Course: Travel in the Medieval World

« Back
Course title Travel in the Medieval World
Course code KHI/XCLA
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Seminary
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 5
Language of instruction English
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Course availability The course is available to visiting students
Lecturer(s)
  • Leonte Florin, Ph.D.
  • Peřinová Markéta
Course content
This course discusses the experience and the accounts of travels from Medieval Europe.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training)
Learning outcomes
This course explores the many ways people moved and traveled in medieval Europe between 300-1500 CE. Challenging the common perception of the Middle Ages as a static period, we will discover a society characterized by mobility and interconnectedness. From pilgrims and merchants to diplomats and warriors, medieval people were frequently on the move for faith, profit, politics, and conquest. Over the semester, we will investigate the reasons why medieval people undertook journeys and the logistics of how they traveled. What motivated people to face the perils of the road and sea? How did they navigate using maps and itineraries? What routes, infrastructure, and technologies facilitated their movement? To answer these questions, we will look at the travel experiences of a diverse cross-section of medieval society. We will join individuals establishing religious networks, merchants seeking fortune along trade routes, and crusaders voyaging to the Holy Land. We will encounter celebrated travelers like Marco Polo and lesser-known voyagers. Their accounts will lead us on a journey through the landscapes of medieval Europe and beyond.
The course will allow students to analyze several major themes: 1. Medieval geographical knowledge and notions of space. 2. The experience of pilgrims: routes, relics, and hospitality. 3. Key trade routes like the Silk Road and the Mediterranean Sea routes. 4. Exploration and discovery in the East and North. 5. Crusades and Military Expeditions. 6. Travel and literature: fiction and reality. 7. The dangers and innovations of traveling.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course. All reading materials will be uploaded on the Moodle page of the class.

Assessment methods and criteria
Student performance

Active participation in class and fulfillment of the written assignments.
Recommended literature


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA22) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): History with Emphasis of Education Aspects (BB23) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): History with Emphasis of Education Aspects (BB22) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): History with Emphasis of Education Aspects (BB24) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA24) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): History with Emphasis of Education Aspects (BB23) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Histrory (2019) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Euroculture (2023_N24) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Euroculture (2023_S24) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (2019) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (2019) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Archive Studies (2019) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Euroculture (2023) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): History with Emphasis of Education Aspects (BB22) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Euroculture (2019) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA23) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA22) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA24) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (2019) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (2012) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): History with Emphasis of Education Aspects (BB24) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (2019) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): History (2019) Category: History courses - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Education Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA23) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -