Bibliographical Essay Bertrand du Guesclin (1302?-1380) is one of the national heroes of France. Although he was of lower birth, he attained the highest military position in France as connétable –...Show moreBibliographical Essay Bertrand du Guesclin (1302?-1380) is one of the national heroes of France. Although he was of lower birth, he attained the highest military position in France as connétable – or constable – of France. He was one of the outstanding military leaders of the Hundred Year’s War (1337-1453) between France and England. Bertrand became known after he defeated Sir Thomas Canterbury (of whom hardly anything is known) in the “fight of the century” and the successful defense of Rennes against an English siege in 1356-57. He was appointed captain of Pontorson. His next major victory was at the Battle of Cocherel in 1364 when he defeated the troops of Charles II the Bad (1332-1387), the king of Navarra. In 1366 and in 1369 Bertrand led bands of mercenaries, also known as the compagnies, out of France and into Spain to bring more peace to France and to help Henry of Trastámara (1334-1379), to gain the throne on his half-brother Peter I the Cruel (1334-1369). In 1370 he was appointed connétable, recalled from Spain to fight the English again. The next few years he gave the French several victories, but died in 1380 besieging an English fortress at Châteauneuf-de-Randon. During the years following Bertrand’s death in 1380, a rhymed chronicle was written. The exact year is unknown, although it must be before 1392 – a copy of the manuscript exists in England and is dated between 1380-1392. The chronicle is most commonly named La vie valliant de Bertran du Guesclin and exists of approximately 22.790 verses. Most is unknown about this work. There is no mention that La vie valliant was commissioned by anyone, and the remarks to the sources used are vague. Even the name of the author is not certain. Most modern historians call him ‘Cuvelier’. The author names himself in the 21th verse, but the names differ in the manuscripts. His relationship towards Bertrand is completely unknown. It has been said – and some modern historians take it for certain – that Cuvelier was the same as Jehan Li Cuneliers, a poet in service of the king. The names ‘Cuvelier’ and ‘Cunelier’ can easily be read as the same when hand-written. There are six chansons known by this Cunelier, which are apparently similar to La vie valliant. However, it has also been said that Cunelier died too early to be the composer of La vie valliant. La vie valliant has been received in very different manners. Some base their biographies of Bertand du Guesclin completely on this work. Others claim that the author never met Bertrand and that La vie valliant should not be used as a reliable source. At least it can be said that since the manuscripts sometimes differ on numbers and names, one should not take everything literally. Some mistakes have also been pointed out in years and locations. This variety in reception by modern authors has something to do with the questions concerning the commissioner and the sources of this work. When one assumes that the king, Philip the Bold (1342-1404) was the commissioner of La vie valliant, it makes sense that the author had entry to more official sources. Other historians assume that Cuvelier came by his ‘facts’ by talking to Bertrand’s family and comrades-at-arms. The theory that one accepts, determines the amount of authority this work is given. Therefore, I would like to research to which extent Cuvelier’s sources can be found by analyzing the hints and indications in his work – and by analyzing the ‘mistakes’ Cuvelier has made. The question of the sources used by Cuvelier answers to these discussions – about his identity and his authority. Also, to analyze his sources would give us a deeper insight of medieval chroniclers, how they worked, what they could do or could not do. Thereby, this question has not been asked yet. There is no paper which analyzes both views on Cuvelier, their pros and cons. Yet I think the discussion on Cuvelier needs, and lacks, exactly that. Roughly, it can be said that the discussion consists of two camps: one that argues La vie valliant was commissioned by the king and was based on official sources, and the other which argues that it was based on eye-witness stories. Strange enough, of this latter camp, only Coryn accepts eyewitness’ stories as a reliable source. In this debate, Dupuy and Tixier represents the side which don’t consider Cuvelier reliable, Charrière and Jamison merely neutrally list the arguments, and Chattaway, Jacob, Lemoine and a library-website represent the pro-Cuvelier side. I will start searching for Cuvelier’s sources by first explaining his work more deeply. What Cuvelier does say – and what he doesn’t. Several manuscripts which contain la vie valliant have been lost or are at least not where they once were. The problem finding the manuscripts comes from the fact that most historians nowadays use the printed version of la vie valliant by Charrière – a far more available source, but one who has mixed several manuscripts. The master thesis by Yvonne Vermijn has been very helpful in locating the remaining manuscripts. In this thesis she analyzes the relationship between these manuscripts, which is very useful when it comes to getting as close as possible to the original work. Another helpful book here has been written by De la Poix, the only biography on Du Guesclin I have been able to find so far that uses La Roumant de Rertrand de Glayequin – a Breton version of la vie valliant. For a more general view on chronicles in the late fourteen century I plan to use the noticed book by Given-Wilson and an article by Menache. In the second chapter I will give an overview of the two sides in the discussion. What are the arguments for thinking Cuvelier could be Cunelier? What are the arguments for him not to be? To which extent are they provable? In the third chapter I will present the works that other historians thought were Cuvelier’s sources and his hints to believe so, and the arguments, of course, not to believe so. Last but not least I will present a list with the ‘mistakes’ made by Cuvelier. To which extent can they lead back to his position or sources – or are maybe not even mistakes at all? There are ‘mistakes’ pointed out in books by Stoddard and Tixier, and an article by Levine. Charrière has also marked some ‘mistakes’ in his printed version of la vie valliant. One I have found myself – Cuvelier describes a meeting with, amongst others, the English general Chandos, whereas Chandos, according to his own work – was not present at all.Show less
The study of the relation between acculturation and identity in the Roman world has come a long way in the last couple of decades. The renewed emphasis on exploring discrepant experiences has...Show moreThe study of the relation between acculturation and identity in the Roman world has come a long way in the last couple of decades. The renewed emphasis on exploring discrepant experiences has enabled us to better appreciate the myriad ways in which the empire’s inhabitants where part of a single political continuum, yet each partaking in its ongoing creation on their own terms, adapting elements from their own cultural matrices in the face of imperial realities, duties, possibilities and limits. As a result - although we are somewhat freed from the overly simplistic paradigm of ‘Romanisation’ - studying the formulation of identity in the Roman Empire has become an ever more complex business. One discrepant experience which we are familiar with is the one lived by the author Lucian of Samosata. He was one of the main exponents of the cultural movement known as the Second Sophistic, a period of cultural revival and renewed self-awareness throughout the Greek east - now subjugated but unified by Rome. Like many of his contemporaries, his intimate attachment to Greek culture and its classical heritage did not exclude him from recognizing himself as a loyal and engaged citizen of the empire, enjoying the securities and chances the larger Roman world had to offer. That being said, his The Wisdom of Nigrinus remains one of Lucian’s more obscure works - in more ways than one. At face value, the words of his fictional philosopher could be viewed as those of a dissenter, forming a rousing anti-Roman pamphlet, a philosophical treatise that is potentially legible as a sophist’s rallying cry for Greek resistance against Roman rule and imperial society. However, considering Lucian’s notorious penchant for satire, the authoritative tone of the dialogue’s main voice doesn’t sit well with our expectations of the author. All things considered, the ambiguous Nigrinus dialogue yields important information about the state of the intercultural dialogue between Rome and the Greek east. At the same time, the dialogue stands as a testament to Lucian’s skill in imitating and experimenting with classical formats of literature, tying his reflections on high imperial society to the large repository of images of the classical world, creating a narrative universe in which contemporary satire is injected with a dose of cultural heritage that adds a sense of purpose and history to it. It is the general aim of this essay to map the multiple avenues available to construct a cohesive sense of identity within the Roman Empire in the second century C.E., specifically as they are explored by Lucian. Aside from evaluating the dialogue’s subject-matter, I have sought to dissect the lineage and effect of the form and style which Lucian has used in its composition. To this end, I have drawn from the various theoretical models that have been formulated in an attempt to reinvigorate the recent debate on Roman culture and the conterminous formulation of identity. In the same spirit of eclecticism displayed by influential scholars such as Jane Webster, Greg Woolf and Tim Whitmarsh, I have endeavoured to illuminate how its specific composition reflects its mixed literary heritage, to recognize the significance of the ways Lucian has chosen to comment on imperial culture and society, and in what sense his creative negotiation between cultures in literature reflects the ongoing transformation of imperial Roman culture in his day. In turn, Lucian grants us an opportunity to adjust our newest assumptions, and further refine our perception of Roman history.Show less
By means of a sample of 200 railway, post and police workers from the Leiden population register around 1900 patterns and systems are found out concerning career migration in the Netherlands. The...Show moreBy means of a sample of 200 railway, post and police workers from the Leiden population register around 1900 patterns and systems are found out concerning career migration in the Netherlands. The sample is analysed on migration patterns like city of birth, city of provenance and city of departure, on ages and family situations and on adresses in Leiden.Show less
Deze scriptie gaat over de manier waarop Walther Rathenau en Jakob Wassermann hun leven lang in een vergelijkbare gecompliceerde spagaat verkeerden tussen hun jood-zijn en hun innige liefde voor...Show moreDeze scriptie gaat over de manier waarop Walther Rathenau en Jakob Wassermann hun leven lang in een vergelijkbare gecompliceerde spagaat verkeerden tussen hun jood-zijn en hun innige liefde voor Duitsland en analyseert hoe deze identiteitsspagaat er voor ieder van beiden uitzag en veranderde gedurende hun leven.Show less
The South African Border War 1966 – 1989 was a war fought between South Africa, Cuba and Angola. Battles were mainly fought in southern Angola but within South West Africa SWAPO attempted to mount...Show moreThe South African Border War 1966 – 1989 was a war fought between South Africa, Cuba and Angola. Battles were mainly fought in southern Angola but within South West Africa SWAPO attempted to mount an insurgency against South Africa. This saw the introduction of several unique South African unconventional units and managed to win many battles but this did not result in South African political success. This thesis looks at these units in depth and analyses their impact by describing some of the operations in which the Recces, 32 Bn, 44 Parachute Brigade and Koevoet were involved. In the introduction the background of the war is looked at, followed by an introduction to each of the four units in question. The main part of the thesis consists of various South African operations during the war, followed by an analysis and lastly a conclusion is reached regarding the political outcome.Show less
