Judith BleekerJudith completed her Bachelor in English Language and Culture cum laude at the University of Groningen in 2017. Her final thesis investigated the fluidity of representations of divine figures on the stage in two fifteenth century plays, namely The Castle of Perseverance and Mankind. Her research focuses on late medieval English literature and drama, and she has a special interest in religious and devotional works, as well as Middle English allegorical poetry and dream visions. Judith is currently also involved as a research assistant in the project “Cities of Readers”, which revolves around the religious reading practices of lay people in the fifteenth century.
[email protected] A Poet’s Power: Literary Authority and the Authorial Self in George Ashby’s Active Policy of a Prince As signet clerk to King Henry VI and Queen Margaret of Anjou, the poet George Ashby occupied an important position. His Active Policy of a Prince, including the appended Dicta & Opiniones Diversorum Philosophorum, is a (today) relatively obscure English Lancastrian mirror for princes. It was written for Henry VI’s son, Edward of Lancaster, during the 1460s or early 1470s, at the height of the Wars of the Roses. On the basis of internal evidence, I demonstrate that the poem was written at a time when the Lancastrians were not in power. Having thus established the writing of this poem as a daring endeavour, I investigate how the work asserts Lancastrian authority, as well as how Ashby authorises himself as poet and royal advisor. How does he place himself in the literary tradition, what (textual) authorities does he appeal to, and what are the limits of the poet’s power? Lastly, I argue how Ashby’s authorial choices and style may covertly contribute to the message he is trying to convey. |
Marlies DraaismaBefore starting the History track of the Research Master CMEMS, Marlies studied History at the University of Groningen. She completed her Bachelor in 2017. In her final thesis, Marlies researched the donation pattern of the Kloosterrade abbey in Limburg by looking at its charters and chronicle, determining a visible shift from land donations to smaller sums of cash. Her research interests lie in cultural and religious medieval history (1000-1500). She is currently also doing a research internship at Castle Muiderslot, where she contributes to the new, permanent exhibition by conducting research on the European contacts of count Floris V.
[email protected] The Authority of the Sacred: Emperor Charles IV’s (1316-1378) Use of his Saintly Forebears St. Wenceslaus and St. Charlemagne As a ruler, emperor Charles IV (1316-1378) was concerned with establishing his legitimacy on both the imperial and the Bohemian throne, enlarging his personal territory and consolidating the position of the Luxembourg dynasty as a powerful family in Europe. In this, he did not much differ from other medieval rulers of his time. However, what Charles did do more prominently was make use of art, literature, public display, genealogy and relics to show his superiority and legitimacy, in order to justify his various territories and titles. Often, Charles linked himself by blood to illustrious forebears and saints, creating dynastic links to sainthood. Two prominent figures in his ancestry were St. Wenceslaus through his mother’s side, and St. Charlemagne through his father’s lineage. By connecting himself to these saints, Charles tried to endorse his rulership with supernatural legitimation. In my paper, I argue that Charles IV used and exploited his saintly ancestors as propaganda for his claims, because these dynastic saints exerted heavenly authority. |
Nelleke KoornstraPrevious to following the Classics track within the Research Master CMEMS, Nelleke studied Greek and Latin Language and Culture at the University of Groningen. She concluded her Bachelor in 2017 with a thesis called “Serpents in Silius Italicus’ Punica.” Her main research interests concern Greek and Latin poetry and prose written under the Roman Empire. She is currently also working as a research assistant within the project “Anchoring the Fascist Revolution. The Classical Languages under Fascism”, where she contributes to the editing and translating of Latin Fascist texts, as well as aiding as an editorial assistant for several publications.
[email protected] Heracles and Alexander the Great as Exempla in Dio Chrysostom’s On Kingship Orations In Dio Chrysostom’s (ca. 40 AD – ca. 120 AD) On Kingship orations, Alexander the Great and Heracles appear as exemplary figures for emperor Trajan (r. 98 – 117 AD). The first oration opens with an anecdote about Alexander, while it closes with a myth about Heracles. In both Or.2 and Or.4, Alexander again plays a significant role, as both orations are shaped as dialogues: Or.2 as a dialogue between Alexander and his father king Philip of Macedon; Or.4 as a conversation between Alexander and the Cynic philosopher Diogenes. In this paper, I aim to shed light on Dio’s employment of these figures as models, by examining how he portrays Alexander and Heracles, how these passages relate to the broader context of his On Kingship orations, and how the choice for Alexander and Heracles as exempla relates to the aim of his work. It will be suggested that Dio drew on these esteemed figures to appeal to Trajan’s interest in them, in order to gain authority or influence on Trajan as philosopher-counsellor. |
Dániel MoermanDániel completed both a Bachelor in History and Philosophy at the University of Groningen in 2017. Focusing on the early modern period (1500-1800), his main interests are in socio-cultural history, intellectual history, and the use of self-narratives, such as diaries and chronicles in historical research. He is particularly interested in the wider socio-cultural dimension of intellectual ideas regarding topics such as medicine and philosophy in early modern society, especially in literature, theatre, and other art forms. Currently, he is also working as a research assistant in a project concerning the journal of Isaac Beeckman (1588-1637), focusing on his perception of illness.
[email protected] “A Doleful Mess.” Challenging and Affirming the Authority of Physicians and Surgeons in the Medical Pamphlet War in Amsterdam, 1677-1678. During the years 1677-1678, the Amsterdam medical scene was the site of a severe pamphlet war. The stream of pamphlets published during these subsequent years resulted from a quarrel between the city’s main midwife, Andries Boekelman, and hospital physician Bonaventura van Dortmond. The entire dispute evolved into a struggle for power and reputation between various groups of physicians and surgeons. The anonymous satirical pamphlets, which reflected on the “doleful mess” of notable physicians and surgeons who had reduced themselves to slanderous pamphleteering, used the vicious quarrel as a means to both challenge and affirm their professional authority. As the authority of physicians depended largely on a display of esteemed learnedness and moral character, and that of surgeons on the trustworthiness of their skills, these elements were hackled and put up for questioning. The focus of my paper will be on this exact criticism, and on what it can tell us with regard to the authoritativeness of physicians and surgeons at that time. |
Jessie PietensJessie completed her Bachelor’s degree in History at the University of Groningen in 2018. In addition to courses from the History department, she followed an extensive amount of courses at the department of English Language and Culture. In her final thesis, she researched a Middle Dutch and Middle English translation of the Liber Trotula to determine the access women had to medical knowledge in a time of widespread illiteracy, where women were not allowed to study. Jessie’s research interests, concerning the social and cultural history of Western Europe between the late fourteenth and early seventeenth century, include English literature and culture, minorities, gender, and monarchies.
[email protected] Fashioning a Monarchy: Authority and Image in the Clothing of Queen Mary Tudor (1553-1558) Over the course of history, clothing has developed firm connections with practices, behaviours, and interests pejoratively gendered ‘female’, and was, therefore, not deemed a fitting subject of historical enquiry. The subject of clothing, however, relates closely to that of authority and is an excellent source to further investigate the history of authority. Clothing makes a ‘body’ into a ‘person’, can be part of portraying and forming someone’s character, and leaves an imprint upon observer and wearer alike. Throughout history, clothing, accessories, and jewellery have been used to claim, confirm and assert social identity. Moreover, clothing is an essential part of the laws, terms, and codes that underlie authority. In this context, royal dress is particularly interesting to look at, as kings and queens are figures and voices of authority. Therefore, this paper will focus on the clothing of Queen Mary I of the house of Tudor, whose reign brought discontinuity because she was a woman and a Catholic of illegitimate descent. The central question will be: how did the English Queen Mary I use her clothing to portray monarchical authority? |
Juliet ReschJuliet obtained her Bachelor in History at the University of Groningen in 2017, after having returned from an exchange in Norway. Her final thesis was titled “The Viking Society and their Interaction with Death.” Focusing on the High Middle Ages, her research interests are in political and cultural history, as well as in historical anthropology. She is currently also doing a research internship at Castle Muiderslot, where she contributes to the realisation of the new, permanent exhibition of the castle, which focuses on the medieval counts of Holland and their different methods of power. In this project, she is specifically concerned with honour and status in the High Middle Ages.
[email protected] From a Humble Man to the King of Norway: Humility and Authority in Sverris Saga In June 1184, Sverrir Sigurdson (the alleged illegitimate son of the late king Sigurd Haraldsson) defeated Mágnus Erlingsson, the ruling king of Norway. Shortly afterwards, the composition of Sverris saga began. The central theme of this saga concerns Sverrir's right to rule over Norway and his suitability as king. This is illustrated by three arguments: (1) Sverrir is the son of a king, (2) Sverrir is directly and indirectly supported by God, and (3) Sverrir has put in a lot of effort in order to obtain the kingdom, and by doing so has shown his ability to rule. I would argue, however, that there is another, underlying force within the narrative of the saga that makes Sverrir's transition to king and his obtainment of authority possible: the rhetoric of humility. This paper will thus explore the relation between humility and authority in Sverris saga. The principles behind kingship ideology and the notion of liminality will be of great importance here. |