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Early Modern Diplomacy and French Festival Culture in a European Context, 1572–1615
Series: - Rulers & Elites, Volume: 20
Author:
This book is the first to explore the rich festival culture of late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century France as a tool for diplomacy. Bram van Leuveren examines how the late Valois and early Bourbon rulers of the kingdom made conscious use of festivals to advance their diplomatic interests in a war-torn Europe and how diplomatic stakeholders from across the continent participated in and responded to the theatrical and ceremonial events that featured at these festivals. Analysing a large body of multilingual eyewitness and commemorative accounts, as well as visual and material objects, Van Leuveren argues that French festival culture operated as a contested site where the diplomatic concerns of stakeholders from various national, religious, and social backgrounds fought for recognition.
Bram van Leuveren, Ph.D. (University of St Andrews, 2019), is Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow at Leiden University. His/their research focuses on early modern diplomacy, court and popular culture, ritual and pageantry, gender and colonial studies, and the history of Anglo-Dutch-French relations.
Honorable mention for the Claire Sponsler Award:
“Best first book in early modern drama studies, awarded by the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society. The committee (Mark Chambers, Mario Longtin, and Maggie Solberg) praised 'the breathtaking research and breadth of interdisciplinary expertise accomplished by Van Leuveren'”.
“A detailed, finely researched study of the diplomatic aims and consequences of royal festivals in France under the late Valois and early Bourbon monarchs [...]. Van Leuveren’s readings are carefully argued and well-contextualised, drawing on an impressively multilingual archive [...]. Van Leuveren’s accomplished book makes a very welcome contribution to the cultural history of early modern diplomacy.”
Ellen Welch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In: French History, Vol. 38, No. 4 (December 2024), pp. 507–516.
“Best first book in early modern drama studies, awarded by the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society. The committee (Mark Chambers, Mario Longtin, and Maggie Solberg) praised 'the breathtaking research and breadth of interdisciplinary expertise accomplished by Van Leuveren'”.
“A detailed, finely researched study of the diplomatic aims and consequences of royal festivals in France under the late Valois and early Bourbon monarchs [...]. Van Leuveren’s readings are carefully argued and well-contextualised, drawing on an impressively multilingual archive [...]. Van Leuveren’s accomplished book makes a very welcome contribution to the cultural history of early modern diplomacy.”
Ellen Welch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In: French History, Vol. 38, No. 4 (December 2024), pp. 507–516.
Acknowledgements
List of Figures
List of Abbreviations
Preliminary Notes
Introduction
1 Diplomatic Practices
2 Topic and Terminology
3 State of the Field
4 Methodology and Historical Sources
5 Outline of Chapters
1 Unhappy Products of Unhappy Times: European Thought on Diplomacy and Festival Culture in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
1 Introduction
2 The Humanist Roots of Diplomacy and Festival Culture
3 Practices of Negotiation
4 Practices of Hospitality
5 Practices of Publicisation
6 Conclusion
2 Cross-Confessional Diplomacy: The Parisian Court Festivals of Summer 1572
1 Introduction
2 Diplomatic Context
3 The Ratification Ceremony for the Treaty of Blois, 15 June 1572
4 Banquets and Theatrical Entertainments, 13–20 June 1572
5 The Nuptial Ceremony for the Valois-Navarre Festival, 18 August 1572
6 A Royal Dinner and Theatrical Entertainments, 18–21 August 1572
7 Conclusion
3 Diplomatic (In)Hospitality: Henri III’s Controversial Reception of Dutch Rebels, Winter 1585
1 Introduction
2 Diplomatic Context
3 Travelling to Paris, January–February 1585
4 Reception at Court, February–March 1585
5 Conclusion
4 Public and Back-Channel Diplomacy: Broadcasting Reconciliation at the Time of the Edict of Nantes and the Peace of Vervins, 1598–1600
1 Introduction
2 Diplomatic Context
3 Receiving Catholic and Protestant Allies, Spring 1598
4 Staging Reconciliation, Winter 1600
5 Conclusion
5 Contesting Diplomacies: Continuity and Audience Control at Two Royal Marriages, 1612–1615
1 Introduction
2 Diplomatic Context
3 Winning Support for the Franco-Spanish Double Marriage in Paris, 1612
4 Celebrating the Anglo–German Wedding in London, 1613
5 Celebrating the Franco–Spanish Double Marriage in Paris, 1615
6 Conclusion
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
List of Figures
List of Abbreviations
Preliminary Notes
Introduction
1 Diplomatic Practices
2 Topic and Terminology
3 State of the Field
4 Methodology and Historical Sources
5 Outline of Chapters
1 Unhappy Products of Unhappy Times: European Thought on Diplomacy and Festival Culture in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
1 Introduction
2 The Humanist Roots of Diplomacy and Festival Culture
3 Practices of Negotiation
4 Practices of Hospitality
5 Practices of Publicisation
6 Conclusion
2 Cross-Confessional Diplomacy: The Parisian Court Festivals of Summer 1572
1 Introduction
2 Diplomatic Context
3 The Ratification Ceremony for the Treaty of Blois, 15 June 1572
4 Banquets and Theatrical Entertainments, 13–20 June 1572
5 The Nuptial Ceremony for the Valois-Navarre Festival, 18 August 1572
6 A Royal Dinner and Theatrical Entertainments, 18–21 August 1572
7 Conclusion
3 Diplomatic (In)Hospitality: Henri III’s Controversial Reception of Dutch Rebels, Winter 1585
1 Introduction
2 Diplomatic Context
3 Travelling to Paris, January–February 1585
4 Reception at Court, February–March 1585
5 Conclusion
4 Public and Back-Channel Diplomacy: Broadcasting Reconciliation at the Time of the Edict of Nantes and the Peace of Vervins, 1598–1600
1 Introduction
2 Diplomatic Context
3 Receiving Catholic and Protestant Allies, Spring 1598
4 Staging Reconciliation, Winter 1600
5 Conclusion
5 Contesting Diplomacies: Continuity and Audience Control at Two Royal Marriages, 1612–1615
1 Introduction
2 Diplomatic Context
3 Winning Support for the Franco-Spanish Double Marriage in Paris, 1612
4 Celebrating the Anglo–German Wedding in London, 1613
5 Celebrating the Franco–Spanish Double Marriage in Paris, 1615
6 Conclusion
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Those interested in the early modern history of diplomacy and festival culture in France and the political, diplomatic, and religious history of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe more generally.
Keywords: Europe, France, Wars of Religion / Religious Wars, history, international relations, Valois, Bourbon, court studies, Charles IX, Catherine de Médicis / Catherine de’ Medici / Catharina de’ Medici, Henri III / Henry III, Henri IV / Henry IV, Marie de Médicis / Marie de’ Medici / Maria de’ Medici, ritual, theatre.
Keywords: Europe, France, Wars of Religion / Religious Wars, history, international relations, Valois, Bourbon, court studies, Charles IX, Catherine de Médicis / Catherine de’ Medici / Catharina de’ Medici, Henri III / Henry III, Henri IV / Henry IV, Marie de Médicis / Marie de’ Medici / Maria de’ Medici, ritual, theatre.