Preliminary Programme

The aim of this paper is to investigate the circulation of religious experiences among the European courts of Madrid, Paris and Italian States, as well as the exchange of spiritual works and devotional practices within these spaces. Patterns of contamination are being examined in the degree to which they led to the transfer and comparison between experiences, which affected the creation of cultural realities. More precisely, the focus is looking on reciprocal influences in codifying behavioral and communicative codes. Particularly, the field researched is concerning the contribution provided by religious orders and congregations in the spread of ideas and beliefs, according to similarities and differences related to their specific way of acting. A particular attention is being paid on the strategies deployed by the Congregation of Jesus and the Congregation of the Oratory. Therefore, the role of theologians, diplomats and confessors at court is being analyzed in the light of the main issues and theological debates, which affected Europe between the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries. (Show less)

Relations between the Papacy and the Spanish Monarchy in 18th century were strengthened, among others, of continuous material exchanges. The Apostolic Nuncios, as agents, contributed to the development of these power networks of diplomatic caracter.
This paper studies different scenarios of diplomatic representation, as well as the practices developed in them, which had place in the Court of Madrid for receiving the extraordinary nuncio Jose Doria Pamphili, responsible of regailing the monarch Carlos III in times of the Papa Clemente XIV.
The absence of an established ceremonial for this kind of reception by the Spanish Monarchy led to request a model to the French Court. Therefore, we observe a circulation, both of material and inmaterial culture, among different European Court centres. (Show less)

The kingdom of Castile introduced the Court as a form of political organization in Amercia after its discovery and conquest. The European Court ceremonial, fully consolidated, was involved in different contributions thanks to cultural and material exchange produced by the Indian kingdoms. This work presents the influences made by the viceroyalty of Peru with unknown elements until then, such as the crematística field, and in the court habits. The different viceroys on their way back to Madrid provided a great amount of material, cultural, botanical and nutritional wealths, enhancing even more the decked European Courts. (Show less)

The Kingdom of Naples was the largest, and in many aspects, the most important of the Italian dominions of the Spanish Monarchy. It was not by chance that becoming Viceroy of Naples often meant reaching the highest point of a lengthy political and diplomatic career. It was considered a reward for services rendered, and at the same time a final and decisive benchmark to test ones values. During the reigns of Phillip III and Phillip IV, it was often, but not always the case, that the men who arrived in Naples had a close link with the valido. On arrival these men had to come to an agreement with the prominent figures of the Neapolitan aristocracy, or at times openly clash with them. This paper proposes a reconstruction of the fundamental passages of the complicated relationship between Spanish Viceroys and Neapolitan aristocracy, from the rule of the Count of Lemos (1610-1616) right up to the death of Phillip IV (1665): a relationship characterised by political conflict but also dialogue and agreements, where the commonality of cultural interests and the passion for the arts and literature often played a key role. (Show less)