| CODE | HST3004 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Seafaring in the Mediterranean to c. 1900 | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | History | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit delves into the maritime history of the Mediterranean from the medieval period up to the early 20th century, examining its role as a crossroads of trade, cultural exchange, and conflict. Through an interdisciplinary approach, students will explore key themes such as ship design and navigation, economic frameworks, maritime law, corsairing, and the social and cultural dynamics of port cities. Special emphasis will be placed on the use of primary sources, including notarial acts, legal cases, and archaeological findings, to uncover the lived experiences of sailors, merchants, corsairs, and maritime communities. The study-unit features guest lectures by experts in Mediterranean geography and maritime archaeology, as well as site visits to the Malta Maritime Museum and the Banca Giuratale, where students will engage with historical documents and artifacts related to maritime trade and law. By bridging archival research with tangible heritage, the study-unit provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the Mediterranean's pivotal role in historical and global contexts. Study-Unit Aims: - To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the Mediterranean’s role as a dynamic hub of seafaring activity from the medieval period to circa 1900; - To examine key themes in maritime history, including ship design, navigation, trade, economic systems, piracy, and maritime law; - To explore the social, cultural, and technological dynamics of Mediterranean maritime communities and their interconnectedness through trade and conflict; - To introduce students to the use of primary sources, such as notarial acts, legal records, and archaeological findings, for reconstructing historical narratives; - To highlight the role of maritime law, particularly the Consolato del Mare and Tribunale degli Armamenti, in regulating trade and resolving disputes; - To foster interdisciplinary learning through guest lectures on Mediterranean geography and maritime archaeology, as well as site visits to key heritage locations; - To bridge academic study with tangible heritage by engaging with artifacts, archival materials, and historic sites such as the Malta Maritime Museum and the Banca Giuratale; - To align with the Department of History’s goal to enrich its programme of studies by filling a lacuna in Mediterranean historical studies with a dedicated focus on maritime history; - To develop students’ critical thinking, analytical skills, and methodological approaches to historical research, particularly in the context of cultural heritage and economic history; - To encourage reflection on the enduring legacy of Mediterranean maritime history in shaping global historical narratives. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the Mediterranean’s function as a hub of maritime activity from the medieval period to circa 1900; - Identify and evaluate key themes in Mediterranean maritime history, including technological advancements, trade networks, corsairing, and maritime law; - Analyse the social, economic, and cultural dynamics of maritime communities and assess their interconnectedness across the Mediterranean region; - Evaluate the significance of primary sources—such as notarial acts, legal cases, and archaeological findings—in reconstructing historical maritime narratives; - Examine the development and function of legal frameworks, including maritime tribunals like the Consolato del Mare and the Tribunale degli Armamenti, and their role in regulating trade and resolving disputes; - Discuss the strategic and cultural importance of ports and harbours as centres of commerce, exchange, and political influence; - Interpret historical maritime documents—including ship contracts, freight agreements, and sea protests—to assess the operational realities of seafaring and trade; - Explore the influence of geographical features and technological innovations on the formation and evolution of Mediterranean maritime routes; - Assess the long-term legacy of Mediterranean maritime history and its connections to wider processes of global trade, migration, and cultural interaction; - Apply interdisciplinary methodologies by integrating historical, geographical, legal, and archaeological perspectives in the analysis of Mediterranean maritime history. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Gain foundational knowledge on how to interpret primary sources, including notarial acts, legal records, and archaeological findings, to construct historical arguments; - Apply critical thinking to evaluate complex historical processes, such as trade dynamics, technological innovation, and legal systems in the Mediterranean context; - Conduct independent research using archival materials and secondary sources, integrating interdisciplinary approaches; - Communicate historical knowledge effectively through written assignments and oral presentations; - Work collaboratively in group settings to analyse documents, solve problems, and present findings; - Synthesise historical evidence from diverse sources to develop coherent and well-supported interpretations; - Reflect on the broader implications of historical research for understanding contemporary issues in cultural heritage and global history; - Engage critically with tangible heritage through site visits, fostering an appreciation for the intersection of history, archaeology, and cultural preservation. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Abela, Joan. Hospitaller Malta and the Mediterranean Economy in the Sixteenth Century. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2018. - Abela, Joan. ‘Sailors’ legal rights in a Mediterranean hub: the case of Malta, in Fusaro, Maria, Bernard Allaire, Richard Blakemore, and Tijl Vanneste, eds. Law, Labour, and Empire: Comparative Perspectives on Seafarers, c. 1500–1800. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. (pp. 61-78) - Abulafia, David. The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. - Abulafia, David, ed, The Mediterranean in History (Thames and Hudson, 2003). - Abulafia, David, Commerce and Conquest in the Mediterranean, 1100-1500 (Aldershot, 1993). - Agius, Dionisius A.; Gambin, Timmy; Trakadas, Athena, Ships, saints and sealore : cultural heritage and ethnography of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, Oxford : Archeopress Archeology. - Gambin Timmy, Malta and the Mediterranean shipping lanes in the Middle Ages, Rotte e Porti del Mediterraneo Dopo la Caduta dell'Impero Romano d'Occidente : Continuità e Innovazioni Tecnologiche e Funzionali, Genova. 115-133. - Gambin, Timmy; Burgess, Anthony, The Maltese Islands & the sea, (Midsea Books: Malta, 2015). - Gauci LIam, In the name of the Prince: Maltese Corsairs 1760-1798, (Heritage Malta: Malta, 2016). - Gauci Liam, Morte o Fortuna: Corsairs in Malta 1747-1798, (Heritage Malta: Malta, 2024). - Miller, Michael B., Europe and the Maritime World A Twentieth Century History ,Cambridge University Press 2012. Supplementary Readings: - Abela, Joan. ’A window on Muslim traders in the Mediterranean through Maltese archives (1530-1565)’ in Dejanirah Couto, Feza Gunergun & Maria Pia Pedani (eds.), Seapower, Technology and Trade, Studies in Turkish Maritime History, (Piri Reis University Publications: Istanbul, 2014). (264-274). - Abela, Joan. ’Per omnes partes barbarie orientis’ – Maltese Corsairing in the Levant 16th -17th Centuries’ in G. Harlaftis, D. Dimitropoulos & D. Starkey (eds.), Corsairs and Pirates in the Eastern Mediterranean: Fifteenth-Nineteenth Centuries, (Sylvia Ioannou Foundation: Athens, 2016). (109-125). - D.Abulafia, Mediterranean Encounters (Aldershot, 2000). - D.Abulafia, Commerce and Conquest in the Mediterranean, 1100-1500 (Aldershot, 1993). - Bono, Salvatore. Corsari nel Mediterraneo: Cristiani e musulmani fra guerra, schiavitù e commercio. Milan: Mondadori, 1993. - Braudel, Fernand. The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. New York: Harper & Row, 1972. - Cameron, Averil. The Mediterranean World in Late Antiquity, AD 395–700. London: Routledge, 2012. - Fusaro, Maria, Andrea Addobbati, and Luisa Piccinno, eds. General Average and Risk Management in Medieval and Early Modern Maritime Business. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2023. - Greene, Molly. Catholic Pirates and Greek Merchants: A Maritime History of the Early Modern Mediterranean. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010. - Greene, Molly, A shared world : Christians and Muslims in the early modern Mediterranean. Princeton UP. - Harris, W. V., (ed.) Rethinking the Mediterranean. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. - Horden, Peregrine, and Nicholas Purcell. The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History.* Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2000. - Lambert, Frank. The Barbary wars: American independence in the Atlantic world. New York. Hill and Wang. 2005. - Pryor, John H. Geography, Technology, and War: Studies in the Maritime History of the Mediterranean, 649–1571. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. - Unger, Richard W. Shipping and economic growth 1350-1850. Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2011. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Tutorial | |||||||||
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The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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