This course is structured to help students acquire an in-depth understanding of the primary intellectual tools of contemporary historical methodology as applied to medieval studies.

The sixth centenary of the birth of Federico da Montefeltro (1422-1482) represents a unique and perhaps unrepeatable opportunity for our country to show itself to the world capable of envisaging the way out of a period marked not only by the pandemic but also by the resurgence of
obscurantism and irrationality. Federico, natural son of Guidantonio, was born in Gubbio on 7 June 1422; in 1444 he succeeded to his brother Oddantonio, the victim of a conspiracy. Since then and until his death, which took place in Ferrara on 10 September 1482, he was the munificent lord of an extensive territory of central Italy, the county of Urbino, elevated to a duchy in 1474, which included the territories now included in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, in the northern part of the province of Perugia and in the southern part of the province of Rimini (with offshoots also in the current provinces of Arezzo and Ancona). His figure as a great lord, leader, patron and humanist has universal value, able to represent not only the territory in which he lived and worked, but also to summarize the spirit of the entire Italian Renaissance. The erudite historiography and the widespread culture consider him as the model of the perfect Renaissance prince, like Lorenzo the Magnificent. Commander in chief of the Neapolitan, Florentine, Milanese, and pontifical armies, skilled in the art of war, his glory extended to all Europe, so much so that he even received the English order of the Garter. Frederick, an enlightened prince, invested the enormous income that came from military conducts into good governance, art, urban planning, architecture, the pursuit of beauty and technical-scientific knowledge. The extraordinary and tangible signs of his philosophy are still the palaces and fortresses that he had built (among which the ducal palaces of Urbino and Gubbio), the two "studios" where he retired to cultivate his cultural interests, the admirable works of art that he commissioned (including the famous diptych by Piero which portrays him with his wife Battista Sforza), the splendid book collection, full of 900 illuminated manuscripts, now preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Library (including the Urb. lat. 365, the most beautiful code of the Divine Comedy).

During the course, the history of the Montefeltro house and the life of Duke Federico will be presented. The most recent biography and editions of documents from two exhibitions in 2022 were chosen as study materials; other sources will be indicated in the course of the lessons.

Knowledge and understanding
Students must demonstrate knowledge and understanding that extends beyond and reinforces that typically associated with the three-year undergraduate programme and that permits the student to develop and apply original ideas, including research ideas, in reference to content, methodological and applied content regarding medieval history.

Applying knowledge and understanding
Students must be able to apply their knowledge, understanding and problem-solving skills to new and unfamiliar topics in broader interdisciplinary contexts associated with the study of medieval history.

Making judgements
Students must have the ability to integrate their knowledge and manage complexity, as well as make judgements on the basis of limited or incomplete information, including reflection on the social and ethical responsibility connected with the application of their knowledge and judgement in full awareness of the fundamental importance of the use and public role of History.

Communication skills
Students must know how to communicate clearly and succinctly their conclusions, their knowledge and the reasoning behind these to specialists and non-specialists. They must be able to evaluate maturely information related to both themes and events of medieval history as well as methodological, epistemological, communicational, social and ethical problems related to the discipline of medieval history.

Learning skills
Students must have developed learning, analytical and applied skills that allow them to continue to study autonomously and thus permit access to the third cycle of university study or other specialized levels as well as to the world of professional work.

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

Teaching

Lectures and thematic seminars, held by the professor and guest speakers; attending students will carry out short research projects and present their results.

Attendance

Prerequisites: it is advisable to have taken the three-year undergraduate course exam in Medieval History. Attendance is not mandatory, but it is recommended. Frequency: at least 2/3 of the lessons. 

Course books

T. di Carpegna Falconieri, Nel labirinto del passato. Dieci modi di riscrivere la storia, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2020

T. di Carpegna Falconieri (a cura di), Le carte di Federico. Documenti pubblici e segreti per la vita del duca d’Urbino, Urbino, Urbino University Press, 2022 (in open access)

M. Conti, T. di Carpegna Falconieri (a cura di), Le lettere di Federico da Montefeltro alla comunità di San Marino (1441-1482), San Marino, Centro sammarinese di studi storici - Rimini, Bokstones, 2022

A. Tönnesmann, B. Roeck, Federico da Montefeltro. Arte, stato e mestiere delle armi, Torino, Einaudi, 2009

Assessment

Oral exam.This exam consists of some questions (usually three) about the texts and the topics discussed in class. The questions are general in nature and posed in the form of a conversation.

- They will give rise to evaluations from excellent to very good (30 cum laude-27): the student's possession of excellent- very good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to connect the topics dealt with in the course; the use of an appropriate language with respect to the specific nature of the discipline.

- They will give rise to good-discrete evaluations (26-23): the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical capacity and connection between the themes dealt with: the use of an appropriate language.

-  They will give rise to sufficient evaluations (22-18): the achievement of minimal knowledge on the subjects dealt with by the student, even if there are some training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

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 study

Attendance

Prerequisites: it is advisable to have taken the three-year undergraduate course exam in Medieval History. As well as the three books that attending students must read, non-attending students (less than 2/3 of frequency) must write a term paper of approximately 25,000 characters on a topic of medieval history to be approved with the professor.The paper should be sent to the professor at least one week before the exam.

Course books

T. di Carpegna Falconieri, Nel labirinto del passato. Dieci modi di riscrivere la storia, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2020

T. di Carpegna Falconieri (a cura di), Le carte di Federico. Documenti pubblici e segreti per la vita del duca d’Urbino, Urbino, Urbino University Press, 2022 (in open access)

M. Conti, T. di Carpegna Falconieri (a cura di), Le lettere di Federico da Montefeltro alla comunità di San Marino (1441-1482), San Marino, Centro sammarinese di studi storici - Rimini, Bokstones, 2022

A. Tönnesmann, B. Roeck, Federico da Montefeltro. Arte, stato e mestiere delle armi, Torino, Einaudi, 2009

Assessment

Oral exam and evaluation of the term paper. This exam consists of some questions (usually three) about the texts and the topics discussed in class. The questions are general in nature and posed in the form of a conversation.

- They will give rise to evaluations from excellent to very good (30 cum laude-27): the student's possession of excellent- very good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to connect the topics dealt with in the course; the use of an appropriate language with respect to the specific nature of the discipline.

- They will give rise to good-discrete evaluations (26-23): the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical capacity and connection between the themes dealt with: the use of an appropriate language.

-  They will give rise to sufficient evaluations (22-18): the achievement of minimal knowledge on the subjects dealt with by the student, even if there are some training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

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.

Professor's websites: www.tommasodicarpegna.it; https://uniurb.academia.edu/TommasodiCarpegnaFalconieri