UHVHNP0018 Selected lecture on the history of the Middle Ages

Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Summer 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. David Radek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. David Radek, Ph.D.
Institute of Historical Sciences – Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The lecture course will focus on the issue of nonconformist / dissident religious movements as a specific phenomenon of medieval society. Students will be acquainted with the basic typology of these movements, as defined by modern research, as well as with their characteristics. Special attention will be paid to the Hussites and the so-called heretical movements that affected the lands of the Czech Crown. The basic attitudes of the church towards heresy and the tools with which the church faced heretical teachings will also be taken into account. Considerable emphasis will be placed on the role of heresy in society and attention will be paid to the various stereotypes that medieval people associated with heretics or heretics.
Learning outcomes
After graduation, the student will be able to:
-summarize the development of medieval heretical movements
- to place the development of medieval heretical movements in a general context
- work with literature and sources related to medieval heresy
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction, introduction of basic literature and sources
  • 2. Heretical movements as a topic of historiography. Concepts, starting points and basic approaches
  • 3. Heresy versus orthodoxy - the problem of heresy in the early Middle Ages
  • 4. Catharism
  • 5. Petr Valdés and the Waldensians
  • 6. The origin of the Inquisition and its role in the fight against heresy
  • 7. Joachim of Fiore and the heresy of the free spirit
  • 8. Heresy of the late Middle Ages - John Viclef, lollardi
  • 9. Prague Reform Circle and Jan Hus
  • 10. Hussites in the European context
  • 11. Heresy and medieval society
  • 12. Heresy as a tool of political struggle
  • 13. Heresy or Reformation? Religious nonconformism at the end of the Middle Ages
Literature
    required literature
  • Brenonová, A. Kataři. Život a smrt jedné křesťanské církve. Praha 2001.
  • Rapp, F. Církev a náboženský život na sklonku středověku. Praha 1996.
  • Lambert, M. Středověká hereze. Praha 2000.
    recommended literature
  • Macek, J. Víra a zbožnost jagellonského věku, Praha 2001.
  • Patschovsky, A. Bludiště víry pravé. Sektáři, kacíři a reformátoři ve středověkých Čechách. Praha 2018.
  • Molnár, A. Valdenští: evropský rozměr jejich vzdoru, Praha 1991.
  • Zbíral, D. Největší hereze. Dualismus, učenecká vyprávění o katarství a budování křesťanské Evropy. Praha 2007.
  • Oberste, J. „Křížová výprava“ proti albigenským. Praha 2014.
  • Zbíral, D. Pokřtěni ohněm: Katarské křesťanství ve světle dobových pramenů. Praha 2019.
  • Šmahel, F. Husitská revoluce I.-IV. Praha 2009.
  • Marin, O. Geneze pražského reformního hnutí 1360-1419. Praha 2017.
Teaching methods
Lecture with discussion.
Assessment methods
Passing the final test.
Language of instruction
Czech
The course is also listed under the following terms Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Summer 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.slu.cz/course/fpf/summer2025/UHVHNP0018