Violence in the Middle Ages
Background Sources | Books | Journal Articles | Primary Sources | Web Resources |
Background Sources | Books | Journal Articles | Primary Sources | Web Resources |
This webpage provides resources to help you find more information on the themes and topics of the course.
Most of the databases on this page are restricted to UW students, staff and faculty. These are marked with a lock
. To connect to these databases from home you will need to first click on the Off-Campus Access link in the upper-right hand corner and login.
Have questions or need research help? Please contact Theresa Mudrock, the history librarian via email at mudrock@u.washington.edu or im me at ta mudrock (AOL) or t_mudrock (Yahoo) .
Background Sources
Encyclopedias and dictionaries provide background information and can be used to identify key people, events and dates which can then be used as search terms when searching research databases and catalogs. More importantly, because encyclopedias often cover the major issues surrounding the subject, they can help you narrow your research from a broad “who, what, where, when” topic to a “how or why” question. In addition many encyclopedia articles include short bibliographies that will lead you to the major works on the topic.
- Dictionary of the Middle Ages
Suzzallo Reference -- D114 .D5 1982- Encyclopedia of barbarian Europe
Suzzallo Reference -- D135 .F73 2003- Encyclopedia of the crusades
Suzzallo Reference -- D155 .A6 2003- Encyclopedia of the medieval world
Suzzallo Reference -- D114 .E55 2005
Suzzallo Reference -- CB351 .E53 2000
Suzzallo Reference -- DC33.2 .M44 1995- Women in the Middle Ages: an encyclopedia
Suzzallo Reference -- HQ1143 .W643 2004Books
Use the following catalogs to locate books in the UW Libraries and in other libraries around the region, nation and world. Books unavailable at the UW can be requested through Summit (if available at one of the member libraries) or through Interlibrary Loan.
- UW Libraries Catalog
A listing of the books, journal subscriptions and other material available at the University of Washington Libraries.- Summit
Joint catalog of more than 25 academic libraries in Oregon and Washington. Books can be requested and shipped to the UW for pick-up. Especially useful when the book you need is checked-out.
Joint catalog of thousands of major libraries in the U.S. and abroad.Journal Articles
Use research databases to find articles on a topic. Since most databases cover a specific subject area, choose those that best fit your research topic. For a complete list of databases see Research Databases on the UW Libraries Homepage.
To find a copy of the article, use the Check for UW Holdings button available on most databases to locate a copy in the library. If there is no button, search the UW Libraries Catalog for the title of the journal to locate a copy. Be sure to have the complete citation (author, title, journal name, volume, pages and year) of your article.
Articles from journals which the UW does not own can be requested via Interlibrary loan.
- Annual Bibliography of British and Irish History
Good database for finding articles and books on all periods of British & Irish history.
Major database for finding articles in religious studies.
This is a good general beginning database to find articles on all subjects. Includes some fulltext. For another similar database see Research Library.- Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index
Good database for finding articles and book chapters dealing with women, sexuality and gender during the Middle Ages.
This is the best database to find articles dealing with modern world history (1450 onward) excluding American and Canadian history.
Major database for finding articles dealing with all aspects of Islamic studies including history.
Use this database to find articles and book chapters on medieval studies.
Use this database to find articles on medieval and early modern studies.
JSTOR is a collection of more than 40 full-text history-related journals including The English Historical Review, Past and Present and Speculum.Using Secondary Sources to Find Primary Sources
Secondary sources, scholarly journal articles and books, are a great source for identifying potential primary sources and additional secondary sources. Find articles and books related to your topic and then mine the footnotes and bibliography. You will have the best luck finding published primary sources. Use the UW Libraries Catalog to determine if we have the primary source. Finding Primary Sources -- Books
The UW Libraries has a strong collection of books (in print, microform and electronic) that can be considered primary sources for history. These include books written during the period for your topic (i.e., during the 1600s), books written by participants, published collections of correspondence and other personal writings, memoirs and reprints of collections of primary source material.
Using the UW Libraries Catalog
- Search for books written by key people such as William of Tyre
- Use special subject terms that designate primary sources:
sources, personal narratives, court records, charters, church records- Example of a Keyword search:
- crusades and sources
- britain and edward i and charters
Digitized Book Databases
EEBO is a full-image database of more than 80,000 works published between 1475 and 1700 in England and its colonies.Collections of Primary Sources
These are primarily collections of medieval British governmental publications, some material is in Latin. Most are organized by reign.
- Calendar of the Close rolls
Suzzallo Stacks 942 G79cL- Calendar of the Patent rolls
Suzzallo Stacks 942 G79pa- The parliament rolls of medieval England, 1275-1504
Suzzallo Stacks JN515 .P37 2005Web Resources
- General Sites
- Texts
- Manuscripts
Image: Detail of an illuminated manuscript Courtesy of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek.
History Subject Page | UW Libraries
10 January 2006
Theresa Mudrock
