During Medieval Times: The Muslim Sultanate, Crusaders and Jews

Programme outline

This ten week (one term) course reviews the history of the Middle East in medieval times. Students will learn about the Middle East under the Mamluk Sultanate using exciting first hand accounts (including as-yet unpublished material) accompanied by contextual facts and figures. The course will take the student from Egypt through the Land of Israel to Asia Minor and beyond.

Students will explore how Mamluk slaves managed to overthrow their masters and establish a Muslim empire. Students will consider the role of Islam in motivating and legitimizing the regime.

Finally, the class will look at the relationship with Christian and Jewish subjects, and the empire's relationship with their Christian neighbours such as Byzantium, Armenia and Crusaders, compared with the relationship with Muslim neighbours such as the Bedouins and Turkman tribes, and newly Islamised Mongols.

No prior qualifications required for the course.

Tutor: Hagay Nahmias, MA

Sessions: Thursdays 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm

Fee: 100 GBP