DOCSLIB.ORG

Synopsis of the Contents Ofthe British Museum. Departmen T of Coin S

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Synopsis of the Contents Ofthe British Museum. Departmen T of Coin S SYNOPSIS OF THE CONTENTS OF THE B R I T I S H M U S E U M . DEPARTMENT OF I AN D ME D L C O N S A S . A G U I D E TO THE I T A L I A N M E D A L S xxmnm nl m K NG ’ S LIBRARY I . FIRET EDI TI ON . K E A R Y C F. M. A . F. S . A . , , L O N D O N : PRIN TED BY ORDER OF THE TR ’ USTEES . LONGMANS 8: Co. Pate noste Row B. UABITCH 15 Pi ccad , r r ; Q , , illy A . ABB ER 85 Co . 1 3 Bedford S ree Covent Gar en and at erli n , , t t, d , B ; B 57 and 59 Lud a TBfi N EB Co. , , g te Hill; 0. Ro ma ! 8: FEUARDE NT 6 1 G eat Russel S ree 8: 4 Rue de Lo uvoi s Paris , , r l t t, , , . THE Italian Medals described in this Guide have bee n selected from the collection in the British Museum for exhi bition on account of their artistic and hi storical K ’ interest . They are exhibited in the ing s Library in ases C D . s s s i s the c marked , In the e ca e each medal separately labelled and numbered in correspondence with ld te the descriptions in the Guide . Specimens in go are s s s i s pre ented by electrotype , and pec men in lead by plaster casts coloured so as to resemble the originals . s hi s s s e i s i the The chief intere t of t erie b ing art t c, Introduction gives a. brief sketch of the history of the f medallic art in Italy . Special in ormation concerning the artists and the emi nent persons portrayed on the s is ff od so far as medal a orded in the b y of the work , the s all s . E c i s s its pace ow a h medal de cribed, and metal di nsi s s t s s wi and me on in inche and ten h tated, th other ul n i i partic ars eedful for its i dent ficat on . The larger edition of this Guide i s illustrated by seven plates executed by the Autotype process from casts in as s s i s s pl ter, and each ub equent ed tion will pre ent a fre h set s i h as s n of plate , unt l the whole exhibition thu bee d di si z reproduce . The great vergence in the e of the Itali an medals makes it impossible to arrange them in a continuous series on the plates . They have therefore — ll s s s s Pls . I III s been i u trated in three uch erie , repre ent s th Pls . V ing medal reduced to half eir actual diameter, IV , , meda s e to e - e s ctu i te l reduc d thr e quart r of their a al d ame r, Pl i s z . s . s and VI , VII , medal in the r actual i e REGINALD ST ART P LE U OO . 3 43 1 6 1 . CONTENTS . ’ Enrros s PREFACE INTRODUCTION PART I. MEDALS or FIFT EENTH m y ARRA GE U ER ART T A . N D ND IS S PER O A 1-AL s B . S N L ART II MEDA r THE srx 'rs m n P . LS o am our ARRANGED UNDER B PERSONAL - AL S . C . Vm ovs 1-AL s ms PART III. PAPAL ss s I TR D I N N O UCT O . THE exhi bition of Italian medals i s divided into three s s 1 s fiftee n th n ur erie , containing ( ) the medal of the ce t y, 2 s s 3 s s ( ) tho e of the ixteenth century, and ( ) a Papal erie ' giving the portraits of most of the pon ti fis who sat in the t chair of S . Peter between the termination of the Great s E Schi m and the end of the seventeenth century . ach of first s s i s n s v o s the two erie agai ubdi ided int two other , the one arran ged under the medallists and designed to i s d ll llu trate the me a ic art of that time , the other giving the portraits of indi viduals co ncerning most of whom something i s w r s e A kno n of a biog aphical or hi torical int rest . t the end of the medals of the sixteenth century are arranged a fin s s number of e example of the art of thi period , of which r n s s the autho ship i s unknown . Regardi g thi divi ion of d s n sts s s w l the me al u der arti and into per onal medal , it il easily be see n that very many pieces cannot of right belong exclusively to either class : many medals which are e s chi efl as s s l int re ting y the work of a medalli t, di p ay s s s s likewi e important hi torical portrait , and other piece , s l chi efl for s s e ected y the ake of the portrait upon them , are signed by an artist and therefore serve to farther l s hi s il u trate s special work . To aid the tudent in obtain i n i ss i field u g all the informat on po ible in e ther of inq iry , s i th e 1 s indexe are g ven at end , containing ) a li t of all the artists whose signatures appear upon t e medals e x hi e f e s me s so s to t s bit d, with re erenc to the dal igned and ho e other pieces which can with reasonable probability be refe rred to them ; (2) a list of all the persons represented s 3 l s s the s on the medal ; ( ) a i t of the event , in ca e of the I s s fe w i talian erie but very , wh ch are recorded upon the s s d sts medal . Biographical notice of the me alli are placed viii INTRODUCTION . ef sc s d s i n b ore the de ription of the me al made by them , s s s s bi o ra h ical s the erie arranged under arti t , and g notice of th e pe rsons represented follow (generally the de scri p s tions of their medal . ss s n The nece itie of arrangement , which require attentio to the appearance of the exhi bition as a whole— as for example the desirability of not placing the fin est pieces s l r where they would be ill een , or ofa lowing compa atively o s s fin e st p or pecimen to intervene between the , or again of bavin g small medals continually altern ati n g with large ones— make it impossible to display the medals strictly i n accordance with chronological order . But with the help of th e f f s as as i ollowing pre atory remark , well w th that of th e hi s s difficult t biograp cal notice and indexe , any y tha w might thus arise ill be removed . art s The medallic of Italy, like mo t of the art of the R i ss was ena ance, in intention a revival of that of ancient R s an d ai n ti n ome, but in common with culpture p g it o first an i n t ok , at , at y rate , a quite or ginal and natio al h was c aracter, and though imitative in general intention not so in execution or detail The earliest known Italian s s r 1 390 r re s ec medal were t uck in , at Padua, and bo e p ti vel o s e s il r y the p rtrait of Franc co Vecchio , lo d of Padua , hi ss and of Francesco Novello s son . They are cla ical in ‘ style though the inscriptions are in Gothi c letters . The Venetians likewi se made proofs for medals in the years 1 393 and s s are ui . The e piece , however, q te exceptional The continuous series of the Renaissance medals begins s s i s with tho e of Vittore Pi ano , who not only the father of i n a a art ts e s . Itali n med llic , but great t expo ent The ’ first ar Dr s following list taken from the p t of . Friedlander Italienische Schaumunzen gives a chronological view of the w 1 1 53 s arti sts who orked between 439 and 0. The date given are th e years during which we know them to have produced ed s s s s s s m al the name , if tho e of arti t otherwi e known , are i v m s r st i s g en their u ual fo m , but if an arti unknown sav fr ls i s e om the meda , the name printed in the form which i r s t bears upon these wo k .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Funding of the Papal Army's Campaign to Germany During The
    9 Petr VOREL Funding of the Papal Army’s Campaign to Germany during the Schmalkaldic War (Edition of the original accounting documentation “Conto de la Guerra de Allemagna” kept by the Pope’s accountant Pietro Giovanni Aleotti from 22 June 1546 to 2 September 1547) Abstract: This article is based on the recently discovered text of accounting documentation led by the Papal secret accountant Pietro Giovanni Aleotti. He kept records of income and expenses of Papal chamber connected with the campaign of Papal army that was sent from Italy to Germany by Pope Paul III (Alessandro Farnese) in the frame of the first period of so called Smalkaldic War (1546–1547). The author publishes this unique source in extenso and completes the edition by the detailed analysis of the incomes and expenses of this documentation. The analysis is extended by three partial texts dealing with 1) so called Jewish tax that was announced by Paul III in the financial support of military campaign, 2) credit granting of this campaign by the bank house of Benvenuto Olivieri in connection with the collection of Papal tithe in the Romagna region and 3) staffing of the commanding officers of Papal army during this campaign (in the attachment one can find a reconstruction of the officers’ staff with identification of the most important commanders). In the conclusion the author tries to determine the real motives why Paul III decided to take part in this campaign. In comparison to the previous works the author accents mainly the efforts of the Farnese family to raise their prestige at the end of the pontificate of Paul III and their immediate financial interests that are reflected in the account documentation.
    [Show full text]
  • Machiavelli: the Prince
    The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Prince, by Nicolo Machiavelli This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Prince Author: Nicolo Machiavelli Translator: W. K. Marriott Release Date: February 11, 2006 [EBook #1232] Last Updated: November 5, 2012 Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PRINCE *** Produced by John Bickers, David Widger and Others THE PRINCE by Nicolo Machiavelli Translated by W. K. Marriott Nicolo Machiavelli, born at Florence on 3rd May 1469. From 1494 to 1512 held an official post at Florence which included diplomatic missions to various European courts. Imprisoned in Florence, 1512; later exiled and returned to San Casciano. Died at Florence on 22nd June 1527. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION YOUTH Aet. 1-25—1469-94 OFFICE Aet. 25-43—1494-1512 LITERATURE AND DEATH Aet. 43-58—1512-27 THE MAN AND HIS WORKS DEDICATION THE PRINCE CHAPTER I HOW MANY KINDS OF PRINCIPALITIES THERE ARE CHAPTER II CONCERNING HEREDITARY PRINCIPALITIES CHAPTER III CONCERNING MIXED PRINCIPALITIES CHAPTER IV WHY THE KINGDOM OF DARIUS, CONQUERED BY ALEXANDER CHAPTER V CONCERNING THE WAY TO GOVERN CITIES OR PRINCIPALITIES CHAPTER VI CONCERNING NEW PRINCIPALITIES WHICH ARE ACQUIRED CHAPTER VII CONCERNING NEW PRINCIPALITIES WHICH ARE ACQUIRED CHAPTER VIII CONCERNING
    [Show full text]
  • 2012 Annual Report
    AUSTRALIAN PARACHUTE FEDERATION 2012 ANNUAL REPORT Australian Parachute Federation 2012 Annual Report | 1 ABOUT US The Australian Parachute Federation (APF) is a Not for Profit (NFP) organization existing to administer and represent Australian Sport Parachuting, maintaining a high level of safety and performance, seeking to encourage participation at all levels, striving toward enhancement of standards and excellence in performance in Sport Parachuting. The APF is the organization which controls skydiving and parachuting at most civilian operations in Australia. With the approval of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the APF sets standards for all aspects of parachuting operations including the conduct of competitions, the issuing of memberships, licenses and instructor ratings, conduct of the examination process and distribution of various publications keeping members informed. The APF also provides Public Liability Insurance for all APF members. The National Office, located in Brisbane, Queensland, is staffed by a team of nine and supported by volunteers at local and State level, and is affiliated with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale through the Australian Sport Aviation Confederation and International Parachuting Commission. The Federation is a Self-Administered Organisation administering the sport of parachuting under a Deed of Agreement with CASA. Benefits of membership include the right to skydive in Australia, liability, insurance, representation, information and standards setting. Australian Parachute Federation
    [Show full text]
  • Netherlandish Culture of the Sixteenth Century SEUH 41 Studies in European Urban History (1100–1800)
    Netherlandish Culture of the Sixteenth Century SEUH 41 Studies in European Urban History (1100–1800) Series Editors Marc Boone Anne-Laure Van Bruaene Ghent University © BREPOLS PUBLISHERS THIS DOCUMENT MAY BE PRINTED FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY. IT MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER. Netherlandish Culture of the Sixteenth Century Urban Perspectives Edited by Ethan Matt Kavaler Anne-Laure Van Bruaene FH Cover illustration: Pieter Bruegel the Elder - Three soldiers (1568), Oil on oak panel, purchased by The Frick Collection, 1965. Wikimedia Commons. © 2017, Brepols Publishers n.v., Turnhout, Belgium. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. D/2017/0095/187 ISBN 978-2-503-57582-7 DOI 10.1484/M.SEUH-EB.5.113997 e-ISBN 978-2-503-57741-8 Printed on acid-free paper. © BREPOLS PUBLISHERS THIS DOCUMENT MAY BE PRINTED FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY. IT MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER. Table of Contents Ethan Matt Kavaler and Anne-Laure Van Bruaene Introduction ix Space & Time Jelle De Rock From Generic Image to Individualized Portrait. The Pictorial City View in the Sixteenth-Century Low Countries 3 Ethan Matt Kavaler Mapping Time. The Netherlandish Carved Altarpiece in the Early Sixteenth Century 31 Samuel Mareel Making a Room of One’s Own. Place, Space, and Literary Performance in Sixteenth-Century Bruges 65 Guilds & Artistic Identities Renaud Adam Living and Printing in Antwerp in the Late Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Centuries.
    [Show full text]
  • The Story of the Borgias (1913)
    The Story of The Borgias John Fyvie L1BRARV OF UN ,VERSITV CALIFORNIA AN DIEGO THE STORY OF THE BORGIAS <Jt^- i//sn6Ut*4Ccn4<s flom fte&co-^-u, THE STORY OF THE BOEGIAS AUTHOR OF "TRAGEDY QUEENS OF THE GEORGIAN ERA" ETC NEW YORK G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS 1913 PRINTED AT THE BALLANTYNE PRESS TAVI STOCK STREET CoVENT GARDEN LONDON THE story of the Borgia family has always been of interest one strangely fascinating ; but a lurid legend grew up about their lives, which culminated in the creation of the fantastic monstrosities of Victor Hugo's play and Donizetti's opera. For three centuries their name was a byword for the vilest but in our there has been infamy ; own day an extraordinary swing of the pendulum, which is hard to account for. Quite a number of para- doxical writers have proclaimed to an astonished and mystified world that Pope Alexander VI was both a wise prince and a gentle priest whose motives and actions have been maliciously mis- noble- represented ; that Cesare Borgia was a minded and enlightened statesman, who, three centuries in advance of his time, endeavoured to form a united Italy by the only means then in Lucrezia anybody's power ; and that Borgia was a paragon of all the virtues. " " It seems to have been impossible to whitewash the Borgia without a good deal of juggling with the evidence, as well as a determined attack on the veracity and trustworthiness of the contemporary b v PREFACE historians and chroniclers to whom we are indebted for our knowledge of the time.
    [Show full text]
  • Postprint : Author's Final Peer-Reviewed Version
    This item is the archived peer-reviewed author-version of: Chivalric solidarity or royal supremacy? The symbolic revival of the Order of the Golden Fleece (15661598) Reference: Thiry Steven.- Chivalric solidarity or royal supremacy? The symbolic revival of the Order of the Golden Fleece (15661598) Dutch crossing : a journal of low countries studies - ISSN 0309-6564 - 43:1(2019), p. 27-46 Full text (Publisher's DOI): https://doi.org/10.1080/03096564.2018.1559505 To cite this reference: https://hdl.handle.net/10067/1566180151162165141 Institutional repository IRUA Chivalric Solidarity or Royal Supremacy? The Symbolic Revival of the Order of the Golden Fleece (1566-1598) STEVEN THIRY University of Antwerp / Research Foundation Flanders Founded in 1430, the Order of the Golden Fleece was perhaps the most iconic dynastic institution in the Low Countries. It bound together a selective group of high nobles, promoting shared values and loyalty, and was an inexhaustible storehouse of political imagery. The Dutch Revolt seriously disrupted this venerable company. Its officers became estranged, the numbers of knights rapidly declined, and original objectives were questioned. Nevertheless, the Order’s Burgundian heritage and its enduring material memory retained a strong political potential. This article explores how both royalists and dissidents exploited the signs and codes of old to criticize − and even redress − royal policy. As such the (sometimes contradictory) use of the Order’s symbolism ensured the Netherlands’ status as ritualistic nerve centre. KEYWORDS Order of the Golden Fleece, Memory, Viglius Ab Aytta, symbolic persistence, Dutch Revolt Introduction In late November 1565 fourteen knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece gathered in the Brussels palace to celebrate the annual feast of their patron saint, St Andrew.
    [Show full text]
  • The Triumphs of Alexander Farnese: a Contextual Analysis of the Series of Paintings in Santiago, Chile
    Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2014 The Triumphs of Alexander Farnese: A Contextual Analysis of the Series of Paintings in Santiago, Chile Michael J. Panbehchi Virginia Commonwealth University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd Part of the Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture Commons, and the Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons © The Author Downloaded from https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/3628 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. © Michael John Panbehchi 2014 All Rights Reserved The Triumphs of Alexander Farnese: A Contextual Analysis of the Series of Paintings in Santiago, Chile A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. by Michael John Panbehchi B.A., Virginia Commonwealth University, 1988 B.A., Virginia Commonwealth University, 1994 M.A., New Mexico State University, 1996 Director: Michael Schreffler, Associate Professor, Department of Art History Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia November, 2014 ii Acknowledgment The author wishes to thank several people. I would like to thank my parents for their continual support. I would also like to thank my son José and my wife Lulú for their love and encouragement. More importantly, I would like to thank my wife for her comments on the drafts of this dissertation as well as her help with a number of the translations.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of Individualism Through Christianity A
    THE EVOLUTION OF INDIVIDUALISM THROUGH CHRISTIANITY A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of The School of Continuing Studies and of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Liberal Studies By Maureen Heath, M.P.A. Georgetown University Washington D.C. April 2018 DEDICATION I would like to thank my husband Dr. Jim Heath, who has been a source of constant motivation and support. He encouraged me to pursue the doctorate and has diligently read and edited multiple iterations of this thesis. I would also like to thank all the members of my committee: Dr. Frank Ambrosio, Dr. Bill O’Brien and especially Dr. JoAnn H. Moran Cruz, who has spent many hours mentoring me and guiding me through this process. ii THE EVOLUTION OF INDIVIDUALISM THROUGH CHRISTIANITY Maureen Heath DLS Chair: JoAnn Moran Cruz, Ph.D. ABSTRACT This thesis explores how Christianity and the birth of a Christian worldview affected the evolution of individualism in Western culture as a cultural meme. Applying a biological metaphor, the focus is on how mutations in the cultural genome arose from the advent of Christianity within a Eurocentric context. Utilizing a diachronic examination of selected authors and writings, this thesis explores that cultural evolution and shows the progression to the modern individual. Beginning with Augustine and extending to John Locke, the focus is on writers who are emblematic of a concept that becomes an adaptive trait or cultural meme in the evolutionary process. They include: Augustine exhibiting the inner self, Abelard and Ockham displaying the intentional self, Dante manifesting the responsible self, Pico della Mirandola and the self-made man, Montaigne presenting the subjective self, Luther with the autonomous-self meme, and Locke presenting the natural rights meme.
    [Show full text]
  • Profiling Women in Sixteenth-Century Italian
    BEAUTY, POWER, PROPAGANDA, AND CELEBRATION: PROFILING WOMEN IN SIXTEENTH-CENTURY ITALIAN COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS by CHRISTINE CHIORIAN WOLKEN Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Edward Olszewski Department of Art History CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERISTY August, 2012 CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES We hereby approve the thesis/dissertation of Christine Chiorian Wolken _______________________________________________________ Doctor of Philosophy Candidate for the __________________________________________ degree*. Edward J. Olszewski (signed) _________________________________________________________ (Chair of the Committee) Catherine Scallen __________________________________________________________________ Jon Seydl __________________________________________________________________ Holly Witchey __________________________________________________________________ April 2, 2012 (date)_______________________ *We also certify that written approval has been obtained for any proprietary material contained therein. 1 To my children, Sofia, Juliet, and Edward 2 Table of Contents List of Images ……………………………………………………………………..….4 Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………...…..12 Abstract……………………………………………………………………………...15 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………16 Chapter 1: Situating Sixteenth-Century Medals of Women: the history, production techniques and stylistic developments in the medal………...44 Chapter 2: Expressing the Link between Beauty and
    [Show full text]
  • László Szlávics, Jr
    L. Kovásznai Viktória ifj. SZLÁVICS LÁSZLÓ LÁSZLÓ SZLÁVICS Jr. „ Egyetlen műalkotást sem szabad más törvények szerint megítélni, mint amelyek belőle, magából folynak.” Oscar Wilde “ I hold that no work of art can be tried otherwise than by laws deduced from itself.” Oscar Wilde L. Kovásznai Viktória ifj. SZLÁVICS LÁSZLÓ LÁSZLÓ SZLÁVICS Jr. Argumentum Kiadó Tartalom Contents Előszók 7 Preface and Foreword A kötet megjelenését a Magyar Kincstár Kft., a norvég Samlerhuset Group tagja A műfajok kutatása 15 Researching the art genres – támogatta / This publication was supported by – régi és modern módszerek old and new methods Magyar Kincstár Kft., a member of the Norwegian Samlerhuset Group A kifejezés újabb formái 65 New forms of expression – the period of border-cases A fényképeket készítette / Photographs by – a határesetek kora ifj. SZLÁVICS László Az alapkérdések továbbgondolása 107 Improving on the basic issues – Fordítás / Translated by POKOLY Judit – eredendően új megoldások brand-new solutions Szerkesztés / Edited by KajetáN Endre ifj. Szlávics László szakmai életrajza 158 Curriculum vitae of László Szlávics, Jr. Kiadványterv / Design by MURÁNYI Zsuzsa Képek jegyzéke 161 List of pictures © L. Kovásznai Viktória, 2012 © ifj. Szlávics László, 2012 © Murányi Zsuzsa A kiadásért felel az Argumentum Kiadó igazgatója Készült a Grafit PencilN yomdában, Budapesten, 2012-ben / Printed in Hungary, 2012 ISBN 978-963-446-655-0 Előszó az előszóhoz Preface to the Foreword Mestert és tanítványt a keleti bölcselet szerint According to Oriental philosophy, what alone differenti- mindössze annyi különbözteti meg egymástól, hogy ates the master from his pupil is that the former has al- a mester előbbre jár azon az úton, ahol a tanítvány ready journeyed further ahead on the road they are both is halad.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life of Cesare Borgia
    The Life of Cesare Borgia Rafael Sabatini The Life of Cesare Borgia Table of Contents The Life of Cesare Borgia.........................................................................................................................................1 Rafael Sabatini...............................................................................................................................................1 PREFACE......................................................................................................................................................2 BOOK I. THE HOUSE OF THE BULL.....................................................................................................................8 CHAPTER I. THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF BORGIA............................................................................8 CHAPTER II. THE REIGNS OF SIXTUS IV AND INNOCENT VIII.....................................................12 CHAPTER III. ALEXANDER VI...............................................................................................................21 CHAPTER IV. BORGIA ALLIANCES......................................................................................................29 BOOK II. THE BULL PASCANT...........................................................................................................................36 CHAPTER I. THE FRENCH INVASION..................................................................................................36 CHAPTER II. THE POPE AND THE SUPERNATURAL........................................................................44
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix for “The Feudal Revolution and Europe's Rise: Political
    Appendix for “The Feudal Revolution and Europe’s Rise: Political Divergence of the Christian West and the Muslim World before 1500 CE” August 1, 2012 1 Feudalism and Political Stability To formalize the intuition presented in Section 3.3 using a simple framework, suppose that a perfectly myopic, risk-neutral sovereign imperfectly controls a polity that creates output of size one each period. Denote by γ the amount of land controlled by the military regardless of the actions of the sovereign (this can be interpreted as the percentage of the entire polity controlled by the military). Suppose that there are N perfectly myopic, risk-neutral members of the military (where N is sufficiently large) and that γ is evenly distributed between the members of this class. We consider the parameter value γ exogenously given. A value of γ = 0 corresponds to a perfectly absolutist sovereign (who uses mamluks or mercenaries to staff his military) whereas higher values of γ denote more feudal arrangements. Note that our assumption of perfectly myopic agents allows us to abstract from the potentially important issue of how the sovereign compensates the military (i.e., iqta’ rents versus land grants).1 In addition, we abstract from other important issues in order to focus on the sovereign’s desire to prevent a successful revolt. We do so in order to highlight one mechanism that we believe contributes to the observed increase in ruler duration. The order of play in the game is as follows: after observing γ the sovereign moves first and decides whether to keep the entire amount of output he controls to himself or whether to divide it equally between himself and the military.
    [Show full text]