Despite Hamburg's eminence as an imperial centre of commerce and diplomacy in the lead-up to the Congress of Westphalia, study of the city's own imperial politics and diplomacy has been harkened by...Show moreDespite Hamburg's eminence as an imperial centre of commerce and diplomacy in the lead-up to the Congress of Westphalia, study of the city's own imperial politics and diplomacy has been harkened by a shortage on source material. In general, historians have stressed Hamburg's tendency to fare a neutralist, autonomic and commerce-driven course. This study has set out to give a complete and positively defined interpretation of the city's diplomacy, assessing its political ambitions, diplomatic means and day-to-day manifestation at the Imperial Diet in Regensburg of 1640-1641 by way of the relatively complete correspondence between the Senate and its diplomats, as well as the financial accounts of the mission. In all, Hamburg’s access to government dignitaries and its use of the services of Imperial bureaucrats demonstrate a more versatile and active diplomatic involvement in Imperial diplomacy than perhaps envisioned earlier by scholars. Positively defined, its diplomacy operated at eye-level with that of the King of Denmark, using funds, support from the Electors and publication in a similar fashion and to a comparable degree. Hamburg’s engagement with the Empire’s dignitaries, bureaucrats, and institutions such as the Imperial Aulic Council show Hamburg’s ready use of the institutions of the Holy Roman Empire, and underline that in important respects the city was far from diplomatically isolated or disengaged with matters of Empire.Show less
This thesis reconsiders the modern debate about the Dutch Republic as a great power and the decline of that great power through new contemporary and social-constructivist perspectives, as opposed...Show moreThis thesis reconsiders the modern debate about the Dutch Republic as a great power and the decline of that great power through new contemporary and social-constructivist perspectives, as opposed to modern and objectivist perspectives. Through these new perspectives there are several propositions to narrow down the extremely broad debate about the Dutch Republic and her loss of great power status.Show less
This thesis argues that the story about Melibeus must be read as a call for peace, and that each version was written to comment on specific events. The versions of Jan van Boendale and Dirc Potter...Show moreThis thesis argues that the story about Melibeus must be read as a call for peace, and that each version was written to comment on specific events. The versions of Jan van Boendale and Dirc Potter are compared and examined against the political and cultural background of their writers.Show less
In deze scriptie is getracht om de organisatie van het Gelderse leger in de jaren 1420 tot en met 1440 uiteen te zetten. Ook welke eenheden het leger van Gelre gebruikte in zijn oorlogen en de rol...Show moreIn deze scriptie is getracht om de organisatie van het Gelderse leger in de jaren 1420 tot en met 1440 uiteen te zetten. Ook welke eenheden het leger van Gelre gebruikte in zijn oorlogen en de rol van de vorst bij de organisatie van het leger komen aan bod.Show less
This thesis researches the legal status of people with mental illnesses in the fifteenth century Low Countries, based on an analysis of both normative sources (bylaws) and sources of practice ...Show moreThis thesis researches the legal status of people with mental illnesses in the fifteenth century Low Countries, based on an analysis of both normative sources (bylaws) and sources of practice (court cases). It looks at two specific areas, namely guardianship procedures and inheritance law. The research focusses on an urban setting, using two case studies (Leiden and Leuven). The findings are placed in a comparative context by comparing them with results for other cities in the Low Countries, as well as the findings of other medievalists for different countries (England, France and Italy).Show less
