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Conclusion

from Part III - Convention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2020

Jaume Aurell
Affiliation:
Universidad de Navarra, Spain
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Summary

Based on the inductive analysis of the previous chapters of the book, the conclusion provides closing remarks on the historical, political, social, religious and symbolic meanings of the practice of self-coronation among medieval kings, using a long-term approach. From a political point of view, self-coronations are proofs of the activation of individual agency rather than the stability of established structures in the Middle Ages. This ritual demystifies certain anthropological tendencies to constrain the rites to the boundaries of their particular context or to fix them in an essentialist symbolic meaning. From a social perspective, medieval self-coronations pushed for collective innovation and dynamism. These rituals were in a perpetual state of flux, confirming anthropologists’ belief that ritual symbols are not static, absolute objectifications, but social and cultural systems, gathering meaning over time and altering in form. This contextualised approach to the seminal concept of the ‘sacred’ and the ‘secular’ requires us to revise a vision of the past altered by the lens of the modern nation-state and modern rationalism. Some of its qualities may be projected onto the present. The king’s skill in avoiding ecclesiastical mediation may help to explain the frontiers and limits between the temporal and spiritual, between politics and religion, which is essential for the stability of modern societies. In the end, the analysis and interpretation of self-coronations lead us to debunk the myth or grand narrative of the process of secularisation.

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Chapter
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Medieval Self-Coronations
The History and Symbolism of a Ritual
, pp. 302 - 317
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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  • Conclusion
  • Jaume Aurell, Universidad de Navarra, Spain
  • Book: Medieval Self-Coronations
  • Online publication: 20 May 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108879279.015
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  • Conclusion
  • Jaume Aurell, Universidad de Navarra, Spain
  • Book: Medieval Self-Coronations
  • Online publication: 20 May 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108879279.015
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Conclusion
  • Jaume Aurell, Universidad de Navarra, Spain
  • Book: Medieval Self-Coronations
  • Online publication: 20 May 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108879279.015
Available formats
×