HISTORY OF VENICE IN THE MIDDLE AGES

The teaching is part of the disciplines that characterize the Master's degree course in History from the Middle Ages to the contemporary age. It aims to ensure: a critical and detailed knowledge of the history of Venice in the Middle Ages (VI-XV centuries); a critical and in-depth knowledge of the historiographical debate, above all in relation to some topics identified to characterize the Venetian medieval millennium; an adequate knowledge of the methodology of historical research. The aim of the course is also to acquire skills in identifying individual research paths autonomously, and to undertake them using the tools provided by the Web for historical research, which the student has become competent.

The disciplinary and methodological purposes of the course are: the knowledge and the ability to understand critically and deeply the dynamics of political, social and institutional development of Venice from the Middle Ages to the thresholds of the modern era; the knowledge of the historiographical debate, and of the peculiarities of the historical investigation in relation to the discipline, with specific reference to the various problems related to the sources for the study of the history of Venice in the Middle Ages. The purposes include: the ability to autonomously identify cases study and to carry them out; the competence in communicating the acquired contents and the results obtained with appropriate and clear vocabulary.

The achievement of the purposes allows the student to have the cultural, disciplinary and methodological knowledge to enter professionally in the teaching, publishing or in areas related to the conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage, with educational and cultural dissemination, with historical research, with human resources.

Attending the course and / or individual study allow to acquire critical and specific knowledge of the history of Venice from its origins to the conquest of the Venetian-Lombard mainland (in particular of the political, social and institutional developments); of the historiographical debate on the topics dealt with; of the techniques of historical investigation applied to the spatial and temporal sphere of competence of the discipline.

The knowledge learned allows to acquire the ability to identify changes and resilience phenomena in the historical processes under examination; to orientate yourself in the vast panorama of the medieval testimonies of Venetian history; to use the tools provided by the web for the discipline (sites, digital databases, online projects).

The knowledge learned allows also to acquire the ability: to independently identify a research topic worthy of further study; to retrieve the useful testimonies to the elaborated research project; to deal with it in a possibly multidisciplinary dimension; to deal with sector studies; to communicate finally, in oral or written form using traditional and computerized channels, the results of the personal investigation and study with language suited to the discipline.

Knowledge, comprehension and skills are achieved by the student through lectures, seminar and research activity and, if possible, visits to research institutes and book and document preservation.

There is no disciplinary requirement; however, knowledge of the spoken and written Italian language is necessary. Useful (but not obligatory), moreover, a general preparation of history of medieval Europe, knowledge of Latin and notions of palaeography.

The first lessons (regular class sessions) present the highlights of the history of Venice in the Middle Ages (VI-mid-XV centuries). The major themes are treated: the genesis of medieval Venice, the autonomous process from Byzantium, the contrast with the Carolingian empire and the Ottoni, the institutional turns (formation of the Comune Veneciarum and the patrician government), the constitution of the maritime commonwealth and the overseas enterprises, the crises of the fourteenth century, the expansion in the Venetian and Lombard mainland. Above all are treated the dynamics of political, social and institutional development that have affected the medieval Venice and have made it interact widely with the Italian, European and Mediterranean framework. For this first part, constant reference will be made both to the betrayed documentation (and in particular to key testimonies of the periods treated) and to the historiographical debate.

In the second part of the course is organised a seminar. It guides each student to the identification of a case study, to be studied on the sources and with the aid of critical literature.

For non-attending students there is a substitute study program for the seminar part and a supplementary bibliography for the part performed during the lectures (general / institutional part).

Attending students

A) Required: personal notes and materials presented in class

Supplementary texts (not required):
-Ortalli G., Venezia dalle origini a Pietro II Orseolo, in Storia d'Italia, dir. by G. Galasso, vol. I, Torino 1980, pp. 341-438
-Cracco G., Venezia nel Medioevo: un "altro mondo", in Storia d'Italia, dir. by G. Galasso, vol. VII, Torino 1987, pp. 1-157
-Lane F.C., Storia di Venezia, Torino 1978 or following editions (or. ed. 1973), in particolare pp. 1-282

Useful for consultation (not required):
-Maranini G., La costituzione di Venezia, Firenze 1974, 2 vols.
-Zordan G., L'ordinamento giuridico veneziano, Padova 1980
-Storia di Venezia, Roma, Istituto della Enciclopedia italiana, 1991- (vols. 1-5 and 12)

B) Further information will be provided for the seminar at the beginning of the course.



Non-attending students

Required:
A) In lieu of the lectures (general / institutional part):

-Ortalli G., Venezia dalle origini a Pietro II Orseolo, in Storia d'Italia, diretta da G. Galasso, vol. I, Torino 1980, pp. 341-438
-Cracco G., Venezia nel Medioevo: un "altro mondo", in Storia d'Italia, diretta da G. Galasso, vol. VII, Torino 1987, pp. 1-157
or
-Lane F.C., Storia di Venezia, Torino 1978 or following ed. (ed. or. 1973), in particular pp. 1-282


B) In place of the seminar work
-Il commonwealth veneziano tra 1204 e la fine della Repubblica. Identità e peculiarità, ed. by G. Ortalli, O.J Schmitt, E. Orlando, Venezia 2015
-Roesch G., Venezia e l'impero: 962-1250. I rapporti politici, commerciali e di traffico nel periodo imperiale germanico, Roma 1985

Useful first consultation tools (not required):
-Maranini G., La costituzione di Venezia, Firenze 1974, 2 vols.
-Zordan G., L'ordinamento giuridico veneziano, Padova 1980
-Storia di Venezia, Roma, Istituto della Enciclopedia italiana, 1991- (vols. 1-5 e 12)

See also Other information

The exam intends to ascertain the acquisition of an in-depth knowledge of the great themes of the history of Venice in the Middle Ages. It is also proposed to verify the acquisition of skills such as: the ability to apply the historical research methodology (elaboration of a theme, collection and critical analysis of primary and secondary sources); the ability to use written and oral communication (for what concerns, in particular, the choice of contents and information, the use of a suitable terminology, the argumentative attitude, the ability to choose the most suitable register to be used in relation to the target audience).

For attending students: oral and written test. For the program carried out during the lectures (general / institutional) oral examination: the teacher will consider as such the participation and interventions of the candidate during the course, any exercises assigned and carried out at home. For the seminar part, a written report will be written and sent by e-mail to the teacher. The report is presented and shared in a final seminar meeting to be agreed together at the beginning of the course. The tests (oral and written) are each graded in thirtieths. The final grade is given by the average of the results of the individual tests.

For non-attending students: oral and written examination. For the substitutive part of the lectures (general / institutional) oral examination. For the substitute part of the seminar work (the two monographs), written report of each monograph, to be sent by e-mail to the teacher one week before the oral exam.

NON-ATTENDING students are, however, requested to contact the teacher in good time for verification/confirmation of the examination programme.


See also Other information

Regular class sessions and, if possible, dislocated sessions (at the State Archives or other libraries and documentary conservation structures). The course also includes a seminar; constant participation and collaboration in the work are requested.
Sources and other materials presented in class are available on the University's Moodle e-learning platform.
Course attendance is useful and recommended, but not required.

Italian

The non-attending students can also follow the lessons in deferred (recordings) and as exam program agree on a topic to be studied in depth on which to write a report, to be sent to the teacher a week before the call. At the oral exam the candidate will discuss the report and answer some questions on the general part (recordings).


The teacher is available by mail or receipt for any eventual integration of information on the course, in particular for non-attending students and the Erasmus program.

Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities, and specific learning impairments. If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

written and oral