Hannah Semrau (Goethe-Universität)
semr@****.com (Log-in to reveal)

Antonia Reiß (Goethe-Universität)
A.Re@****.com (Log-in to reveal)

The staging of power follows a strategic use of contemporary media possibilities and is consolidated in both text and image. All media - from literary works to visual programs - are used for political propaganda. This applies in particular to the Middle Ages, which are characterized by the visibility of external symbols as well as images and representations, and equally to the early modern period. One of the central questions of the panel will focus on the staging of the demonstration of power in text and image. The panel is aimed at academics who specialize in medieval and early modern research in their respective disciplines.

The panel will discuss various genres, from the Maere to works of glory that contribute to the cult of remembrance surrounding rulers. These works remain as relevant today as they once were, transcending temporal boundaries, as the demonstration of power through propagandistic literature continues to play a dominant role.

Staging Power and Media Influence Through Text and Image: From the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period

Accompanying the current political and social discourse surrounding the concept of "power," the term itself is experiencing a resurgence. "Power" and the pursuit of it serve as a means to an end—the achievement of a goal and, consequently, the fulfillment of humanity’s perpetual striving for positions of power within society. However, beyond the term itself, its etymology in Middle High German and other languages is of interest, as are the media strategies used to stage power.

For both text and image, whose diverse media formats are functionalized for political propaganda, the continuous (self-)representation of power is crucial—especially when rulers themselves cannot be physically present. Images, conveyed through woodcuts, illustrations, coins, pamphlets, newspapers, war reports, or literary works, all serve to disseminate power and dynasty, to reproduce the ruler’s likeness, and to establish sovereign representation. In Emperor Maximilian’s Weißkunig, both the literary and visual compendium act as vehicles of royal representation.

With regard to media transformations on the "eve" of the printing press, it is essential to examine how literary and visual portrayals of power changed. How is power conveyed? Which motifs and strategies are implemented in different media? Who creates these works, and which literary genres are utilized? What is the relationship between potentia and potestas? How are power, rule, and violence interconnected?

This panel aims to provide insight into historical sources as well as literary texts to reconstruct medieval demonstrations of power. What forms of power are staged? What means secure power—physical or spiritual forces? Legal rulings, charters, or divine election? What consequences can be drawn from the representation of power in text and image? The panel is explicitly aimed at scholars dedicated to the study of the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Contributions from German medieval studies, Scandinavian studies, history and legal studies, Jewish studies, and art history are particularly welcome.