Maritime Lives: the Scottish Northern Isles during the Early Modern Period

Module Leader: Dr Kathrin Zickermann

The module explores the social, political, maritime and mercantile history of the early modern Northern Isles. The weekly sessions engage with a variety of themes, including the transition from Norse to Scottish rule from 1468/9, the islands’ representations in contemporary maps, as well as everyday life and social developments within the archipelagos.  The embeddedness of the Orkney and Shetland Islands in transatlantic/ Northern European trade patterns between the sixteenth and early eighteenth centuries and migratory movements are also at the forefront of the module’s topics. The course is based on the critical analysis of exciting and varied primary source material, including contemporary descriptions of the islands, letters, kirk session records and additional material. This is complemented by an engagement with older as well as cutting-edge, new research into the history of the Orkney and Shetland Islands.  The aim of the module is to explore the important links which existed between the archipelagos with the wider world and to challenge their perception as remote places at the edge of Northern Europe.

Indicative Content

• Transition for Norse to Scottish Rule
• Topography and Contemporary Maps
• Everyday Life and Social Transitions
• Use of Land and Sea
• Integration in Northern European/ Transatlantic Trade Patterns
• Migration To and From the Islands
• Impact of Piracy and International Warfare
• Impact of the 1707 Parliamentary Union and Other National and International Political Events
• Outside Perception

 Coursework

• Blog post, 500 words, 10%
• Primary Source Exercise, 1500 words, 30%
• Essay, 2500 words, 60%