HISTORY 268 / 368
Norman Conquests, Norman Voices, c. 900-1215
Discipline of History, School of Humanities
The University of Auckland
Semester 2, 2016
Duke William receives the oath from Harold Godwinson
(scene from the Bayeux Tapestry)
HISTORY 268 / 368
Norman Conquests, Norman Voices, c. 900-1215
Discipline of History, School of Humanities, The University of Auckland
Semester 2, 2016
Courseguide Contents
page
Courseguide Contents
1
Teaching Staff and Contact Details
1
Introduction and Course Objectives
2
Academic Expectations
2
Lecture Schedule
3
Tutorial Programme
4-5
Information on Canvas
6
Reading Lists and Course Materials
6
Copyright and Plagiarism Warning Notices
6
Assessment and Essay Questions: Stage 2
7
Assessment and Essay Questions: Stage 3
8-9
Weekly Tutorial Exercises
10
Tutorial Readings and Reading Questions
after p.10
Teaching Staff and Contact Details
Lindsay Diggelmann
Lecturer and Course Co-ordinator
Room 533, level 5, 1-11 Short St (building 810), ph. 9237099
email: [email protected]
Anthony Artus
Stage 2 Tutor
email: [email protected]
1
Introduction and Course Objectives
1066 continues to be the most well-known date in medieval history. William of Normandy’s victory
at the Battle of Hastings, so memorably recorded in the Bayeux Tapestry, introduced a new dynasty
and a new ruling elite to England. But who were these conquerors? This course examines the
achievements and self-perception of the Normans from their origins as Norse settlers in tenth-century
France. Beginning c. 900 CE, it looks not just at the imposition of power over England by means of
extraordinary documents such as the Domesday Book, but also at Norman expansion into the
Mediterranean where Norman rulers established regimes in southern Italy, Sicily and the Crusading
principality of Antioch. Alongside the political narrative, which will take the story of the Norman
dynasty and its Angevin (or Plantagenet) successors down to the creation of Magna Carta in 1215, the
course offers a thematic approach. Students will engage with a number of significant historiographical
debates which have taken place in recent decades over the nature of Norman ‘empires’, the question
of identity, the structure of the Norman family and the role of women, and the extent of Norman
cultural achievements. The course is structured around a series of important primary sources which
can give us access to Norman ‘voices’ telling their stories from their own perspective. Each weekly
lecture and tutorial topic focuses on one or two written or visual sources.
It is intended that students who complete History 268 / 368 successfully will:
 Improve their knowledge of Norman society and culture c.900-1215.
 Gain familiarity with a number of significant primary sources (textual, visual, and
documentary) from the period and learn how historians have interpreted them.
 Engage with and critically evaluate historiography on major issues and debates in the field.
 Have fun and enjoy the course.
More broadly, and in line with the University of Auckland’s Information Literacy Policy, History
268 / 368 seeks to develop valuable transferable skills by helping students to:
 Improve their confidence and capability in discussion of historical sources and relevant
academic literature, both in written and oral formats.
 Practise research techniques with the aim of organising and writing assignments that include
coherent arguments and supporting evidence.
 Enhance aptitude in critical thinking, rational debate and analysis, and effective presentation
of ideas.
Academic Expectations
Students should attend one two-hour lecture block and one tutorial each week. Lectures are on
Thursdays from 10am to midday. Attendance is expected at lectures and tutorials. Note that
assessment is closely linked to work done in tutorials, so that students whose attendance is poor are
unlikely to do well. History 268 and History 368 are taught concurrently. Students should be aware
that the course requirements, assessment tasks and expectations of achievement for the two courses
are different even though the lectures are common to both courses. Be sure which course you are
enrolled in and comply with the requirements for the correct level. History 368 is intended to be more
academically challenging than History 268 as it:
 Sets written assignments which are longer and which demand more specific engagement
with historiographical and methodological issues.
 Requires knowledge of a larger and more specialized set of secondary readings.
 Contains a final essay rather than an exam.
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Lecture Schedule
Lecture
Title
Date
1A
1B
Introduction
The History of Norman History
21 July
2A
2B
28 July
3A
3B
Origins of the Duchy of Normandy
Primary Source: Dudo of Saint-Quentin, History of the
Normans
William the Conqueror and 1066
Primary Source: The Bayeux Tapestry
4A
4B
Ruling England
Primary Source: Domesday Book
11 August
5A
5B
Normans in Italy and Sicily
Primary Sources: Historians of Norman Italy
18 August
6A
6B
Norman Empires?
Primary Source: Orderic Vitalis, Ecclesiastical History
25 August
4 August
Mid-Semester Break
15 September
8A
8B
Identities – A Gens Normannorum?
Primary Sources: William of Malmesbury and Gerald of
Wales
Norman Families
Primary Source: Rotuli de dominabus (Ladies’ Rolls)
9A
9B
Cultural Achievements
Primary Source: Wace, Roman de Brut
29 September
10A
10B
Normans on Crusade
Primary Sources: Norman Crusade Chronicles
6 October
11A
11B
The End of the Anglo-Norman World
Primary Source: The History of William Marshal
13 October
12A
12B
Magna Carta
Norman Legacies / Course Conclusion
20 October
7A
7B
3
22 September
Tutorial Programme
Tutorial 1: The History of Norman History
25-27 July
Reading: Charles Homer Haskins, ‘Normandy and its Place in History’, in The Normans in
European History, London, 1919, pp.1-11, 13-17, 22-3.
Tutorial 2: Origins of the Duchy of Normandy
1-3 August
Primary Source: Dudo of Saint-Quentin, History of the Normans, trans. Eric Christiansen,
Woodbridge, 1998, pp.48-50, 82-84, 100-102, 105.
Secondary Reading: Geoffrey Koziol, ‘Dudo of Saint-Quentin and the Ethos of Good
Lordship’, in Begging Pardon and Favor: Ritual and Political Order in Early Medieval
France, Ithaca, NY, 1992, pp.147-59.
Tutorial 3: William the Conqueror and 1066
8-10 August
Primary Source: The Bayeux Tapestry.
Secondary Reading: Shirley Ann Brown, ‘Auctoritas, Consilium et Auxilium: Images of
Authority in the Bayeux Tapestry’, in Martin K. Foys et al., eds, The Bayeux Tapestry:
New Interpretations, Woodbridge, 2009, pp.25-35.
Tutorial 4: Ruling England
15-17 August
Primary Source: Extracts from Domesday Book in Ann Williams and G. H. Martin, eds,
Domesday Book: A Complete Translation, London, 1992, pp.394-5, 716, 1008.
Secondary Reading: H. C. Darby, ‘The Domesday Inquest’, in Domesday England,
Cambridge, 1977, pp.1-14.
Tutorial 5: Normans in Italy and Sicily
22-24 August
Primary Source: Geoffrey Malaterra, The Deeds of Count Roger of Calabria and Sicily and of
his brother Duke Robert Guiscard, trans. Kenneth B. Wolf, Ann Arbor, MI, 2005, pp.515, 66-9, 117-20.
Secondary Reading: Kenneth B. Wolf, ‘Geoffrey Malaterra as a Historian’, in Geoffrey
Malaterra, The Deeds of Count Roger of Calabria and Sicily and of his brother Duke
Robert Guiscard, trans. Kenneth B. Wolf, Ann Arbor, MI, 2005, pp.12-33.
Tutorial 6: Norman Empires?
12-14 September
Primary Source: Two episodes from the reigns of Henry I and Stephen in Orderic Vitalis,
Ecclesiastical History, vol. 6, ed. Marjorie Chibnall, Oxford, 1978, pp.83-93, 455-7.
Secondary Reading: Christopher Daniell, ‘Family Politics’, in From Norman Conquest to
Magna Carta: England 1066-1215, London and New York, 2003, pp.33-49.
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Tutorial 7: Identities – A Gens Normannorum?
19-21 September
Primary Source: Comparison of the Normans and the English in William of Malmesbury, The
History of the English Kings, trans. R. Mynors et al., Oxford, 1998, pp.449-63.
Primary Source: Gerald of Wales, The History and Topography of Ireland, trans. John. J.
O’Meara, Montrauth, 1982, pp.100-3.
Secondary Reading: John Gillingham, ‘The Beginnings of English Imperialism’, Journal of
Historical Sociology 5, 4, 1992, pp.392-409.
Tutorial 8: Norman Families
26-28 September
Primary Source: Extracts from the Rotuli de dominabus (Ladies’ Rolls) in John Walmesley,
ed., Widows, Heirs, and Heiresses in the Late Twelfth Century: The Rotuli de Dominabus
et Pueris et Puellis, Tempe, AZ, 2006, pp.17-21, 73-7, 113-17.
Secondary Reading: Susan M. Johns, ‘Royal Inquests and the Power of Noblewomen: The
Rotuli de Dominabus et Pueris et Puellis de XII Comitatibus of 1185’, in Noblewomen,
Aristocracy and Power in the Twelfth-Century Anglo-Norman Realm, Manchester, 2003,
pp.165-93.
Tutorial 9: Cultural Achievements
3-5 October
Primary Source: Episode on King Arthur from Wace’s Roman de Brut - A History of the
British, trans. Judith Weiss, revised edn, Exeter, 2002, pp.243-57.
Secondary Reading: Judith Weiss, ‘Introduction’, in Wace’s Roman de Brut - A History of the
British, trans. Judith Weiss, revised edn, Exeter, 2002, pp.xi-xxiv.
Tutorial 10: Normans on Crusade
10-12 October
Primary Source: The Gesta Tancredi of Ralph of Caen: A History of the Normans on the First
Crusade, trans. B. and D. Bachrach, Aldershot, 2005, pp.21-4, 142-5.
Primary Source: Ambroise, The History of the Holy War, ed. and trans. M. Ailes and M.
Barber, Woodbridge, 2003, pp.103-8.
Secondary Reading: John France, ‘The Normans and Crusading’, in R. Abels and B.
Bachrach, eds, The Normans and Their Adversaries at War, Woodbridge, 2001, pp.87101.
Tutorial 11: The End of the Anglo-Norman World
17-19 October
Primary Source: Episode on King John and the loss of Normandy in A. J. Holden et al., eds,
The History of William Marshal, vol. 2, London, 2004, pp.121-33.
Secondary Reading: John Gillingham, ‘The Crisis of the Angevin Empire’, in The Angevin
Empire, 2nd edn, London, 2001, pp.86-102.
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Information on Canvas
For 2016 the University of Auckland has introduced a new Learning Management System
called Canvas. Access your courses at: https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/
All course resources and announcements will be posted to Canvas. Other functions (eg:
Turnitin, links to essay reading items and library reading lists) will also be integrated with
Canvas. More information will be provided as the semester progresses. A guide to Canvas for
students can be found at: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-4121
Course information may be made available via Canvas email announcements. Please
check that the email account you use is listed correctly on Canvas.
Reading Lists and Course Materials
Comprehensive reading lists and helpful guidelines for essays are available on Canvas.
Consult the file named ‘368ReadingLists2016’ or ‘268ReadingLists2016’, as appropriate
for your level. Almost all items included in the essay reading lists are available electronically.
Links to most items are available under the ‘Reading Lists’ heading on Canvas. Some items
are included in this courseguide or (in a very few cases) in hard copy on Short Loan at the
General Library main lending desk. Further information on essay writing and referencing is
provided in the file named ‘History Coursework Guide’, also available on Canvas.
Copyright and Plagiarism Notices
Copyright Warning: This material is protected by copyright and has been copied by and solely for
the educational purposes of the University under licence. You may not sell, alter or further reproduce
or distribute any part of this coursepack material to any other person. Where provided to you in
electronic format, you may only print from it for your own private study and research. Failure to
comply with the terms of this warning may expose you to legal action for copyright infringement
and/or disciplinary action by the University.
Plagiarism Warning Notice: The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting
others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework and examinations as a serious academic offence.
The work that a student submits for grading must be the student’s own work, reflecting his or her
learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced.
This requirement also applies to sources on the world-wide web. For further information see the
‘Student Academic Conduct Statute’ available at:
http://www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/about/teaching-learning/honesty/tl-uni-regs-statutes-guidelines
Students’ assessed work will be reviewed against electronic source material using computerized
detection mechanisms. Students therefore will be required to provide an electronic version of their
work for computerized review.
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Assessment: Stage 2
Weekly tutorial exercises: 20%. See p.10 for instructions
Essay:
40%. 2000 words, due Wednesday 14 September
Exam:
40%. Date and time to be advised
Submit the paper copy of your essay before 4 pm on the due date. Ensure that you have
signed and attached a cover sheet generated from Canvas. Upload an electronic copy of your
essay to Turnitin via Canvas (no separate Turnitin password required). Please note the
following:
 Work which is submitted late without a pre-arranged extension will have marks
deducted (5 percentage points for the first day; 2 points per day thereafter).
 Failure to submit all coursework (essay and an adequate number of weekly tutorial
exercises) may result in a grade of DNC (‘Did Not Complete’) on your academic
record. Failure to sit the exam will result in a grade of DNS (‘Did not sit’).
Essay (Stage 2)
2000 words, 40%. Due: 4 pm, Wednesday 14 September (week 7)
Choose ONE of the following FOUR questions (covering topics 2-5)
Topic 2. Origins of the Duchy of Normandy
In what ways were the rulers of the Duchy of Normandy able to establish and consolidate
their power during the tenth and early eleventh centuries? Is Dudo’s History a helpful source
for this period?
Topic 3. William the Conqueror and 1066
Why did Duke William of Normandy invade England in 1066? How useful is the Bayeux
Tapestry for telling us what happened?
Topic 4: Ruling England
By what methods, and how effectively, was Norman power imposed on England during the
latter part of the eleventh century? How can Domesday Book provide evidence for this
process?
Topic 5: Normans in Italy and Sicily
Why were Norman regimes able to achieve such prominence in southern Italy and Sicily
during the eleventh century? What is the value of Geoffrey Malaterra’s text as a record of
Norman activities?
***Questions on this page are for Stage 2 students. Make sure you answer the correct
question for your level.***
7
Assessment: Stage 3
Weekly tutorial exercises: 20%. See p.10 for instructions
Essay 1:
40%. 2500 words, due Thursday 1 September
Essay 2:
40%. 2500 words, due –
either Monday 10 October (topics from weeks 6-8)
or Monday 31 October (topics from weeks 9-12)
Submit your essays before 4 pm on the due date. For all Stage 3 assessment, submission
will be electronic only (no paper version required) via Canvas / Turnitin. You will still need
to generate and upload essay cover sheets from Canvas to comply with University
requirements. Further details will be provided closer to the essay dates. Please note the
following:
 Work which is submitted late without a pre-arranged extension will have marks
deducted (5 percentage points for the first day; 2 points per day thereafter).
 Failure to submit all coursework (both essays and an adequate number of weekly
tutorial exercises) may result in a grade of DNC (‘Did Not Complete’) on your
academic record.
Essay One (Stage 3)
2500 words, 40%. Due: 4 pm, Thursday 1 September (during mid-semester break)
Choose ONE of the following FOUR questions (covering topics 2-5)
Topic 2. Origins of the Duchy of Normandy
To what extent does the available evidence, including Dudo’s History, allow historians to
make a thorough evaluation of the development of Norman ducal power in the tenth and early
eleventh centuries?
Topic 3. William the Conqueror and 1066
In what ways have historians explained the justifications for and responses to Duke William
of Normandy’s invasion of England in 1066? How convincingly have they used the Bayeux
Tapestry in support of their views?
Topic 4: Ruling England
Why have historians emphasized a variety of Norman strategies when assessing the
imposition of power on England during the latter part of the eleventh century? How have
interpretations of Domesday Book contributed to our understanding of Norman rule?
Topic 5: Normans in Italy and Sicily
Why were Norman rulers able to achieve such prominence in southern Italy and Sicily during
the eleventh and twelfth centuries? In what ways does historical writing from the period help
to shape our knowledge of Norman activities in the region?
***Questions on this page are for Stage 3 students. Make sure you answer the correct
question for your level.***
8
Essay Two (Stage 3)
2500 words, 40%. Choose ONE of the following SEVEN questions (covering topics 6-12)
Option A
Due 4 pm, Monday 10 October (week 11) for topics 6-8
Topic 6. Norman Empires?
Why did England and Normandy experience periods of unity and separation between 1066
and 1154? How useful have historians found the idea of an Anglo-Norman ‘empire’ when
describing these developments?
Topic 7. Identities – A Gens Normannorum?
What do historians mean when they refer to ‘identity’ when discussing both the Normans and
their neighbours? Why has it proven so challenging to agree on the definition and
significance of this term?
Topic 8: Norman Families
Why have historians focused so closely on practical matters (such as land-holding or politics)
when discussing family relationships among Norman elites during the eleventh and twelfth
centuries? What other issues may have been important for Norman families?
Option B
Due 4 pm, Monday 31 October (during exam period) for topics 9-12
Topic 9: Cultural Achievements
Is it possible to point to a specifically Norman set of cultural values, as expressed in a variety
of contexts (eg: literature or architecture) in the eleventh and twelfth centuries?
Topic 10: Normans on Crusade
Examine the way that contemporary observers portrayed crusaders with Norman connections
(eg: Bohemond and Tancred of Antioch, or Richard the Lionheart) in their texts. To what
extent is ‘Normanness’ a noticeable factor in their descriptions?
Topic 11: The End of the Anglo-Norman World
What factors have historians identified as significant in the creation and destruction of the socalled ‘Angevin empire’ under Henry II and his sons? Why did it crumble so rapidly by 1204?
Topic 12: Magna Carta
Why have historians offered such a range of opinions about the significance of Magna Carta,
with reference both to 1215 and to later periods?
9
Weekly Tutorial Exercises
The following guidelines apply to both stage 2 and stage 3 students.
You must complete at least 3 of 5 weekly tutorial exercises in the first half of the course
(before mid-semester break) and 3 of 6 in the second half – 6 in total to qualify for maximum
possible marks. If you choose to complete more than 6, we will drop your lowest marks and
take the average of the remaining results (ensuring that there are at least 3 from each half of
the course). In order to qualify for a mark each week, you must attend the tutorial and then
submit a brief answer (c. 200 words) to the weekly questions by 5pm on the Friday of the
same week. Submission of tutorial exercises will be via Turnitin (through Canvas) only; no
paper copy is required.
Templates for each weekly exercise, including questions to be answered, are available on
Canvas. Please note that the questions to be answered are different from the reading questions
listed in this courseguide at the start of each weekly set of readings.
Failure to complete at least 6 weekly exercises will not result in an automatic fail, but will
reduce your ability to get the best possible result in the course. In extreme cases (eg: no
weekly exercises submitted) a total grade for the course of DNC (‘Did Not Complete’) may
be awarded. Unsatisfactory results of this nature will be viewed on a case-by-case basis and
decisions are at the course co-ordinator’s discretion.
Memorial Sculpture in Falaise, Normandy
10