Mytho-poetics at Work : A Study of the Figure of Egmont, the Dutch Revolt and Its Influence in Europe

English translation: Christopher W. Reid. In 'Mytho-poetics at Work' Rengenier Rittersma offers an account of the posthumous fame of the Count of Egmont (1522-1568), whose public decapitation triggered the Dutch revolt. Drawing from numerous European sources – pamphlets, chronicles, and literature – this monograph tries to unravel why and how the alleged freedom fighter became an icon in European thought. It demonstrates that Egmont unfurled an evocative power over several centuries and cultural regions, as his name could be deliberately instrumentalized by different groups of people in order to corroborate their own confessional and political programs. In addition, this book offers the very first systematic study of the phenomenon of mytho-genesis and provides a conceptual model that can be applied to analogous historical myths. Contents 9 Preface to the German Edition 13 Acknowledgements 16 Introduction 17 Part 1 To Order the Unprecedented: Egmont in Proto-historiography 29 Section 1 Prolegomena 31 Chapter 1 Preliminary Remarks on the Source Corpus 33 Chapter 2 Biographical Information on the Eyewitnesses and Authors 40 Section 2 The Various Layers of the Early Egmont Reception 47 Chapter 3 The Atavistic Layer 49 Chapter 4 The Particularistic Layer 54 Chapter 5 The Theocratic Redemptive-historical Layer 60 Chapter 6 The Religious-confessional Layer 64 Chapter 7 The Person-centered Layer 69 Intermezzo: The Sacred Layer 83 Continuation of the Person-centered Layer 87 Chapter 8 The Anti-Spanish Layer 103 Chapter 9 The Anti-Spanish Layer in the Early Foreign Egmont Reception 112 Concluding Remarks: On Dealing with the Quirks of History 120 Part 2 To Exploit the Anachronism: Egmont in Historiography 131 Chapter 10 Preliminary Remarks on the Source Corpus 133 Chapter 11 A Historiographical Subgenus: Herography 139 Chapter 12 The Struggle for Preponderance: Historiography in the Wake of Sectarian Wrangling 159 Chapter 13 The Target: The Supremacy of Northern Dutch Historiography 164 Chapter 14 In the Wake of Politics: Grotius’ Historiography as “Certification” of the Republic’s Birth 190 Chapter 15 In the Name of the Search for Truth: De Thou’s Historiography as an Irenic Manifesto 196 Chapter 16 Under the Spell of Prudentia: Strada’s and Bentivoglio’s Historiography as a Political Lesson 206 1 The Baroque: More than a Transitional Stage between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment 207 2 “Quell’Aiace e questo Ulisse.” Egmont and Orange in Strada and Bentivoglio 216 Chapter 17 In the Spirit of the Enlightenment: Wagenaar’s Historiography as an Empirical Analysis of the Past 230 Concluding Remarks: On Dealing with the History’s Latecomers 238 Part 3 To Eulogise the Unfeigned: Egmont in the European Age of Revolution 247 Section 1 The Dead End: On How the German Baroque Left Behind No Trace of Egmont 249 Section 2 “The Path to Glory:”* Egmont’s Finest Hour in the Revolutionary Era 255 Chapter 18 Defining the Problem, Delineating the Theme 257 Chapter 19 The Development of the Chosen One: On Goethe’s Sources for His Egmont Tragedy 261 Chapter 20 The Development of the Chosen One: On Schiller’s Sources for His Egmont Treatment 277 Chapter 21 “Under Similar Constellations:” A Star Over Brussels, Rome, Weimar 295 Chapter 22 Egmont, or: The Excess of Noble Mindedness 311 Chapter 23 Egmont, the Man of Integrity, or: Praise for an Honest and Undisguised Man 337 Chapter 24 Synopsis: The Afterlife of Count Lamoral of Egmont since 1800 348 Concluding Remarks: Dealing with the Patterns of History 353 Afterword: On the Writhing Carcas and the Homo Amplificator 359 Appendix 1 The Element of Chess in Goethe’s Egmont 365 Appendix 2 Illustrations of the Mycorrhiza Process 366 Appendix 3 Textual Comparison between the Ypres Eyewitness Account and Pieter Christiaenszoon Bor’s Nederlantsche Oorloghen (...) 369 Appendix 4 Schematic Overview of the Transmission of the Egmont Material between the Proto-historiographical and the Historiographical Phases of the Egmont Reception 374 Appendix 5 Summary of the State of Research on Goethe’s Egmont in German Studies 380 Appendix 6 Complete Passages on Egmont’s Noble Mindedness 392 Appendix 7 Extensive Citation from Fugger-Zeitung 397 Published Primary Sources 399 Unpublished Primary Sources: Manuscripts and Pamphlets 405 Secondary Literature 407 Index of Names 427 In Mytho-poetics At Work Rengenier Rittersma Offers An Account Of The Posthumous Fame Of The Count Of Egmont (1522-1568), Whose Public Decapitation Triggered The Dutch Revolt. Drawing From Numerous European Sources - Pamphlets, Chronicles, And Literature - This Monograph Tries To Unravel Why And How The Alleged Freedom Fighter Became An Icon In European Thought. It Demonstrates That Egmont Unfurled An Evocative Power Over Several Centuries And Cultural Regions, As His Name Could Be Deliberately Instrumentalized By Different Groups Of People In Order To Corroborate Their Own Confessional And Political Programs. In Addition, This Book Offers The Very First Systematic Study Of The Phenomenon Of Mytho-genesis And Provides A Conceptual Model That Can Be Applied To Analogous Historical Myths.-- Part 1. To Order The Unprecedented: Egmond In Proto-historiography. Section 1. Prolegomena -- 1. Preliminary Remarks On The Source Corpus -- 2. Biographical Information On The Eyewitnesses And Authors -- Section 2. The Various Layers Of The Early Egmont Reception -- 3. The Atavistic Layer -- 4. The Particularistic Layer -- 5. The Theocratic Redemptive-historical Layer -- 6. The Religious-confessional Layer -- 7. The Person-centered Layer -- Intermezzo: The Sacred Layer -- Continuation Of The Person-centered Layer -- 8. The Anti-spanish Layer -- 9. The Anti-spanish Layer In The Early Foreign Egmont Reception -- Concluding Remarks: On Dealing With The Quirks Of History -- Part 2. To Exploit The Anachronism: Egmont In Historiography. 10. Preliminary Remarks On The Source Corpus -- 11. A Historiographical Subgenus: Herography -- 12. The Struggle For Preponderance: Historiogrpahy In The Wake Of Sectarian Wrangling -- 13. The Target: The Supremacy Of Northern Dutch Historiography -- 14. In The Wake Of Politics: Grotius' Historiography As Certification Of The Republic's Birth -- 15. In The Name Of The Search For Truth: De Thou's Historiography As An Irenic Manifesto -- 16. Under The Spell Of Prudentia: Strada's And Bentivoglio's Historiography As A Political Lesson -- The Baroque: More Than A Transitional Stage Between The Renaissance And The Enlightenment -- Qyell'aiace E Questo Ulisse: Egmond And Orange In Strada And Bentivoglio -- 17. In The Spirit Of The Enlightenment: Wagenaar's Historiography As An Empirical Analysis Of The Past -- Concluding Remarks: On Dealing With The History's Latecomers -- Part 3. To Eulogise The Unfeigned: Egmond In The European Age Of Revolution. Section 1. The Dead End: On How The German Baroque Left Behind No Trace Of Egmond -- Section 2. The Path To Glory: Egmond's Finest Hour In The Revolutionary Era -- 18. Defining The Problem, Delineating The Theme -- 19. The Development Of The Chosen One: On Goethe's Sources For His Egmont Tragedy -- 20. The Development Of The Chosen One: On Schiller's Sources For His Egmont Treatment -- 21. Under Similar Constellations: A Star Over Brussels, Rome, Weimar -- 22. Egmont, Or: The Excess Of Noble Mindedness -- 23. Egmont, The Man Of Integrity, Or: Praise For An Honest And Undisguised Man -- 24. Synopsis: The Afterlife Of Count Lamoral Of Egmont Since 1800 -- Concluding Remarks: Dealing With The Patterns Of History -- Afterword: On The Writhing Carcas And The Homo Amplificator. By Rengenier C. Rittersma ; [english Translation: Christopher W. Reid]. Translated From The Dutch. Name Of Translator Taken From Title Page Verso. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.