Europe in the High Middle Ages This course covers the development and expansion of Western European civilization from approximately 1050 to 1300. This period witnessed the rise of towns, commerce, universities, and cathedrals, as well as important developments in the areas of politics, philosophy, and Western culture. Together, these achievements represent a fundamental shift in Western Europe from an impoverished, besieged society to a dynamic civilization that established the institutions and assumptions on which the modern West is based. The goal of this class is to view these achievements of medieval Europe in their own context, with appreciation of the methodological problems presented by medieval sources. Pre-1800.

The Mediterranean World, 400-1600 The Mediterranean has long been a crossroads between East and West and North and South, a meeting point of the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Southern Europe. Merchants and armies have plied the seaways carrying with them their religions and cultures. The pre-modern Mediterranean offered an exhilarating but, at times uncomfortable, mix of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures. Starting from Fernand Braudel's conceit, we will consider the Mediterranean itself as an important character in the narrative of history. We will study the geography of the Mediterranean as well as its religious, economic, environmental, and cultural history with a view to bringing together different understandings of Mare Nostrum (our sea). Pre-1800. 2 hrs lect./1 hr. disc.

The Burning Times: Heresy & Inquisition Burning at the stake was the ultimate punishment for heretics and witches in the European Middle Ages. In this college writing class we will examine the repression of heresy and witchcraft, concentrating on the fascinating but controversial primary sources that are our chief source of knowledge. What was heresy? Who was a heretic and why did inquisitors persecute them? In addition to writing about heresy and inquisition, we also examine the use of the medium of film to portray historical subjects. Students will also pursue short research projects regarding one aspect of medieval heresy and inquisition.

The Making of Europe This course covers the history of Western Europe from the death of Caesar in 44 B.C. to the Peace of Westphalia in A.D. 1648. We will examine three interrelated themes: political authority within European society, the development of the religious culture of the West and the challenges to that culture, and the ways in which the development of a European economy contributed to the making of Europe itself. While examining these questions from the Roman Empire to early modern Europe, students will focus on the use of original sources, and on how historians interpret the past. Pre-1800. Not open to seniors.

Medieval Science, Technology and Magic Modern understanding may link science with technology, but leaves magic out as a world apart. In the Medieval West, where alchemy and the astrolabe comfortably shared a workroom, intellectuals pursued both with equal fervor and respectability. In this course we will explore the medieval meanings and context of “science” and “magic,” developments in technology, and the relationship of authority and religion to all three through readings in primary sources, critical essays and monographs, and Umberto Eco's historical novel, The Name of the Rose. Students will contribute to class understanding with frequent individual research, including a final research paper. Pre-1800

Medieval Cities This course will examine the economic, social, topographical and cultural history of the medieval city. We will study the transformation of urban life from the Roman period through the dark years of the early Middle Ages in the West into the flourishing of a new type of European city life in the High Middle Ages. The development of urban institutions, the building of cathedrals, universities and fortifications, and the growth of trade will all be considered, as will the experience of groups such as Jews, women and intellectuals. Although the class will focus on the medieval European city, we will also draw comparisons with cities of the Muslim East. Pre-1800. 3 hrs lect/disc.

Europe in the Early Middle Ages This course covers the formative centuries in European history which witnessed the emergence of Western Europe as a distinct civilization. During this period, A. D. 300-1050, the three major building blocks of Western European culture: the classical tradition of Greco-Roman antiquity, the Judeo-Christian tradition, and Germanic tradition, met and fused into an uneasy synthesis that gave Western Europe its cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and religious foundations. Pre-1800.

Liberal Arts in Greco-Roman, Medieval, Renaissance History & Philosophy In this intensive reading course, we will explore the origins of liberal arts education in ancient Greek, Roman, medieval and Renaissance traditions. What sources and subjects have informed the evolution of liberal arts as an ideal for free citizens? What were the original meanings of artes liberales? What were the medieval liberal arts of trivium and quadrivium? How do these histories influence contemporary debates on education? Readings from Greco-Roman authors include the Pythagoreans, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Seneca. Readings from medieval and Renaissance Europe include Boethius, Isidore of Seville, Herrad of Landsberg, the Scholastics, Leonardo Bruni, and Pier Paolo Vergerio.

“The Religious Life”: Buddhist and Christian Monastic Traditions Compared Both Buddhism and Christianity include traditions of  monasticism, of men and women leaving home for “the religious life.” In this course, we will study and compare Buddhist and Christian monasticism from historical and religious perspectives. We will read primary sources, from the Life of St. Anthony and the Rule of St. Benedict to the verses  attributed to the first Buddhist nuns and a Zen monastic code. We will examine monastic vocation, the integration of monasteries into society, and the adaptation of monasticism to different cultures. Throughout, we will  highlight the role of gender. We will conclude with attention to contemporary manifestations of monastic culture. This course is equivalent to HIST 0472 and INTL 0472. 3 hr sem.

Louisa Burnham

Reviews and ratings for Louisa Burnham at Middlebury College.Louisa Burnham teaches Europe in the High Middle Ages, Mediterranean World, 400-1600, Heresy and Inquisition and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Louisa Burnham good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Professor Burnham is a passionate lecturer who truly loves what she teaches. The workload is manageable but the exams are difficult and she gives little guidance about what will be on them. If you enjoy medieval history I would recommend taking this course, but if not, take another course to fill your schedule.

Very interesting course if looking to learn more into European history. Lectures and readings/homework provide detailed information relating to study, but there is a lot of busy work. Professor is all over the place and it is hard to study for exams because there is very little guidance. 

This was a fine course but as someone who wanted clear standards of grading and feedback I found it exasperating. Professor Burnham had not graded any of our essays or final projects by the last day of class and I never received any individualized feedback even after the end of the course. 