On 2 December 2025, the Institute for Medieval Studies is making available, for the first time on the edX platform, one of the MOOCs in the series Crossed Perspectives on the Middle Ages, coordinated by Adelaide Millán da Costa (UAb, IEM, NOVA FCSH), Maria João Branco (NOVA FCSH; IEM, NOVA FCSH) and Gonçalo Melo da Silva (IEM, NOVA FCSH). These courses aim to question and deconstruct widespread misunderstandings and anachronisms about the Middle Ages and thus help counter the current uncritical acceptance of online content, increasingly evident in society. The courses offer a set of updated materials and certified interpretations on topics related to the Middle Ages, creating a bridge between historiographical research and all those who are interested in, or wish to learn more about, this period.

Authored by Adelaide Millán da Costa and Gonçalo Melo da Silva, the first MOOC is titled Portugal in the Middle Ages: a kingdom with democratic municipalities and without cities?, relaunching a course that attracted around 2,400 participants from 25 countries the previous year. To answer this question, the course devotes one module to medieval municipalities—their origins, development, functioning, human frameworks, as well as the political communication they established among themselves, with the crown, and with the lords. The second module focuses on cities, exploring what towns and cities were in the medieval period, the different urban hierarchies within the kingdom, and the medieval worldview regarding the urban world.

The MOOC is aimed particularly at specific groups, such as the school community, tour guides and professionals linked to cultural institutions, but it also seeks to capture the curiosity and interest of a broader audience, given that contemporary societies continue to show a deep interest in the medieval period.

The course was designed using audiovisual content created by the IEM and digital resources made available by several heritage-related institutions, both in Portugal and in other countries.

Consult the Course Programme and the Learning Objectives here.

This training is free of charge, unless a certificate is desired, and takes place on edX. Open continuously from 2 December 2025 to 31 July 2026, it is estimated that participation will not exceed 15 hours. Learners may enrol on the platform at any time and manage their progress autonomously and flexibly. Assessment will be carried out at the end of each section through quizzes. If participants obtain a score equal to or higher than 60%, they may download a digital participation certificate in the course’s “progress” tab.

Registrations can be made on the edX platform until the end of the course. To do so, simply register by following the instructions provided on the edX platform.