Nobles and nobility in France. 1300-1500.
CNRS| N° d'inventaire | 23741 |
| Format | 15 x 23 |
| Détails | 393 p., paperback. |
| Publication | Paris, 2021 |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782271136671 |
From the year 1000 to 1789, the nobility in France was a quality transmitted by blood, within the predominant, if not exclusive, framework of Christian marriage. Specifically, its history aimed to be inscribed under the sign of social reproduction. From 1300 to 1500, the strong sense of identity of its members was further reinforced by the intervention of heralds. Although a very small minority, the nobles then persisted in playing a central role, despite the crises they faced and the challenges to which they were subjected.
The studies gathered here deal with this vast subject, with the emphasis on the castle, seen from the inside and outside, the lordship as a source of power and income, and the horses "in name." Among the activities specific to this environment—such as hunting with dogs or birds, and even more so weapons—jousting and tournaments, this aristocratic sport practiced as part of court life, are not forgotten.
Certainly, legally and ideologically, we are in the presence of a society of orders, which should have led to structural immobility. But the reality is more complex, as shown, within the "good cities," by the position of the nobles vis-à-vis the notables. The nobility? An "elite" among others, which, de facto if not de jure, renewed itself regularly. Here as elsewhere, life prevailed over principles.
From the year 1000 to 1789, the nobility in France was a quality transmitted by blood, within the predominant, if not exclusive, framework of Christian marriage. Specifically, its history aimed to be inscribed under the sign of social reproduction. From 1300 to 1500, the strong sense of identity of its members was further reinforced by the intervention of heralds. Although a very small minority, the nobles then persisted in playing a central role, despite the crises they faced and the challenges to which they were subjected.
The studies gathered here deal with this vast subject, with the emphasis on the castle, seen from the inside and outside, the lordship as a source of power and income, and the horses "in name." Among the activities specific to this environment—such as hunting with dogs or birds, and even more so weapons—jousting and tournaments, this aristocratic sport practiced as part of court life, are not forgotten.
Certainly, legally and ideologically, we are in the presence of a society of orders, which should have led to structural immobility. But the reality is more complex, as shown, within the "good cities," by the position of the nobles vis-à-vis the notables. The nobility? An "elite" among others, which, de facto if not de jure, renewed itself regularly. Here as elsewhere, life prevailed over principles.