Module Information

Module Identifier
HQ34520
Module Title
The reign of Edward II, 1307-27 (Part 1)
Academic Year
2019/2020
Co-ordinator
Professor Phillipp Schofield
Semester
Semester 1
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Seminar 10 x 2 Hour Seminars
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Document analysis 1 - 1 x 1,500 words  25%
Semester Assessment Document analysis 2 - 1 x 1,500 words  25%
Semester Assessment 1 x 2,500 word essay  50%
Supplementary Assessment (resit) Document analysis 1 - 1 x 1,500 words  25%
Supplementary Assessment (resit) Document analysis 2 - 1 x 1,500 words  25%
Supplementary Assessment 1 x 2,500 word supplementary (resit) essay  50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the prevailing political issues in England during the reign of Edward II.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of different historical debates and interpretations relating to the reign of Edward II.
3. Critically evaluate primary source material relating to the reign of Edward II.

Brief description

The module will follow a broadly chronological development through the turbulent reign of Edward II (1307-27), with opportunity taken at its beginning and end to look at the preceding and succeeding years. The central strand to the course will be the politics of the reign and there will be close examination of the careers and roles of the key individuals, the major developments and an exploration of the potential causes of political change in this period of significant upheaval and challenge.

Aims

This module is intended to provide a detailed view of a brief but important period in the later middle ages; the reign of Edward II is well-illustrated by narrative, legal, financial and governmental sources and students will be expected to develop an in-depth working knowledge of this material and an ability to apply it to the relevant historical issues. The module will explore the political chronology of the reign and provide a foundation for the semester two module.

Content

1. Edward I’s legacy and Edward of Caernarvon
2. Piers Gaveston and baronial opposition
3. The Ordainers and the Ordinance of 1311
4. Thomas of Lancaster, Aymer de Valence and the death of Piers Gaveston
5. From Blacklow Hill to Bannockburn: the shift in the balance of power
6. The Lancaster Administration: Scotland, Wales, and the Great Famine, 1314-16
7. The ‘Middle Party’, the Treaty of Leake, The Parliament of York (1318) and the rise of the Despensers
8. From the exile of the Despensers to the death of Lancaster
9. The tyranny of Edward II
10. Isabella and Mortimer; the deposition and death of Edward II.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number NA
Communication Written communication skills will be developed through the coursework; skills in oral presentation will be developed in seminars but are not formally assessed.
Improving own Learning and Performance Students will be advised on how to improve research and communication skills through the individual tutorial providing feedback on submitted coursework.
Information Technology Students will be encouraged to locate suitable material on the web and to apply it appropriately to their own work. Students will also be expected to word-process their work and make use of Blackboard. These skills will not be formally assessed.
Personal Development and Career planning Students will develop a range of transferable skills, including time management and communication skills, which may help them identify their personal strengths as they consider potential career paths
Problem solving Students are expected to note and respond to historical problems which arise as part of the study of this subject area and to undertake suitable research for seminars and essays.
Research skills Students will develop their research skills by reading a range of texts and evaluating their usefulness in preparation for the coursework and the written examination
Subject Specific Skills Students will develop an in-depth understanding of the political context of the reign of Edward II.
Team work Students will be expected to play an active part in group activities (e.g. short group presentations in seminars) and to learn to evaluate their own contribution to such activities.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6