HIU34553 From Tenochtitlan to Tokyo: A Global History of Dynastic Power in the Pre-Modern World

For hundreds of years, societies across the globe were ruled by royal and aristocratic lineages. Within this world, power was concentrated in the hands of a select few: wars were waged in their name and emperors, empresses, kings, queens, warlords, magnates, could enjoy a huge degree of control over their subjects. Using a series of case studies from around the globe, this module encourages students to think critically about how power was exercised in the pre-modern world. Particular attention is paid comparing and contrasting the nature rulership and lordship in each territory. Such an approach allows students to engage with debates on difference, race, and religion, as well as exploring how dynasties negotiated new political, social, cultural, and environmental challenges.