PV1B140 1001 Contracts. Variants of Swiss Federal Writing

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2022
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Dr. phil. Heinrich Speich, MAS (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Dr. phil. Heinrich Speich, MAS
Department of Auxiliary Historical Sciences and Archive Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Olga Barová
Supplier department: Department of Auxiliary Historical Sciences and Archive Studies – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
Passive knowledge of German is required to understand the edited texts and basic terminology of the sources.
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
there are 12 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The late medieval Swiss Confederation was an alliance system whose cohesion was ensured by hundreds of bilateral treaties. In the seminar we will go in search of clues: what are these documents, what are their contents and what effects did the alliances have in the long run. For this purpose, we analyse the archival situation, forms and contents of these Latin, German or Franco-Provençal documents. Most of the documents are edited, palaeographic and diplomatic knowledge is desirable but not a prerequisite. The texts become interesting above all in their interaction: how do the alliance treaties shape the political landscape? How do they prove themselves in the event of conflict? How are they cited by late medieval chronicles and in what way are they part of modern historiography? Using the distant Swiss situation as example, various questions can be addressed: What is the transmission situation we have before us? What political culture stands behind the treaties? What conclusions can we draw for the South Moravian tradition of texts?
Learning outcomes
Students are enabled to:
- find relevant documents in the editions and the online repertories of Swiss archives
- Structure the alliance situation of the Confederation along the content of the treaties
- Interonnecting text genesis and alliance situations
- Recognise textual layers, classify them chronologically and link them to events in a meaningful way
- familiarise themselves with archival sources in a distant region, in a foreign language and develop research questions
- develop strategies to identify relevant sources and make them usable
- explain by example how documentary texts are used by chroniclers and early historiographers
Syllabus
  • 1.A: Preliminary information, organisation, dates and conditions of participation. Obliging inscription. - Distribution of texts and short-presentation topics for the second session. 1B: Charters in National History: from Magna Carta to the Constitution of the United States - Building a national canon of sources: Content and selection procedures in archives and editions. 1C: Archival tradition and historiography in modern state-building processes.
  • 2.A: Overview on Swiss History and its sources. B: the evolution of a network of alliances: the late medieval Swiss Confederacy. C. Convenant language, formulary and contents D. The “Federal Charter of 1291“. E. Creating a questionnaire for interpretations of federal charters. Selection of charters for reading at home (analysis)
  • 3. Analysing charters I (13.-15th. c.): Ressources, auxiliary means, interpretations, possible conclusions, inferring statements, rivalries and conflict strategies within the alliance-system. Presentation of personal analysis.
  • 4. Analysing charters II (13.-18.th c.): The formation of a political landscape through contracts and alliances; the longue-durée; the search for good questions: how to formulate research-questions on foreign topics? Possibilities for furhter applications. Conclusion.
Teaching methods
Students are prompted to read the texts beforehand and to participate actively in the discussions. Every student has to analyse a charter for each session (2-4).
Assessment methods
1.) obliging presence (in person or distance)
2.) short presentations (everyone at each session)
2.) a short written exam (analysing an edited charter)
Language of instruction
German
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught: in blocks.
Note related to how often the course is taught: Výuky probíhá ve 4 blocích po 3 vyuč. hodinách.
Teacher's information
The course is taught: in blocks
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