JSB065 History and Culture of the Balkans in the Middle Ages

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2021
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D.
Department of Slavonic Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Pavel Pilch, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Slavonic Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 10:00–11:40 B2.43
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course is aimed at an understanding of the main problems faced by Eastern and South Eastern Europe until 1492. Attention will be focused on various themes: the influence of the Byzantine Empire on the region, the ethnogenesis of the Slavs, state formation and Christianisation, the break-up of early medieval states and the arrival of the appanage period, the formation of nation states in the 14th and 15th centuries and the principle problems from church and cultural history. Emphasis is placed upon the difference in development between Western and Eastern Europe during this period, due to the pronounced Byzantine influence. This course is aimed at an understanding of the main problems faced by Eastern and South Eastern Europe until 1492. By the end of the course students will understand the specific development of Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages and will be able to explain the principle causes for the differences in development between Western and Eastern Europe. An understanding of the function of the Byzantine Empire and travelers in the history if Eastern Europe will provide a base from which they will be able to explain the circumstances surrounding the growth of despotic regimes.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to understand specifics of development of the South-Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages and will be able to explain basic reasons of differences in development of Western and South-Eastern Europe. They will understand the role of Byzantine Empire in the history of Eastern Europe and the role and function of Ottoman Empire. They will manage to characterize architecture and other cultural features of this part of Europe.
Syllabus
  • 3.-4. Arrival of Slavs to the Balkans and early Slavic states (Slavic-Bulgarian tribal union, formation of Bulgarian state and its development till acceptance of Christianity, Serbian states and their development)
  • 5. Orthodox Church and its socio-cultural importance
  • 6. Golden age of Bulgarian Empire - First Bulgarian Tsardom (besides political history also beginnings of Slavic literature, cultural development, Bogomils, question of moving the power centre of the Empire to the area of Macedonia and Macedonian historiography)
  • 7. Flourishing of Middle-Age Serbian state
  • 8. Rise and fall of the Second Bulgarian Tsardom (culture, political development till 1392)
  • 9. Political development after the dissolution of Dušan’s Tsardom, question of religion, architecture and culture
  • 10.-11. Ottoman invasion to the Balkans and twilight of the Middle-Age Slavic states in the Balkans (characteristics of Ottomans and their expansive power, milestone battles and creation of the Kosovo Myth, last days of Serbian statehood - Serbian Despotate including Srem, Crusades)
  • 12. Middle-Age Bosnia (including question of Hungarian presence in the Balkans and Ottoman capture of the now Western-Bosnian areas till 1592)
Literature
  • Stanojević, S.: Vizantija i Srbi. 2 sv. Novi Sad 1903-1906
  • Hladký, Ladislav a kol.: České a slovenské práce o jihovýchodní Evropě. Bibliografie za léta 1991-2000. Brno 2003
  • Browning, R.: Byzantium and Bulgaria. Berkeley 1978
  • Dujčev, I.: Medioevo bizantino-slavo. 3 sv. Roma 1965-1971
  • Uspenskij, F.I.: Istorija vizantijskoj imperii. 3 sv. Moskva 1913-1948
  • Ferjančić, E.: Vizantija i južni Sloveni. Beograd 1966
  • Litavrin, G.G.: Bolgarija i Vizantija v XI-XII vv. Moskva 1960
  • Ostrogorsky, G.: History of the Byzantine State. Cornwall 1984
  • DVORNÍK, František. Zrod střední a východní Evropy :mezi Byzancí a Římem. Translated by Petr Slunéčko. Vyd. 1. Praha: Prostor, 1999, 525 s. ISBN 80-7260-005-2. info
  • ZÁSTĚROVÁ, B. Dějiny Byzance. Praha, 1994. info
  • DOSTÁLOVÁ, Růžena. Byzantská vzdělanost. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1990, 415 s. ISBN 8070210346. info
  • HAVLÍK, Lubomír Emil. Slovanské státní útvary raného středověku : politické postavení, společenská a vládní organizace státních útvarů ve východní, střední a jihovýchodní Evropě od 8. do 11. století. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1987, 250 s. URL info
  • BECK, H.G. Geschichte der orthodoxen Kirche im byzantinischen Reich. Göttingen, 1980. info
  • BROWNING, R. The Byzantine Empire. London, 1980. info
  • WASILEWSKI, Tadeusz. Bizancjum i Słowianie w IX wieku : studia z dziejów stosunków politycznych i kulturalnych. Warszawa: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1972, 233 s. info
  • OBOLENSKY, Dimitri. Byzantium and the Slavs :colllected studies. Edited by Ivan Dujčev. London: Variorum Reprints, 1971. ISBN 90-208-9145-6. info
  • OBOLENSKY, D. The Byzantine Commonwealth. London, 1971. info
  • The Byzantine Commonwealth : Eastern Europe, 500-1453. Edited by Dimitri Obolensky. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1971, 524 s. info
  • DVORNÍK, František. Byzantské misie u Slovanů. Translated by Vladimír Vavřínek. Vyd. 1. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1970, 393 s. URL info
  • RUNCIMAN, Steven. Pád Cařihradu. 1. vyd. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1970, 189 s. info
Teaching methods
The course has a form of a lecture, 1½ hours per week, and a class discussion.
Assessment methods
Oral exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2021/JSB065