Abstract
Early modern diplomats suffered from a variety of diseases and they continuously wrote about it. Two diseases seem to be rather prominent among early modern princes, diplomats and courtiers: gout and melancholy. They could even be used for negotiations in politics and diplomacy. Both diseases were also shaped by gender-specific norms. Therefore, the article explores in a first step the gender-specific norms underlying the diverse forms of melancholy drawing from a variety of sources such as medical and demonological treatises. In a second step, Holy Roman Empress Maria of Austria (1528–1603), a prominent sufferer of melancholy, serves as a case study to find out how her disease was perceived on the one hand by herself and on the other hand by the Spanish ambassadors at the Imperial court and how her indispositions could be used by herself and by the ambassadors in family diplomacy between the two branches of the House of Habsburg. It seems that possibilities and limits of agency concerning the use of the sick body as a tool for negotiations in courtly politics and diplomacy were considerably determined by categories such as gender or age.
Original language | German |
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Pages (from-to) | 98-115 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Frühneuzeit Info |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 2018 |
Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 601005 European history
- 601016 Austrian history
- 601014 Modern history
Keywords
- Melancholy
- History of Medicine
- Cultural History of Diplomacy
- Habsburg Empire - 16th century
- Maria of Austria