Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Ceremonial
(3,187 words)

1. Definition and function

Political ceremonial is a medium whereby a political and social order is symbolically created and presented. It constitutes power relations and social ranks between rulers and ruled, or among rulers. Depending on the occasion and the circle of addressees, it creates different degrees of public sphere.

Key ceremonial practices of the early modern period were enacted on occasions of succession (Election and Coronation) [19], the formal arrival of a ruler (Latin adventus) [14]; [15…

Cite this page
Füssel, Marian and Mat'a, Petr, “Ceremonial”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_030751>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160907



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