Intercultural Explorations and the Court of Henry VIII

Intercultural Explorations and the Court of Henry VIII offers a fresh perspective on Tudor court culture by using continental sources to contextualize, nuance, and challenge long-held perspectives. It presents original research in history, literature, and cultural history, addressing specific questions that challenge what we know or think we know about Tudor court culture. The case studies show that the court was a place of cultural and intercultural encounters that is best understood when studied in dialogue across languages, geographical barriers, and scholarly disciplines.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 12 December 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Seldom has a royal court attracted such extensive scholarly attention as that of Henry VIII, or achieved such widespread cultural prominence. Nonetheless, Intercultural Explorations and the Court of Henry VIII is dedicated to presenting a novel perspective on Tudor court culture by utilizing continental sources to contextualize, nuance, and challenge long-held perspectives shaped by the extensive study of well-known, Anglophone sources. Through a diverse array of textual sources, including ambassadorial correspondence, account books, household etiquette, legal records, royal warrants, and marital contracts, alongside plays and travel accounts, this study conducts original research in history, literature, and cultural history. The case studies featured in Intercultural Explorations and the Court of Henry VIII specifically address questions that challenge our existing knowledge or assumptions about Tudor court culture. For instance, was it considered tasteful to bring a jester to a royal deathbed? Did John Blanke truly make history as the first black musician to perform at the Tudor court, or did he follow in the footsteps of another renowned performer of African descent? When Charles V visited Henry VIII, did he use his own plate during meals? And why did courtiers express negative opinions about Anne of Cleves' appearance? By addressing these specific inquiries, Intercultural Explorations and the Court of Henry VIII aims to demonstrate that, while Henry VIII's court may have had a distinctly English character, it was essentially a hub of cultural and intercultural encounters that demands a comprehensive understanding when examined in dialogue across languages, geographical boundaries, and scholarly disciplines.

Weight: 398g
Dimension: 210 x 140 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192863447