Robes and Honor: The Medieval World of Investiture

by S. Gordon (Editor)

Overview

Robes and Honor is a fascinating exploration of the possible common origin and subsequent developments of investiture across medieval Christianity and medieval Islam. The ceremony in all of its cultural variety was much more than the public adoption of a high-value textile as symbol of office; within a culture, robing established a personal link 'from the hand' of the giver - king, pope, head of a sect, ambassador - to the receiver - noble, general, official, nun, or acolyte. This volume challenges current thinking on religious and regional boundaries of 'cultures,' raises semiotic issues about imagined communities, and addresses problems of kingship.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312212308
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan US
Publication date:	01/01/2001
Series:	The New Middle Ages
Edition description:	1st ed. 2090
Pages:	394
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.04(d)

About the Author

Stewart Gordon is a Research Scientist at the Center for South and Southeast Asian Studies Center, University of Michigan.

Table of Contents

Introduction--Stewart Gordon
• Part I: The Ancient World
• Silk, Robes, and Relations Between Early Chinese Dynasties and Nomads Beyond the Wall--Xinru Liu
• Textile and Ceremonial in Sassanid Iran--Jenny Rose
• Part II: Medieval Christiandom
• Robing, Power, and Legitimacy in 9th-10th Century Georgia and Armenia--Anthony Eastmond and Lynn Jones
• Royal and Episcopal Regalia in the Frankish Empire--Michael Moore
• Coronation and Legitimacy in the Hapsburg World--Willian Tronzo
• Robing and its Significance in English Mystery Plays--Martial Rose
• Robing, Sculpture, and Relics in Medieval France--Janet Snyder
• Initiation, Robing, and Veiling of Nuns in the Middle Ages--Desiree Koslin
• Evolution and Change of Robes at the Papal Court from Innocent III to Leo X, 1216-1521--Bernard Berthold
• The Cult of the Robe of Mary--Anne Marie Weyl-Carr
• Part III: Medieval Islam and Eurasia
• Robes of Honor of the Abbassids of Baghdad 8th-13th C.--Dominique Sourdel
• Robes of Honor in Ummayid Ceremonial--Paula Sanders
• Turko-Mongol Gift-giving in Diplomacy and Ceremonial Bonding--Gavin Hambly
• Robing Ceremonials in Late Mamluke Egypt--Carl Petry
• Sufi Robes (Khirqa) as a Vehicle of Spiritual Authority--Jamal J. Elias
• Robing in the Mongolian Empire--Thomas Allsen
• Robing as a Vehicle of Kingly Assassination--Michelle Maskiel
• Conclusion--Stewart Gordon

Editorial Reviews

This book offers a set of takes on its subject that is timely...

American Historical Review - Janet L. Nelson

This book offers a set of takes on its subject that is timely...
— Janet L. Nelson

American Historical Review

"This book offers a set of takes on its subject that is timely."--Janet L. Nelson, American Historical Review

From the Publisher

Medievalists from Europe and the US, some specializing in clothing, show how investiture in Medieval Christianity and Islam, from Europe to India and the Mongol Empire, was more than the public adoption of a high-value textile as symbol of office, but it established a personal link from the hand of the giver<-->king, pope, head of a sect, ambassador<-->to the receiver<-->noble, general, official, nun, or acolyte. Their 18 essays are arranged chronologically. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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