World History Class Notes November 10th 

World History Class Notes November 10th 

Jews in the Islamic Middle East 

  • Generally more welcome
    • people of the book
    • Shared Abrahamic tradition
  • Muslims more used to others than European Christians 
    • Outside of Spain, basically all of Europe was Christian by ca. 1000 CE


Jews in Medieval Europe

  • Taxed to maintain autonomy 
  • Violence against Jews from after Constantine
  • Crusaders (12th-13th centuries)
  • Sicut Judaeis (the Constitution for the Jews)
    • Some protections from Vatican; But marked out Jews as separate 
  • Expelled from Iberia in 1492 


Blood Libel

  • False accusations that Jews killed Christian children to use their blood in ritual


William of Norwich

  • Thomas of Monmouth
    • "The Life and Miracles of St.William of Norwich" a hagiography of William of Norwich
  • Crucifixion


Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln

  • 1255 CE 
  • Aged 9
  • Excuse forJewish Persecution 
  • Jews taxed harshly by Henry III
    • Jews were financiers because of restrictions on usury/money-lending 
    • Jews had to collect debts to pay taxes


Legend and History

  • Lengend defined
  • The rise of national heroes
    • Arthur
    • Roland
  • The roots of "the hero"


Definitions

  • Three types of "sub-genres" in myth:    
    • Divine myth
    • Legend 
    • Folktale 


King Arthur 

  • Nennius (9th century CE) is the first writer to introduce Arthur as a great historical leader of the Britons 
    • Later writers support this view 
  • "History of the Kings of Britain" by Geoffrey of Monmouth (1100-1155 CE)
  • Context: the end of Rome in Britain
  • Arthur is the Welsh version of the Roman name Artorius
    • Ambrosius Aurelianus 


Roland 

  • The Song of Roland (1040-1115)
  • Charlemagne's army is fighting the Muslims in Spain
  • Marsilla want to concede 
  • Ganelon and Roland 
  • Roland ambushed
    • Refuses to call for help (Oliphant)
    • Blows trumpet at death 

Roland History 

  • 778 CE Charlemagne in small campaign in North Spain
  • Rear Guard attacked by Basque at Roncevaux 


Nationalism and Heroes 

  • Why do societies manufacture these legends?
  • Why in the early middle ages?
  • Are there similar heroes in American History?


Etymology 

  • Hero (or Heroine?)
  • Greek 
  • Indo-European 
  • "protect" 


Heroes: Two Definitions

  • Born Semi-divine 
    • Offspring of deity/human
      • Achilles; Hercules 
  • Made divine through actions on Earth