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Guter König, schlechter König? Die Darstellung Heinrichs V. und Heinrichs VI. von England in Polydor Vergils Anglica historia

  • Stefan Schlelein
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Portraying the Prince in the Renaissance
This chapter is in the book Portraying the Prince in the Renaissance

Abstract

Focusing on Polydore Vergil’s Anglica historia and its portrayal of the English kings Henry V and Henry VI, this contribution investigates the literary modes used in Renaissance historiography to depict medieval rulers as either good or bad. What does the author emphasize? How does he assess deeds and circumstances? Beyond differences in characterization, a central role is also played by the techniques used to portray the kings as well as by the transformation of ancient literary practices that underlie them. That is, to what extent and in what way was the author influenced by the models of classical, in particular Roman, historiography? In the case at hand, Henry V is the prototype of an excellent king, whereas the less successful Henry VI, while not a bona fide ›bad king‹, ends up ›merely‹ a good person and thus a mediocre ruler. Finally, even though Polydore Vergil relies in certain passages on the model of ancient historians, the two rulers remain genuinely medieval kings.

Abstract

Focusing on Polydore Vergil’s Anglica historia and its portrayal of the English kings Henry V and Henry VI, this contribution investigates the literary modes used in Renaissance historiography to depict medieval rulers as either good or bad. What does the author emphasize? How does he assess deeds and circumstances? Beyond differences in characterization, a central role is also played by the techniques used to portray the kings as well as by the transformation of ancient literary practices that underlie them. That is, to what extent and in what way was the author influenced by the models of classical, in particular Roman, historiography? In the case at hand, Henry V is the prototype of an excellent king, whereas the less successful Henry VI, while not a bona fide ›bad king‹, ends up ›merely‹ a good person and thus a mediocre ruler. Finally, even though Polydore Vergil relies in certain passages on the model of ancient historians, the two rulers remain genuinely medieval kings.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents VII
  3. Introduction 1
  4. I. Virtues
  5. Der Herrscher und die gute Ordnung. Das Bild Karls VII. in der französischen Historiographie am Übergang von der tradierten zur humanistisch geprägten Historiographie 17
  6. Charlemagne am Renaissancehof. Die Darstellung Karls des Großen in Paolo Emilios De rebus gestis Francorum 39
  7. Guter König, schlechter König? Die Darstellung Heinrichs V. und Heinrichs VI. von England in Polydor Vergils Anglica historia 65
  8. Alfonso ›the Magnanimous‹ of Naples as Portrayed by Facio and Panormita: Four Versions of Emulation, Representation, and Virtue 95
  9. II. Cultural and Political Pretensions
  10. Illyrian Trojans in a Turkish Storm: Croatian Renaissance Lords and the Politics of Dynastic Origin Myths 121
  11. Personelle Serialität und nationale Geschichte. Überlegungen zu den Herrschergestalten in Franciscus Irenicus’ Germaniae Exegesis 157
  12. Riccardo Bartolinis Austrias (1516) oder: Wie ein Herrscher zum Feldherrn gegen die Türken wird 193
  13. III. Models Ancient, Medieval, and Modern
  14. Der Herrscher als zweiter Salomo. Zum Bild König Roberts von Anjou in der Renaissance 217
  15. Pier Candido Decembrio and the Suetonian Path to Princely Biography 237
  16. Die Cosmias des Giovanni Mario Filelfo (1426–1480) 271
  17. Einhard reloaded. Francesco Tedeschini Piccolomini, Hilarion aus Verona, Donato Acciaiuoli und die Karlsbiographik im italienischen Renaissance-Humanismus 287
  18. Auf den Spuren Paolo Giovios? Herrscherdarstellung in Jacobus Sluperius’ Elogia virorum bellica laude illustrium 307
  19. IV. Method
  20. Princes between Lorenzo Valla and Bartolomeo Facio 337
  21. Juan Páez de Castro, Charles V, and a Method for Royal Historiography 363
  22. Picturing the Perfect Patron? Francesco Filelfo’s Image of Francesco Sforza 391
  23. Verbis phucare tyrannos? Selbstanspruch und Leistungsspektren von zeithistorischer Epik als panegyrischem Medium im 15. Jahrhundert 415
  24. V. Critical Summary
  25. The Description Makes the Prince: Princely Portrayal from the Perspective of Transformation Theory 445
  26. Indices
  27. Index of Names 463
  28. Index of Places 485
  29. List of Contributors 491
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110473377-004

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents VII
  3. Introduction 1
  4. I. Virtues
  5. Der Herrscher und die gute Ordnung. Das Bild Karls VII. in der französischen Historiographie am Übergang von der tradierten zur humanistisch geprägten Historiographie 17
  6. Charlemagne am Renaissancehof. Die Darstellung Karls des Großen in Paolo Emilios De rebus gestis Francorum 39
  7. Guter König, schlechter König? Die Darstellung Heinrichs V. und Heinrichs VI. von England in Polydor Vergils Anglica historia 65
  8. Alfonso ›the Magnanimous‹ of Naples as Portrayed by Facio and Panormita: Four Versions of Emulation, Representation, and Virtue 95
  9. II. Cultural and Political Pretensions
  10. Illyrian Trojans in a Turkish Storm: Croatian Renaissance Lords and the Politics of Dynastic Origin Myths 121
  11. Personelle Serialität und nationale Geschichte. Überlegungen zu den Herrschergestalten in Franciscus Irenicus’ Germaniae Exegesis 157
  12. Riccardo Bartolinis Austrias (1516) oder: Wie ein Herrscher zum Feldherrn gegen die Türken wird 193
  13. III. Models Ancient, Medieval, and Modern
  14. Der Herrscher als zweiter Salomo. Zum Bild König Roberts von Anjou in der Renaissance 217
  15. Pier Candido Decembrio and the Suetonian Path to Princely Biography 237
  16. Die Cosmias des Giovanni Mario Filelfo (1426–1480) 271
  17. Einhard reloaded. Francesco Tedeschini Piccolomini, Hilarion aus Verona, Donato Acciaiuoli und die Karlsbiographik im italienischen Renaissance-Humanismus 287
  18. Auf den Spuren Paolo Giovios? Herrscherdarstellung in Jacobus Sluperius’ Elogia virorum bellica laude illustrium 307
  19. IV. Method
  20. Princes between Lorenzo Valla and Bartolomeo Facio 337
  21. Juan Páez de Castro, Charles V, and a Method for Royal Historiography 363
  22. Picturing the Perfect Patron? Francesco Filelfo’s Image of Francesco Sforza 391
  23. Verbis phucare tyrannos? Selbstanspruch und Leistungsspektren von zeithistorischer Epik als panegyrischem Medium im 15. Jahrhundert 415
  24. V. Critical Summary
  25. The Description Makes the Prince: Princely Portrayal from the Perspective of Transformation Theory 445
  26. Indices
  27. Index of Names 463
  28. Index of Places 485
  29. List of Contributors 491
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