Genealogy and the Politics of Representation in the High and Late Middle Ages

During the high and later Middle Ages, images and image cycles with genealogical content were prevalent, representing families, office holders, and single figures. This volume explores how these works were used to legitimize rulers, support political and territorial goals, reinforce archbishops' rights, cement relationships between families and monastic foundations, and commemorate the dead. The genre's flexibility and legibility made it widely used.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 406 pages
\n Publication date: 17 January 2019
\n Publisher: Cambridge University Press
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In the high and later Middle Ages, images and image cycles with genealogical content were abundant. These captivating visuals depicted families related by blood, as well as successive office holders, appearing as family trees and lineages of individual figures in manuscripts, on walls, in stained glass, in sculpture, and metalwork. However, art historians have surprisingly overlooked the prevalence of these images. By examining the physical contexts and functions of these works alongside the intentions of their patrons, this volume delves into a comprehensive exploration of groups of figural genealogies spanning northern Europe and dating from the mid-twelfth to the mid-fourteenth century. Joan A. Holladay sheds light on the various ways in which these images were employed to legitimize rulers, support their political and territorial aspirations, reinforce the archbishops' authority to crown kings, strengthen relationships between families of founders and their monastic foundations, and commemorate the deceased. The versatility and legibility of this genre played a significant role in its widespread popularity.

In the high and later Middle Ages, images and image cycles with genealogical content were abundant. These captivating visuals depicted families related by blood, as well as successive office holders, appearing as family trees and lineages of individual figures in manuscripts, on walls, in stained glass, in sculpture, and metalwork. However, art historians have surprisingly overlooked the prevalence of these images. By examining the physical contexts and functions of these works alongside the intentions of their patrons, this volume delves into a comprehensive exploration of groups of figural genealogies spanning northern Europe and dating from the mid-twelfth to the mid-fourteenth century. Joan A. Holladay sheds light on the various ways in which these images were employed to legitimize rulers, support their political and territorial aspirations, reinforce the archbishops' authority to crown kings, strengthen relationships between families of founders and their monastic foundations, and commemorate the deceased. The versatility and legibility of this genre played a significant role in its widespread popularity.

\n Weight: 1028g\n
Dimension: 188 x 261 x 27 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781108470186\n \n