Civic ceremony and religion in medieval Bruges c.1300-1520
Book Description
This scholarly exploration reveals how spiritual practices shaped the very fabric of medieval urban life through an intimate examination of Bruges, one of Europe's most prosperous medieval cities. Andrew Brown uncovers the profound ways religious ceremony and civic identity intertwined in daily life between 1300 and 1520, drawing from previously unexplored archival materials.
The study illuminates how ordinary citizens expressed their spiritual devotion through liturgical participation, memorial services, guild activities, and charitable works. These practices emerge not as separate religious exercises, but as integral threads woven throughout the social and economic life of a remarkably diverse urban community.
Brown examines the grand religious processions and festivals organized by municipal authorities, revealing how these ceremonial occasions served multiple purposes beyond worship. His analysis challenges conventional understanding of how spiritual and political power intersected in medieval society, questioning whether rulers could truly control urban communities through religious spectacle and ritual.
The book offers fresh perspectives on the relationship between ceremony and authority, exploring how citizens navigated the complex interplay between personal faith, community belonging, and political allegiance. Through Bruges' unique historical lens, readers gain insight into broader patterns of how spiritual practice and civic life influenced each other across medieval Europe.
This work provides valuable understanding of how religious expression functioned as both personal spiritual practice and communal identity formation in pre-modern urban settings.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~10 hours)
📄 Length: 368 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religious life and customs
- ✓ Explore Belgium, history
- ✓ Explore HISTORY / Europe / General
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore Europe, religion
- ✓ Explore Civil religion
- ✓ Explore Bruges (belgium)
- ✓ Explore Religion
Topics Covered
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