Coronations: Medieval and Early Modern Monarchic RitualJános M. Bak Fascination with royal pomp and circumstance is as old as kingship itself. The authors of Coronations examine royal ceremonies from the ninth to the sixteenth century, and find the very essence of the monarchical state in its public presentation of itself. This book is an enlightened response to the revived interest in political history, written from a perspective that cultural historians will also enjoy. The symbolic and ritual acts that served to represent and legitimate monarchical power in medieval and early modern Europe include not only royal and papal coronations but also festive entries, inaugural feasts, and rulers' funerals. Fifteen leading scholars from North America, Britain, France, Germany, Poland, and Denmark explore the forms and the underlying meanings of such events, as well as problems of relevant scholarship on these subjects. All the contributions demonstrate the importance of in-depth study of rulership for the understanding of premodern power structures. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary approaches, drawing on the findings of ethnography and anthropology, combined with rigorous critical evaluation of the written and iconic evidence. The editor's historiographical introduction surveys the past and present of this field of study and proposes some new lines of inquiry. "For 'reality' is not a one-dimensional matter: even if we can establish what actually transpired, we still need to ask how it was perceived by those present." Fascination with royal pomp and circumstance is as old as kingship itself. The authors of Coronations examine royal ceremonies from the ninth to the sixteenth century, and find the very essence of the monarchical state in its public presentation of itself. This book is an enlightened response to the revived interest in political history, written from a perspective that cultural historians will also enjoy. The symbolic and ritual acts that served to represent and legitimate monarchical power in medieval and early modern Europe include not only royal and papal coronations but also festive entries, inaugural feasts, and rulers' funerals. Fifteen leading scholars from North America, Britain, France, Germany, Poland, and Denmark explore the forms and the underlying meanings of such events, as well as problems of relevant scholarship on these subjects. All the contributions demonstrate the importance of in-depth study of rulership for the understanding of premodern power structures. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary approaches, drawing on the findings of ethnography and anthropology, combined with rigorous critical evaluation of the written and iconic evidence. The editor's historiographical introduction surveys the past and present of this field of study and proposes some new lines of inquiry. "For 'reality' is not a one-dimensional matter: even if we can establish what actually transpired, we still need to ask how it was perceived by those present." |
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abbot alleluya altar Annales anointing archbishop archbishop of Reims Avignon bishops Brückmann cardinal deacons Carloman cathedral century Charles the Bald Charles V's Christian Christian III church clergy consecration Copenhagen Coronation Book coronation ceremony coronation order crowned Danish ecclesiastical Elizabeth English Coronation entry ceremony Eric of Pomerania Firmetur fourth recension France Frankish French German gestures Grandes Chroniques Henry Bradshaw Hincmar historians Hoffmann Holy Ampulla Ibid images inaugural insignia king king's kingdom kingship Krönung lit de justice liturgical London Louis Louis the Stammerer manuscript mass medieval Middle Ages miniature monarchy oath ordines ordo palace papal papal coronations Paris Parlement Parlement of Paris political Pontifical pope PRG LXXII procession queen realm regem regni regnum Reims rites ritual Rome royal power ruler rulership sacred scepter Schimmelpfennig scholars secular sources sword symbolic throne tion traditional Vatican City vols