INQ-270 | Medieval Iberia Forging Empire

Full Title: Medieval Iberia: Forging an Empire

Topic Description:

The Visigothic kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, roundly defeated in 711 by invading Arab forces, retained only a marginal existence in the northern mountains. Yet by 1492, united under the Catholic kings (Fernando and Isabel), Spain was poised to become the first global empire, controlling large parts of Europe and the Americas. How did these Christians reconquer their lands? How did people live during these years of alternating warfare and peace? What did the blending of three cultures – Muslim, Christian, Jewish – contribute to the diversity of culture in the Middle Ages? Through readings and primary source materials (including historical documents, art, architecture, literature), we will analyze the factors that contributed to Christian domination, the creation of a powerful nation, and the values of that culture.

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: March 2021