HIST476

Medieval Legal History focuses on the development of the Western legal tradition during the Middle Ages from customary law to statue law with an emphasis on English common law, civil (Roman) law, and canon law and how it changed in its social and political contexts. The course also recognizes how other legal traditions operated in Europe—such as Jewish and Islamic law—and how they related to the dominant legal and political system. Students examine and explain actual legal cases and government acts to understand the law as an important aspect in studying Medieval history and society.