Exile, Imprisonment, or Death

The Politics of Disgrace in Bourbon France, 1610-1789

Nonfiction, History, France, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book Exile, Imprisonment, or Death by Julian Swann, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Julian Swann ISBN: 9780191093029
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: December 22, 2016
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Julian Swann
ISBN: 9780191093029
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: December 22, 2016
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

On the accession of Louis XIII in 1610 following the assassination of his father, the Bourbon dynasty stood on unstable foundations. For all of Henri IV's undoubted achievements, he had left his son a realm that was still prey to the ambitions of an aristocracy that possessed independent military force and was prepared to resort to violence and vendetta in order to defend its interests and honour. To establish his personal authority, Louis XIII was forced to resort to conspiracy and murder, and even then his authority was constantly challenged. Yet a little over a century later, as the reign of Louis XIV drew to a close, such disobedience was impossible. Instead, a simple royal command expressing the sovereign's disgrace was sufficient to compel the most powerful men and women in the kingdom to submit to imprisonment or internal exile without a trial or an opportunity to justify their conduct, abandoning their normal lives, leaving families, careers, offices, and possessions behind in obedience to their sovereign. To explain that transformation, this volume examines the development of this new 'politics of disgrace', why it emerged, how it was conceptualised, the conventions that governed its use, and reactions to it, not only from the perspective of the monarch and his noble subjects, but also the great corporations of the realm and the wider public. Although that new model of disgrace proved remarkably successful, influencing the ideas and actions of the dominant social elites, it was nevertheless contested, and the critique of disgrace connects to the second aim of this work, which is to use shifting attitudes to the practice as a means of investigating the nature of Old Regime political culture and some of the dramatic and profound changes it experienced in the years separating Louis XIII's dramatic seizure of power from the French Revolution.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

On the accession of Louis XIII in 1610 following the assassination of his father, the Bourbon dynasty stood on unstable foundations. For all of Henri IV's undoubted achievements, he had left his son a realm that was still prey to the ambitions of an aristocracy that possessed independent military force and was prepared to resort to violence and vendetta in order to defend its interests and honour. To establish his personal authority, Louis XIII was forced to resort to conspiracy and murder, and even then his authority was constantly challenged. Yet a little over a century later, as the reign of Louis XIV drew to a close, such disobedience was impossible. Instead, a simple royal command expressing the sovereign's disgrace was sufficient to compel the most powerful men and women in the kingdom to submit to imprisonment or internal exile without a trial or an opportunity to justify their conduct, abandoning their normal lives, leaving families, careers, offices, and possessions behind in obedience to their sovereign. To explain that transformation, this volume examines the development of this new 'politics of disgrace', why it emerged, how it was conceptualised, the conventions that governed its use, and reactions to it, not only from the perspective of the monarch and his noble subjects, but also the great corporations of the realm and the wider public. Although that new model of disgrace proved remarkably successful, influencing the ideas and actions of the dominant social elites, it was nevertheless contested, and the critique of disgrace connects to the second aim of this work, which is to use shifting attitudes to the practice as a means of investigating the nature of Old Regime political culture and some of the dramatic and profound changes it experienced in the years separating Louis XIII's dramatic seizure of power from the French Revolution.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book The Demonic in the Political Thought of Eusebius of Caesarea by Julian Swann
Cover of the book Rigor and Structure by Julian Swann
Cover of the book Mao: A Very Short Introduction by Julian Swann
Cover of the book The Child Protection Practice Manual by Julian Swann
Cover of the book Robust Ethics by Julian Swann
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Reference by Julian Swann
Cover of the book The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern China by Julian Swann
Cover of the book Children's Literature: A Very Short Introduction by Julian Swann
Cover of the book The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume IV by Julian Swann
Cover of the book Iran: A Very Short Introduction by Julian Swann
Cover of the book The Broken Voice by Julian Swann
Cover of the book Principles of International Investment Law by Julian Swann
Cover of the book Environmental Law Dimensions of Human Rights by Julian Swann
Cover of the book An Avant-garde Theological Generation by Julian Swann
Cover of the book The Physical Geography of the Mediterranean by Julian Swann
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy