print out online materials.
  4. Informal writing assignments will not be accepted late as they exist to stimulate your pre-class thought and to aid in discussion.
  5. Formal writing assignments and examinations are due at the beginning of class. DO NOT EVER SKIP CLASS TO TRY AND FINISH YOUR PAPER. Printing errors and lost data are a fact of the computer age. If you wait until the last minute and encounter technical difficulties, your paper may still be counted as late.
  6. For every day a paper or project is late, you lose one full grade per day (A to B, B to C, etc.). Do not test this system. Turn your work in on time. Stapled. With your name on every page. Typed. Double-spaced. In a reasonable font.

Calendar of readings and assignments:

This page will contain a fairly detailed list of what we will cover in each day of class. It also links to specific pages for each day, where outlines and images for each lecture are posted. You will need the username and password given out in the first day of class to access them.

Note: With some of the longer assignments, the passages will be broken up into sections. You will skim the entire text, read an assigned section diligently, and lead your peers through it during class.


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This site last updated: 8/26/05
Comments to: David Perry
Homepage URL: http://www.stolaf.edu/courses/2005sem1/History/188/
© 2005 by David Perry and St. Olaf College. All rights reserved.