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courtstudies.bsky.social
Society for Court Studies
@courtstudies.bsky.social
190 followers 210 following 99 posts
Founded in September 1995, the Society for Court Studies is the leading international academic society for the examination of royal and princely courts and households from antiquity to the present. https://courtstudies.org/
https://linktr.ee/courtstudies
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courtstudies.bsky.social
Plantagenet jewels! You know you want them! A hybrid SCS event! Charles Farris “Of Wonderful Beauty: An Inventory of the Jewels of Margaret of France in 1302”. 9 Dec. 18:00 GMT

If you like to attend (for free) in-person at the Royal Anthropological Institute, email [email protected].
November 20, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Society for Court Studies
erikagaffney.bsky.social
Today is the day! Please come and join the fun if you are able.
erikagaffney.bsky.social Erika Gaffney @erikagaffney.bsky.social · 19d
I am so excited to participate on this panel Sat, Nov 15 -

Is still life still relevant?

I get to talk with Bryn Schockmel & Derin Tanyol, Sharon Core, & Amanda Malmstrom about women & still life—the subject of 4 shows (!) this fall at The Hyde Collection.
www.hydecollection.org/event/panel-...
A sumptuous 17th-century food still life painting by Fede Galizia, featuring at left a woven wicker basket heaped with pears. In front of the basket and next to it sit some loose apples. Front and center are three cucumbers, behind which and toward the right edge of the painting is a melon with about a quarter cut out of it, exposing the interior of the fruit. In the back is a shallow white bowl which contains a pile of figs. The painting is called "Still Life with Apples, Pears, Cucumbers, Figs, Plums, and a Melon." According to the museum's object page, "An extremely skilled and detailed still life, the painting inspires the viewer to meditate on the splendor of nature. In the early modern period, such a work would have held both religious and scientific significance, allowing the viewer to be spiritually moved as well as marvel at the new scientific discoveries made possible by the recent invention of the microscope."
November 15, 2025 at 4:56 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
A hybrid SCS event! Charles Farris “Of Wonderful Beauty: An Inventory of the Jewels of Margaret of France in 1302”. On 9 Dec. 18:00 GMT.

If you would like to attend in-person at the Royal Anthropological Institute, email [email protected]. Pre-booking essential
November 15, 2025 at 7:04 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
OTD in 1908 Empress Dowager Cixi of China died. Since 1861, she had ruled using various emperors. On the day before her death she, in all likelihood, had the then puppet emperor, her nephew the Guangxu Emperor, poisoned. Cixi was an effective & ruthless court politics operator.
November 15, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by Society for Court Studies
royalstudies.bsky.social
"(Re)discovering diplomacy in the archives"

Check out the latest post on the Royal Studies Blog here: royalstudiesjournal.wordpress.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:12 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Of interest to many SCS members: Candlelit exhibition, drinks, and talks by leading experts. November 2025 to February 2026, Strawberry Hill House has a special programme connected to Henry VIII’s Lost Dagger: From the Tudor Court to the Victorian Stage
www.strawberryhillhouse.org.uk/lost-dagger-...
Strawberry Hill After Dark: The Lost Dagger - Strawberry Hill House & Garden
www.strawberryhillhouse.org.uk
November 12, 2025 at 5:50 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Get ready for our next VSS "Transregional Aesthetics: A Tañcāvūr Nāyaka in an Early Modern Court" on Thursday, 20 Nov at 18:00 CET/17:00 GMT which will be delivered by Sri Sathvik Rayala (Harvard University)!

Register here 👉 www.eventbrite.fr/e/nov-vss-tr...
November 12, 2025 at 2:53 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
(1/4) 📣 Now launching CfP for SCS 2026 conference, “Storytelling at Princely Courts”,
📍 Wrocław, Poland (27-29 August 2026)
👑 Explores the multifaceted role of narratives and stories at medieval & early modern princely courts
🗓 Proposal deadline: 31.01.2026
👉 Limited bursaries available.
November 10, 2025 at 1:24 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Until 5 pm today you can register for today's talk by Louise Wilkinson (University of Lincoln) – “A Woman Worthy of Praise, Ela Longespee, Countess of Salisbury and Abbess of Lacock”. 5:45pm to 7:45pm GMT

Here the link to get a Zoom link for free:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/louise-wil...
Louise Wilkinson (University of Lincoln) - “A Woman Worthy of Praise"
Louise Wilkinson (University of Lincoln) – “A Woman Worthy of Praise, Ela Longespee, Countess of Salisbury and Abbess of Lacock”
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:33 AM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Bank vaults can keep secrets for a long time. A Canadian vault kept the famous Florentiner diamond along with other Habsburg jewels for decades when they were presumed lost since 1919.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/a...
The Florentine Diamond Resurfaces After 100 Years in Hiding
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Reposted by Society for Court Studies
royalstudies.bsky.social
International Conference: Women and Music in the Iberian Courts (1600-1900)

7th and 8th May, 2026

Deadline for submissions: 15th January 2026
November 9, 2025 at 8:44 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
A hybrid event to look forward to: on 9th December, 2025, 6pm, Charles Farris (Historic Royal Palaces) will talk about "Of Wonderful Beauty: An Inventory of the
Jewels of Margaret of France in 1302". Venue: Royal Anthropological Institute (50 Fitzroy St., London W1T 5BT) & online
November 9, 2025 at 10:03 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
(1/2) CFP for the Annual Conference of the Dessau-Wörlitz Commission 2026!

'Hunting, princely rule, and an enlightened public: Prince Franz of Anhalt-Dessau in the context of the Holy Roman Empire'

👑 Hunting practices and significance
👑 Ideas of enlightened rule
👑 Development of a public sphere
November 7, 2025 at 5:42 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
What to do with an embarrassing member of the royal family? In Sweden, Prince Carl lost his princely title marrying beneath his status (with a countess). He was provided with a new princely title by his brother in law, the King of Belgium. Worse came in the 1950s when he was embroiled as
October 31, 2025 at 6:54 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
📣 SCS annual conference - “Reconsidering Courtly Environments”, in Prague on 20-21 Nov w/ historickyustav.bsky.social akademievedcr.bsky.social Examines medieval & early modern European courts, natural environments & landscapes. Feat keynote by Luc Duerloo & papers on gardens, hunting & landscapes!
October 29, 2025 at 12:17 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
📣 New book series, “Court Cultures, 1000-1900”, 📚 launched by @historyboy30.bsky.social & @patrikpastrnak.bsky.social w/ @degruyterbrill.bsky.social. Series feat books exploring any & all aspects of global courts 👑 (all variations). CfP now open! Info & CfP: www.degruyterbrill.com/serial/cocu-...
October 24, 2025 at 2:41 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
George III tried to clamp down on the Prince of Wales attending balls at private homes of oppositions hostesses. The Prince helped make "being in opposition fashionable". "Transforming the ballrom into a space for political dialogue". Hillary Burlock
October 13, 2025 at 5:28 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Factions at court could be exposed through the absence of, for example, the Prince of Wales and other members of the bon ton. Hillary Burlock “The Dance of Politics: The Politics of Dance under George III and George IV”
October 13, 2025 at 5:25 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Minuets at the royal birthday balls could be the subject of laughter (and result in stepping on royal toes). A "smoothness" of movement was the ideal - which some could not master. Hillary Burlock “The Dance of Politics: The Politics of Dance under George III and George IV”
October 13, 2025 at 5:23 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Minuets at the royal birthday balls could be the subject of laughter (and result in stepping on royal toes). A "smoothness" of movement was the ideal - which some could not master. Hillary Burlock “The Dance of Politics: The Politics of Dance under George III and George IV”
October 13, 2025 at 5:21 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Minuets at royal balls nerve wrecking as mistakes would be observed and even be published. Hillary Burlock “The Dance of Politics: The Politics of Dance under George III and George IV”
October 13, 2025 at 5:18 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
The moves for the birthday ball carefully ritualised. Especially the women had to face challenges during complex minuet. Required mastery of their bodies and motions. Learning minuet took a long time. A master claimed it took at least a year to reach "mediocrity". (Hillary Burlock)
October 13, 2025 at 5:16 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
"Grace and ease" integral to social standing in elite court society. under George III and George IV”. People could wait for hours to get into the royal ballroom. "To see and by seen" by the royals. Hillary Burlock “The Dance of Politics: The Politics of Dance under George III and George IV”.
October 13, 2025 at 5:12 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Ballrooms "a critical political extra parliamentary space". Queen Charlotte's birthday ball was the start of the "season". Hillary Burlock “The Dance of Politics: The Politics of Dance under George III and George IV”.
October 13, 2025 at 5:10 PM
courtstudies.bsky.social
Ballrooms "a critical political extra parliamentary space". Dance "helped to embody a man's or woman's" grace, manners, and bearing. SCS seminar, Hillary Burlock (University of Liverpool): “The Dance of Politics: The Politics of Dance under George III and George IV”.
October 13, 2025 at 5:07 PM