Social history (c. 1501-1800)

This bookaddresses the issue of political celebration in early modern Venice. Dealing with processional orders and iconographic programs historiographical narratives and urbanistic canons stylistic features and diplomatic accounts the interdisciplinary contributions gathered in these pages aim to question the performative effectiveness and the social consistency of the so called ‘myth’ of Venice: a system of symbols beliefs and meanings offering a self-portrait of the ruling elite the Venetian patriciate. In order to do so the volume calls for a spatial turn in Venetian studies blurring the boundaries between institutionalized and unofficial ceremonial spaces and considering their ongoing interaction in representing the rule of the Serenissima. The twelve chapters move from Ducal Palace to the Venetian streets and from the city of Venice to its dominions thus widening considerably the range of social and political actors and audiences involved in the analysis. Such multifocal perspective allows us to challenge the very idea of a single ‘myth’ of Venice.

Les notions d’urbanité de politesse et de savoir-vivre connaissent depuis une dizaine d’années un intérêt renouvelé à la fois dans leurs dimensions politique sociale et culturelle.

Cet ouvrage souhaite envisager le milieu urbain en tant qu’espace de civilité en croisant les regards des historiens et des spécialistes de la littérature de l’âge classique. Il s’agit aussi d’examiner les cérémonies et rituels du XVIIe siècle comme un ensemble de réseaux de pratiques codifiées dans lequel interagissent notamment des usages collectifs et des préséances individuelles. Ces usages organisent l’espace urbain comme l’espace curial en se déployant en leur sein. La confrontation des archives et des documents littéraires mais aussi des outils et des méthodologies utilisés par ces différents champs disciplinaires permet d’étudier à nouveaux frais les relations entre des concepts trop rapidement perçus comme antonymiques : l’incivilité n’est jamais le contraire de la civilité et il n’existe pas de civilisation ni de société civilisée qui puisse se revendiquer comme statique ou achevée. En revenant dans le sillage des travaux de Norbert Elias aux origines de la civilité moderne envisagée à l’échelle européenne cet ouvrage entreprend d’examiner ce processus non pas de manière linéaire et téléologique mais dans la complexité de ses évolutions et mutations afin de mieux contextualiser les débats contemporains autour de l’incivilité.

Although little is known of the process surrounding early modern childbirth the lack of written testimonials and technical descriptions does not preclude the possibility of reconstructing the reality of this elusive space: drawing on the evidence of clothing food rites and customs this collection of essays seeks to give tangible form to the experience of childbirth through the analysis of physical objects and rituals.

An important addition to the literature of material culture and ‘wordly goods’ this collection of twenty-three essays from international scholars offers a novel approach to the study of pre- and early modern birth by extending its reach beyond the birthing event to include issues concerning the management of pregnancy and post-partum healing.

Grouped into five broad areas the essays explore the material advantages and disadvantages of motherhood the food and objects present in the birthing room the evidence and memorialization of death in childbirth attitudes towards the pregnant body the material culture of healing and the ritual items used during childbirth.

The three-volume project Cohesion in Multi-Ethnic Societies in Europe from c.1000 to the Present explores and seeks to find solutions to a crucial problem facing contemporary Europe: in what circumstances can different ethnic groups co-operate for the common good? They apparently did so in the past combining to form political societies medieval and early modern duchies kingdoms and empires. But did they maintain their ethnic traditions in this process? Did they pass on elements of their cultural memory when they were not in a dominant position in a given polity?

The first volume in the project explored ethnic cohesion as evidenced by narratives about the past while volume two analysed communal events and activities. This third volume focuses on how relations between ethnic groups were influenced by political activities and related legal norms. Both cooperation and conflict between ethnic communities find their expression in political activities although they usually have a significant cultural and economic background as well. This book examines the causes of political cooperation between ethnic groups despite the risk of conflict and the methods of stabilizing this cooperation through the enactment of law.

Le lettere del medico fiorentino Alessandro Pini (1653-1717) e il suo trattato De moribus Turcarum fanno emergere un’immagine avvincente del popolo egiziano e della cultura ottomana. Ciò che Pini ha osservato in Egitto e nel mondo ottomano rivela una straordinaria dimensione mediterranea di commistione culturale fatta di scambi e di incontri scaturiti dalle necessità lavorative e anche dalla semplice quotidianità. Oltre alla missione scientifica ufficiale egli doveva svolgere un’intrigante attività spionistica per Cosimo III Granduca di Toscana in cui si rivelò poi fallimentare. Amareggiato e osteggiato per l’insuccesso passò poi alle dipendenze della Repubblica di Venezia e dimorò per vari anni a Istanbul e in Morea dove senza pregiudizi e con ampiezza di vedute osservò le tradizioni e i costumi dei popoli che incontrava. Decise dunque consapevolmente di scrivere l’esaltazione di un mondo che l’Occidente vedeva come il suo alter ego negativo. Sebbene fosse stato imprigionato nella sua società di adozione Pini rimase affascinato forse anche ipnotizzato da quello stesso mondo che lo aveva variamente premiato e frustrato sia nel suo lavoro ufficiale che nel suo incarico segreto.

Who had a say in making decisions about the natural world when how and to what end? How were rights to natural resources established? How did communities handle environmental crises? And how did dealing with the environment have an impact on the power relations in communities? This volume explores communities’ relationship with the natural environment in customs and laws ideas practices and memories. Taking a transregional perspective it considers how the availability of natural resources in diverse societies within and outside Europe impacted mobility and gender structures the consolidation of territorial power and property rights. Communities Environment and Regulation in the Premodern World marks Peter Hoppenbrouwers’s career spanning over three decades as a professor of medieval history at Leiden University.

This innovative collection explores the causes and effects of ‘disciplined dissent’ - forms of protest or political action positioned between the poles of submission and defiance. To identify the political influence of commoners the emphasis is neither ‘top down’ nor ‘bottom up’ but on mutual influence and the interplay between rulers and ruled. Contributions concerning quite diverse polities show a careful opposition of non-elite people through an effort to respect the legislative system and to find common ground with the authorities. The aim was to emphasize aspects of the norms and institutions in favour of the benefit of the community or to ensure adjustments of some aspects if found to be beneficial for the few and detrimental for many. The examination of non-violent pressure can help us to have a more exhaustive understanding of the protagonists causes and effects of socio-political changes in contexts of governmental development. The analysis includes cases of violent action that managed to secure royal approval. The premise of the book is that inequality far from being accepted as normal and inevitable was frequently questioned by less powerful people. When targeted by more or less evident forms of political marginalization they laid claim to principles of justice and on this basis developed a critical comprehension of government pursued a selective rejection of injustice and gained recognition through negotiation.

In 1533 a batch of merchant letters was to be delivered from Antwerp to London. They never reached their destination and were only opened in a Hanseatic archive almost 500 years later. Like a message in a bottle the letters unfold unknown individual stories and large-scale drama. They offer a fascinating glimpse into the world of the early 16th century from hard-nosed business and prices in code sent to a wife to the fond greetings of an English father to his three young sons or a secretive message of a grandmother from Antwerp. At the backdrop war was looming: the letters were part of a booty taken in the English Channel in August of 1533. Lübeck privateers plundered six neutral ships carting the goods of English Dutch Spanish Venetian and Hanseatic merchants off to Lübeck and Hamburg. As a result Henry VIII of England exploded with rage and restitution claims were made. Soon after Lübeck realized the potential political cost of the action and an administrative machinery for the return of the booty was set in motion. Extensive documentation was produced under the eye of notaries providing an overview of properties of the involved parties including many merchant marks.

The combination of unique letters and administrative documents offers new openings into the study of economic political and social history of pre-modern northern Europe. Highlights are the migration of people and goods resourceful conflict management and the voice of ordinary people captured in their letters.

The sixteenth century in Europe was a time of profound change the threshold between the ‘medieval’ and the ‘modern’ as new technologies were introduced distant lands explored oceanic trade routes opened and innovative ideas pursued in fields as varied as politics science philosophy law and religion. But sweeping transformations also occurred in the rural world profoundly altering the countryside in both appearance and practices. Crucially for historians there is abundant documentary evidence for these changes but while they are less well-documented their impact can also be traced archaeologically.

This cutting-edge volume is the first to explore the archaeology of the rural world across the ‘long’ sixteenth century and to investigate the changing innovations that were seen in landscape technology agriculture and husbandry during this period. Drawing together contributions from across Europe and from a range of archaeological disciplines including zooarchaeology archaeobotany landscape archaeology material culture studies and technology this collection of essays sheds new light on a key period of innovation that was a significant precursor to modern economies and societies.

This innovative volume of cultural history offers a unique exploration of how gender and status competition have intersected across different periods and places. The contributions collected here focus on the role of women and the practice of masculinity in settings as varied as ancient Rome China Iran and Arabia medieval and early modern England and early modern Italy France and Scandinavia as well as exploring issues that affected people of all social rank from raillery and pranks to shaming male boasting about sexual conquests court rituals violence and the use and display of wealth. Particular attention is paid to the performance of such issues with chapters examining status and gender through cultural practices especially specific (re)presentations of women. These include Roman priestesses early Christian virgin martyrs flirtation in seventh-century Arabia and the attempt by an early modern French woman to take her place among the immortals. Together this wide-ranging and fascinating array of studies from renowned scholars offers new insights into how and why different cultures responded to the drive for status and the complications of gender within that drive.