History of the Middle Ages (Politics and Institutions)
Courses
Cod: 31040
Department: DCSG
ECTS: 6
Scientific area: History
Total working hours: 156
Total contact time: 15

This course unit focuses on the political and institutional areas of the Portuguese kingdom during the Middle Ages. As such, the course unit will assess the process of formation and construction of the kingdom as an independent political unit, as well as the structuring and the balance established between the various powers framing society. The Law and institutions are subject to a privileged analysis, as fundamental elements for the understanding of the judiciary framework of the time and the various levels of power.

1. Identifying fundamental features of the medieval Portuguese political and institutional constitution.
2. Understanding and identifying evolution processes the feature this period of time.
3. Developing critical judgement and to ellaborate syntheses on the studied subjects.

I. Historiographical approaches of the political evolution and of the medieval Portuguese institutions
II. Formation and construction of the Portuguese kingdom (11th to 14th centuries)
1. The Portucalense County
2. The kingdom's independence: conquest, diplomacy, settling and boundaries setting
3. The kingdom's consolidation: the Crown centralising actiuon and power conflicts
III. The Law and the institutions
1. The Law: features, sources, systematisations
2. The Crown
3. The Lords
4. The Municipalities
5. The Courts

MORENO, Humberto Baquero et al. - História de Portugal Medievo: Político e Institucional, Lisboa, Universidade Aberta, 1995.
Dicionário de História de Portugal, dir. de Joel Serrão, 6 vols., Porto, Livraria Figueirinhas, 1990 (reedição).
História de Portugal, dir. de José Mattoso, vol. II, A Monarquia Feudal (1096-1480), coord. de José Mattoso, Lisboa, Círculo de Leitores, 1993.
MATTOSO, José, Identificação de um País. Ensaio sobre as Origens de Portugal. 1096-1325, vol. I, Oposição, vol. II, Composição, Lisboa, Editorial Estampa, 1995 (5th edition).
Nova História de Portugal, dir. de Joel Serrão & A. H. de Oliveira Marques, vol. III, Portugal em Definição de Fronteiras (1096-1325). Do Condado Portucalense à Crise do Século XIV, coord. de Maria Helena da Cruz Coelho & Armando Luís de Carvalho Homem, vol. IV, Portugal na Crise dos Séculos XIV e XV, por A. H. de Oliveira Marques, Lisboa, Editorial Presença, 1996 and 1987.

Online learning with continuous supervision favoring asynchronous communication (Moodle platform).
Students have to perform the tasks requested by the teacher: essays, critical recensions, reports, protocols, etc. All works will be evaluated and/or classified.

Continuous assessment is privileged: 2 or 3 digital written documents (e-folios) during the semester (40%) and a presence-based final exam (p-folio) in the end of the semester (60%).
In due time, students can alternatively choose to perform one final presence-based exam (100%).

Students are required to have access to a computer with Internet connection and an e-mail address.