Diplomats and the Recreational Spaces of the Habsburgs in Prague: What Was There to See?
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Sylva Dobalová
Abstract
The itinerary for guests at the court included visits to recreational areas, numerous countryside castles, and game reserves. However, these locations have received only limited attention from scholars, as research has primarily focused on the formal ceremonial ambiance of Rudolf II’s palace. Yet, analysis of textual sources offers several specific insights. For instance, it reveals that the interiors of summer houses were often used for the emperor’s collecting pursuits, and that Rudolf II personally received horses as gifts in the gardens. While these areas were accessible to selected visitors, this essay argues that the Vladislav Hall, ball game courts, and menagerie in the Lion’s Court merit attention for their distinctive use by a broader public. In conclusion, the chapter suggests that visits to recreational spaces may have served as a gesture of courtesy for guests seeking an audience with the emperor, which, at times, did not materialize.
Abstract
The itinerary for guests at the court included visits to recreational areas, numerous countryside castles, and game reserves. However, these locations have received only limited attention from scholars, as research has primarily focused on the formal ceremonial ambiance of Rudolf II’s palace. Yet, analysis of textual sources offers several specific insights. For instance, it reveals that the interiors of summer houses were often used for the emperor’s collecting pursuits, and that Rudolf II personally received horses as gifts in the gardens. While these areas were accessible to selected visitors, this essay argues that the Vladislav Hall, ball game courts, and menagerie in the Lion’s Court merit attention for their distinctive use by a broader public. In conclusion, the chapter suggests that visits to recreational spaces may have served as a gesture of courtesy for guests seeking an audience with the emperor, which, at times, did not materialize.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
- Protagonists, Issues, and Spaces: Papal Policy at the Beginning of Rudolf IIʼs Reign (1576–1584) 29
- “i ministri […] sono tutti hormai disautorizati, ne communicano si può dir più co ʼl padrone”: Social Interaction, Communication Structures and Languages at the Prague Imperial Court from the Perspective of the Nuncios and the Roman Curia around 1600 57
- Negotiation Spaces of Apostolic Nuncios in Prague at the Turn of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries: A Topographic Reconstruction 77
- Hungarians and the Prague Nunciature 99
- Public or Private: The Display of Art in Rudolf II’s Imperial Residence at Prague Castle 119
- Diplomats and the Recreational Spaces of the Habsburgs in Prague: What Was There to See? 145
- Clients, Agents, and Intelligence Operatives of the Bavarian Dukes at the Court of Rudolf II 173
- Saxon Diplomats at the Court of Rudolf II (1609) 195
- An Empress and an Ambassador: The Settlement of Spanish Agents at the Court of Prague (1577–1581) 215
- One Emperor, One Shah, Too Many Ambassadors: Safavid Envoys in Prague (1600–1612) 233
- The Traces of English Diplomacy in Rudolfine Prague 259
- About the Authors
- Index
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
- Protagonists, Issues, and Spaces: Papal Policy at the Beginning of Rudolf IIʼs Reign (1576–1584) 29
- “i ministri […] sono tutti hormai disautorizati, ne communicano si può dir più co ʼl padrone”: Social Interaction, Communication Structures and Languages at the Prague Imperial Court from the Perspective of the Nuncios and the Roman Curia around 1600 57
- Negotiation Spaces of Apostolic Nuncios in Prague at the Turn of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries: A Topographic Reconstruction 77
- Hungarians and the Prague Nunciature 99
- Public or Private: The Display of Art in Rudolf II’s Imperial Residence at Prague Castle 119
- Diplomats and the Recreational Spaces of the Habsburgs in Prague: What Was There to See? 145
- Clients, Agents, and Intelligence Operatives of the Bavarian Dukes at the Court of Rudolf II 173
- Saxon Diplomats at the Court of Rudolf II (1609) 195
- An Empress and an Ambassador: The Settlement of Spanish Agents at the Court of Prague (1577–1581) 215
- One Emperor, One Shah, Too Many Ambassadors: Safavid Envoys in Prague (1600–1612) 233
- The Traces of English Diplomacy in Rudolfine Prague 259
- About the Authors
- Index
