This module allows you to explore the story of the German Kingdom from the mid-9th century until the early 12th. Formed amid the collapse of the Carolingian Empire, it came close to collapse in the early 10th century, yet it was saved by the Magyar crisis, emerging triumphant under the leadership of a new and charismatic dynasty, the Liudolfings. They re-founded the kingdom, turning it into the most dynamic state in 10th-century Europe. The vast empire they created — the so-called ‘Holy Roman Empire’ — would endure until 1804 when it was finally suppressed by Napoleon Buonaparte; but in the mid-eleventh century the power of its monarchs was hollowed out by a savage crisis from which the realm would never entirely recover — a devastating civil war that lasted five decades, from the mid-1070s until 1122.
This stunning narrative raises many questions. Why did it all go ‘right’? Why did it then go so ‘wrong’? This dramatic story provides fundamental insights into the nature of the medieval kingdom, its capacities and its limitations.
What our students say:
‘This module was very enjoyable; the period was engaging and interesting; the seminars were very beneficial in helping to decipher interesting yet challenging sources which I can use later in my degree.’ (Anonymous student evaluation)
‘Lectures were informative and well-organised, seminar readings were easy to access’ (Anonymous student evaluation)