The learning objective is to make the students able to study and understand a single historical item, through the analysis of the primary sources, and in particular the documents produced by the ecclesiastical tribunals in the early modern period. Those tribunals disciplined and repressed popular culture throughout Europe. The analysis will be done while studying the trial against donna Laura from Farneta (1587), preserved in the University Library of Urbino

More specifically the aim of the course is

- how to understand and interpret the judicial procedure of the witch trials of the early modern period;

- how to gather information from the historical records, in particular to understand popular culture as witnessed in inquisitorial trials against witchcraft and "superstitions" in the earlu modern people

- how to wite a historical narrative starting from the primary sources.

These knowledges are necessary both for those who will become teachers in secondary schools, and for those who will continue historical studies (PhD or other)

The lessons will be dedicated both to an explanation of the witch trials in general, and to a close analysis (with transcription and edition) of the trial against Laura, which has been entirely digitalized: https://sanzio.uniurb.it/handle/20.500.12731/8665

The first lesson will be dedicated to a visit of the University Library of Urbino, where the students will be able to examine the original manuscript of the trial.

The topics of the course will be:

1. Witchcraft in the Early Modern period: popular culture, theology and philosophy

2. The Della Rovere and the Church in the late sixteenth century

3. Donna Laura as a doctor and a magical healer

4. Magical healing in Italy and in Europe in the Early Modern period.

5. Laura's spells: gestures, rites, formulas

6. The trial: inquisitorial procedure.

7. An European phenomenon: the disciplining and the repression of popular culture.

At the end of the course, the students must be able:

- to reflect critically on the history of European witchcraft

- to read a trial and to understand its characteristics and the information that it gives about historical phenomena

- to gather critical information from the documentary sources

- to be able to discuss about "popular culture" and about the problems involved in this expression.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

No supporting activities have been planned.

Teaching

Lessons given in classroom and transcription sessions.

Attendance

The attendance is mandatory for those students who want to give the exam as attending students (see below).

The other students must refer to the "additional information for non-attending students".

"Attending students" are considered the students who will be present at least at 80% of the lessons (30 hours out of  a total of 36)

The attending students should have a good knowledge of early modern European history, and a basic knowledge of Latin; the knowledge of the basic grammar is sufficient.

Course books

As the course will focus upon a digitalized document, the following list is not definitive. The final bibliography will be given to the students during the lessons; the professor will also supply other material (i.e. articles, essays, and so on) through Moodle platform. For this reason, it is not advisable to buy the listed texts:

Giovanni Murano, La stregoneria nel Ducato di Urbino alla fine del Cinquecento, Urbino, Monacchi Editore, 2009

Brian P. Levack, La caccia alle streghe nell'Europa moderna, Roma-Bari,Laterza, 2008 (e successive edizioni)

David Gentilcore, Malattia e guarigione, Nardò (LE), Besamuci, 2021

Texbooks tor the students who choose to give the exam in English:

B. P. Levack, The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe, Routledge 2015 (various editions)

D. Gentilcore, Healers and Healing in Early Modern Italy, Manchester UP 1998

Assessment

Oral exam.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Individual reading and study

Course books

The course books for non-attending students are different, depending on the different cases:

1) If the students have not yet attended a general history course for the early modern period (i.e. if they have not studied an Early Modern European history handbook), then they will study the following texts

a. One manual chosen among the following:

Francesco Benigno, L'età moderna. Dalla scoperta dell'America alla Restaurazione, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005;

or

Carlo Capra, Storia moderna (1492-1848), Firenze, Le Monnier, 2004 (fino al capitolo 25 incluso, cioè fino a pagina 320)

(The students interested in the subject "Global history" can study the textbook Introduzione alla storia moderna, a cura di Marco Bellabarba e Vincenzo Lavenia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2018. It is a very complex and difficult textbook, written by many authors)

and

b. Another book, chosen among the following

Giampaolo Romagnani, La società di antico regime (XVI-XVIII secolo). Temi e problemi storiografici, Roma, Carocci, 2010

or

Guido Dall'Olio, Storia Moderna. I temi e le fonti, Roma, Carocci, 2004.

Textbook for the students who choose to give the exam in English:

M. E. Wiesner-Hanks, Early Modern Europe, 1450-1789, Cambridge, Cambridge UP, 2013 (2nd edition)

2) If the students have already attended an early modern history course and they have studied a handbook, then they will study the following texts (please take note that the choice is between a) one huge book, or b) a group of three books, or c) a group of two books:

a. Adriano Prosperi, Tribunali della coscienza. Inquisitori, confessori, missionari, Torino, Einaudi, 1996 (and reprints)

or

b. R. H. Bainton, La Riforma protestante, Torino, Einaudi, 1960 (e successive ristampe); G. Dall'Olio, Martin Lutero, Roma, Carocci, 2013; R. H. Bainton, Erasmo della cristianità, Firenze, Sansoni, 1970

or

c. M. Firpo, F. Biferali, Immagini ed eresie nell'Italia del Cinquecento, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2016 ; M. Firpo, Artisti, gioiellieri, eretici. Il mondo di Lorenzo Lotto tra Riforma e Controriforma, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2001.

Textbooks for the students who choose to give the exam in English:

- Lyndal Roper, Martin Luther. Renegade and Prophet, London, Vintage, 2017

It is possible, to ask the professor for a "personalized" syllabus. In this case, the students have to contact the professor by e-mail or talk to him during the office hours.

Assessment

oral exam. The oral exam aims to assess the basic knowledge of the main problems of the topic and the knowledge of the main methods of research.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.