The main objective of this course is to the offer a panorama of medieval Spanish history (711-1492) and bring the student closer to medieval society and the groups that formed it. The course will examine the medieval legacy and the importance of the contributions of the Arab and Jewish cultures to the history of Spain. The student will also study medieval Seville and the influence of this historic period on its current urban features.
I was not prepared for the amount of in depth information that would be presented throughout this course. This course ended up being one of the most difficult classes I took abroad because although I started this course with an understanding of Christians, Jews, and Muslims I had previously not taken an academic course focused specifically and intensely on religion. The course presented the origins of each religion and explained through lecture extensively the impact that Christians, Jews, and Muslims had on Spain during Medieval times. These origins became important because Spain's society is based on the influences these groups left behind. For example, the Sevilla Cathedral that I had the privilege to walk by everyday on my way to school is a Catholic Church that has various Islamic elements. Furthermore, there is a neighborhood in Sevilla that has narrow lengthy street that resemble past Jewish neighborhoods. Ultimately, this course presented much historical context through religion that helped me understand a society that i was not fimiliar with.