Dr Jonathan Spangler
@jspan.bsky.social
Historian of the history of monarchy, the court and the upper aristocracy of Europe. France, Louis XIV, heirs and spares, dukes and princes, sexuality. Loves to tell good stories.
Senior Editor, The Court Historian
Senior Editor, The Court Historian
Reposted by Dr Jonathan Spangler
Lecture on Carnival and violent festivities for my second years tomorrow. As I've long lost any dreams of possibly being The Cool Lecturer, I'm absolutely throwing in my love for the most excellent of exhibition adverts:
Fêtes et divertissements à la Cour
YouTube video by Château de Versailles
www.youtube.com
December 7, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Lecture on Carnival and violent festivities for my second years tomorrow. As I've long lost any dreams of possibly being The Cool Lecturer, I'm absolutely throwing in my love for the most excellent of exhibition adverts:
Reading for a rainy Sunday: dukes of Manchester, dukes of Montagu; Kimbolton, last residence of Katherine of Aragon; Boughton, the Versailles of Northamptonshire; the British Museum and the Wallace Collection; American heiresses; debt and prison...it's all here! dukesandprinces.org/2025/12/07/l...
Like feuding Montagus: the troubled history of the Dukes of Manchester
The city of Manchester was a rough city in the industrial age. The history of the dukes of Manchester shares some of the underworld aspects of the great northern powerhouse, but in fact has nothing…
dukesandprinces.org
December 7, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Reading for a rainy Sunday: dukes of Manchester, dukes of Montagu; Kimbolton, last residence of Katherine of Aragon; Boughton, the Versailles of Northamptonshire; the British Museum and the Wallace Collection; American heiresses; debt and prison...it's all here! dukesandprinces.org/2025/12/07/l...
Very excited to see this new book fresh off the presses: a variety of approaches to writing narratives of history, including a chapter on noble genealogy by yours truly! iterpress.org/978164959143...
Constructing European Historical Narratives in the Early Modern World
This volume showcases the diversity of contributors and voices that intervened and shaped historical narratives in early modern Europe. Exploring the art of ...
iterpress.org
December 3, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Very excited to see this new book fresh off the presses: a variety of approaches to writing narratives of history, including a chapter on noble genealogy by yours truly! iterpress.org/978164959143...
Here's an interesting blog I wrote earlier this year about Prussian princes, including the fascinating homosocial tale of Prince Eulenburg and the Kaiser. Part of of a new research blog at MMU: check it out and follow! rgsi.mmu.ac.uk/2025/04/29/e...
Eulenburg and Bülow Princes: Two Scandals that shook the Prussian Court - by Jonathan Spangler - Histories of RGSI (Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Identity)
The court of Kaiser Wilhelm II is remembered for its excessive militarism—the Prussian sabre rattling that encouraged the Austrian emperor to send such a strong ultimatum to the Serbs in […]
rgsi.mmu.ac.uk
December 3, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Here's an interesting blog I wrote earlier this year about Prussian princes, including the fascinating homosocial tale of Prince Eulenburg and the Kaiser. Part of of a new research blog at MMU: check it out and follow! rgsi.mmu.ac.uk/2025/04/29/e...
Reposted by Dr Jonathan Spangler
Very pleased to see You're Dead To Me has roared back into the Top 25 UK podcasts, following our very well-received 10th series! Series 11 is in production right now and will launch in early January podnews.net/press-releas...
The Top 25 Podcasts in the UK for Q3 2025
RedHanded hits the top 25 for the first time
podnews.net
December 2, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Very pleased to see You're Dead To Me has roared back into the Top 25 UK podcasts, following our very well-received 10th series! Series 11 is in production right now and will launch in early January podnews.net/press-releas...
Next Tuesday! If you're in London, come along to hear about the medieval jewels of an English queen! It is free, but please sign up now so we know what numbers to expect. #CourtStudies #HIstoricRoyalPalaces
December 2, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Next Tuesday! If you're in London, come along to hear about the medieval jewels of an English queen! It is free, but please sign up now so we know what numbers to expect. #CourtStudies #HIstoricRoyalPalaces
Reposted by Dr Jonathan Spangler
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].
If you like to attend (for free) in-person at the Royal Anthropological Institute, email [email protected].
November 20, 2025 at 4:32 PM
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].
If you like to attend (for free) in-person at the Royal Anthropological Institute, email [email protected].
Exciting book launch in Madrid earlier this week. In fact two! The first to appear in Brepols Court Cultures series, co-efited by me (for whom the empty chair)
November 20, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Exciting book launch in Madrid earlier this week. In fact two! The first to appear in Brepols Court Cultures series, co-efited by me (for whom the empty chair)
Reposted by Dr Jonathan Spangler
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
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
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
If you would like to attend in-person at the Royal Anthropological Institute, email [email protected]. Pre-booking essential
Polish princes who were grandparents of the Queen of France--and given the rare right to be called 'cousin du roi'. Defenders of Polish independence, then Russian and Austrian princes: Jablonowski. dukesandprinces.org/2025/11/10/j...
Jablonowski—Polish princes, kin to French royals
The Kingdom of Poland, a remarkably egalitarian society, officially had no title rankings within its nobility. It therefore had very few families with the titles duke or princes within its borders—…
dukesandprinces.org
November 10, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Polish princes who were grandparents of the Queen of France--and given the rare right to be called 'cousin du roi'. Defenders of Polish independence, then Russian and Austrian princes: Jablonowski. dukesandprinces.org/2025/11/10/j...
To follow on from last week’s post on the new Grand Duke of Luxembourg, here’s a new post on the family of the new Grand Duchess, Stephanie de Lannoy: dukesandprinces.org/2025/10/09/l...
Lannoy: A Quintessentially Belgian Noble House
The new Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, born Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy, comes from an old noble family from the Low Countries. The House of Lannoy is one of the most distinguished noble houses in B…
dukesandprinces.org
October 9, 2025 at 11:42 PM
To follow on from last week’s post on the new Grand Duke of Luxembourg, here’s a new post on the family of the new Grand Duchess, Stephanie de Lannoy: dukesandprinces.org/2025/10/09/l...
Reposted by Dr Jonathan Spangler
Check out the latest 'The Court Observer' blog post titled "Theirs For Ever: Marie Antoinette and The Hand Over Ceremony" by Elizabeth Jane Timms!
Read on to discover how Marie Antoinette officially became the Dauphine of France in May 1770.
courtstudies.hypotheses.org/1570
Read on to discover how Marie Antoinette officially became the Dauphine of France in May 1770.
courtstudies.hypotheses.org/1570
Theirs For Ever: Marie Antoinette and The Hand Over Ceremony
On 7 May 1770, the fourteen-year-old Marie Antoinette, already Dauphine by proxy, approached an island near Kehl on the River Rhine in which she would be formally given to France. It represented the c...
courtstudies.hypotheses.org
October 3, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Check out the latest 'The Court Observer' blog post titled "Theirs For Ever: Marie Antoinette and The Hand Over Ceremony" by Elizabeth Jane Timms!
Read on to discover how Marie Antoinette officially became the Dauphine of France in May 1770.
courtstudies.hypotheses.org/1570
Read on to discover how Marie Antoinette officially became the Dauphine of France in May 1770.
courtstudies.hypotheses.org/1570
Ohvthe trauma of being a royal child at a public event! #Luxembourg 🇱🇺
October 3, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Ohvthe trauma of being a royal child at a public event! #Luxembourg 🇱🇺
Today, 3 October, the Grand Duke of #Luxembourg abdicates in favour of his son #Guillaume. Here's the story of a 'double dynasty', both #Nassau-Weilburg and Bourbon-Parma. How did they come to be joined together? #abdication #monarchy dukesandprinces.org/2025/10/03/n...
Nassau-Weilburg and Luxembourg: one of Europe’s oldest princely dynasties on one of its newest thrones
On 3 October 2025, Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, abdicated his throne in favour of his eldest son, Crown Prince Guillaume. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg as an independent sovereign state has onl…
dukesandprinces.org
October 3, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Today, 3 October, the Grand Duke of #Luxembourg abdicates in favour of his son #Guillaume. Here's the story of a 'double dynasty', both #Nassau-Weilburg and Bourbon-Parma. How did they come to be joined together? #abdication #monarchy dukesandprinces.org/2025/10/03/n...
Reposted by Dr Jonathan Spangler
Today at 10am on BBC Radio 4 you can hear the 28 minute radio edit of You’re Dead To Me about Queen Marie Antoinette of France, featuring comedian Jen Brister and our expert Professor Kate Astbury @100days1815.bsky.social
The 57 minute version is also on BBC SOUNDS
The 57 minute version is also on BBC SOUNDS
September 6, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Today at 10am on BBC Radio 4 you can hear the 28 minute radio edit of You’re Dead To Me about Queen Marie Antoinette of France, featuring comedian Jen Brister and our expert Professor Kate Astbury @100days1815.bsky.social
The 57 minute version is also on BBC SOUNDS
The 57 minute version is also on BBC SOUNDS
Today's news is about the death of the Duchess of Kent. Here's a bit of context of this very ancient English county and titles associated with it, from the Saxon and Norman conquests to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. dukesandprinces.org/2025/09/05/k... RIP Katherine Kent, lover of tennis and music!
Kent—From Saxon Kingdom to Royal Dukedom
Kent is one of the most familiar names for an English county—but also unique in that it is one of the few that are never appended ‘-shire’ when giving historic names. It is also said to be one of t…
dukesandprinces.org
September 5, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Today's news is about the death of the Duchess of Kent. Here's a bit of context of this very ancient English county and titles associated with it, from the Saxon and Norman conquests to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. dukesandprinces.org/2025/09/05/k... RIP Katherine Kent, lover of tennis and music!
Excited to share the first volume in a new series by @brepols.net , organised by Fabian Persson and me. This book survived Covid and two pregnancies...!
August 9, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Excited to share the first volume in a new series by @brepols.net , organised by Fabian Persson and me. This book survived Covid and two pregnancies...!
Very excited to get this book in the mail today! I'm looking forward to reading it. Congrats to Zita! #queenship #france
August 7, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Very excited to get this book in the mail today! I'm looking forward to reading it. Congrats to Zita! #queenship #france
Reposted by Dr Jonathan Spangler
SCS is happy to announce it has awarded the 2025 Early Career essay prize to Dr Elizabeth Hines.
Her essay, “How to Pawn the Crown Jewels” demonstrates how Charles I was able to use his networks with agents in the Dutch Republic to raise badly needed funds by pawning items
Her essay, “How to Pawn the Crown Jewels” demonstrates how Charles I was able to use his networks with agents in the Dutch Republic to raise badly needed funds by pawning items
August 1, 2025 at 11:55 AM
SCS is happy to announce it has awarded the 2025 Early Career essay prize to Dr Elizabeth Hines.
Her essay, “How to Pawn the Crown Jewels” demonstrates how Charles I was able to use his networks with agents in the Dutch Republic to raise badly needed funds by pawning items
Her essay, “How to Pawn the Crown Jewels” demonstrates how Charles I was able to use his networks with agents in the Dutch Republic to raise badly needed funds by pawning items
Today #dukesandprinces revisits Raby Castle in County Durham, home to the Dukes of Cleveland of the Vane family, a title previously held by a son and grandson of King Charles II and Lady Castlemaine (the FitzRoys).
dukesandprinces.org/2025/07/30/d...
dukesandprinces.org/2025/07/30/d...
Dukes of Cleveland: Two FitzRoys and Several Vanes
One of the least known dukedoms in the peerages of Great Britain is that of Cleveland. After starting off as a title for one of the most famous duchesses in Europe, Barbara Villiers, the second and…
dukesandprinces.org
July 29, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Today #dukesandprinces revisits Raby Castle in County Durham, home to the Dukes of Cleveland of the Vane family, a title previously held by a son and grandson of King Charles II and Lady Castlemaine (the FitzRoys).
dukesandprinces.org/2025/07/30/d...
dukesandprinces.org/2025/07/30/d...
Clan Leslie may only have one duke (of Rothes), but its history spans from medieval Scottish lords in Garioch and Fife, to an Austrian field marshal who murdered Wallenstein, to a Russian general, an Irish 'fighting bishop', and the actress Rose Leslie. dukesandprinces.org/2025/06/23/t...
The Leslies: Just one Duke of Rothes but many generals in Scotland, Russia and Austria
‘You know nothing, Jon Snow’, is perhaps a fitting introduction to the family history of Rose Leslie, an actress famous for playing Ygritte the Wildling in Game of Thrones. Snow did in fact know no…
dukesandprinces.org
June 23, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Clan Leslie may only have one duke (of Rothes), but its history spans from medieval Scottish lords in Garioch and Fife, to an Austrian field marshal who murdered Wallenstein, to a Russian general, an Irish 'fighting bishop', and the actress Rose Leslie. dukesandprinces.org/2025/06/23/t...
Today in St Andrews, conference on Louis XIV and the provinces. Here, Stanislas Zagun looks at the Duc de Gramont as provincial governor. #FrenchHistory
June 6, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Today in St Andrews, conference on Louis XIV and the provinces. Here, Stanislas Zagun looks at the Duc de Gramont as provincial governor. #FrenchHistory
For #dukesandprinces Sunday evening, read how Ireland has native princes too: the MacCarthy princes of Desmond, Carbery and Muskerry. Even an ephemeral 'duc de Montcashel' in the Jacobite peerage? dukesandprinces.org/2025/06/02/t...
The MacCarthys—Irish kings to princes … to dukes?
Ireland did not have dukes and princes created by emperors or kings in the manner of other European kingdoms in the medieval and early modern ages. There were a few dukedoms (Ormond, Leinster, Aber…
dukesandprinces.org
June 1, 2025 at 11:08 PM
For #dukesandprinces Sunday evening, read how Ireland has native princes too: the MacCarthy princes of Desmond, Carbery and Muskerry. Even an ephemeral 'duc de Montcashel' in the Jacobite peerage? dukesandprinces.org/2025/06/02/t...
Reposted by Dr Jonathan Spangler
Wouldn't it be great to have a historical drama set in early 17th-century Spain with Bella Ramsey playing Queen Margarita? The resemblance is uncanny--she definitely has a Habsburg lower jaw.
May 27, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Wouldn't it be great to have a historical drama set in early 17th-century Spain with Bella Ramsey playing Queen Margarita? The resemblance is uncanny--she definitely has a Habsburg lower jaw.