Sekcje zwłok monarchów w czasach nowożytnych

Sekcje zwłok monarchów w czasach nowożytnych

The Autopsies of Monarchs’ Bodies in Erly Modern Europe

Katarzyna Kuras

The aim of the paper is to briefly characterize the autopsy ceremonies of the monarchs’ bodies in early modern Europe. Comparative analysis is based on examples from different parts of Europe (including the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) and shows the importance of the procedure of autopsy in the strictly defined funeral ceremony. The comparison of the places and times of carrying out the autopsies in various European countries, their courses, as well as the composition of medical and non-medical staff participating in them allow to conclude that this part of funeral ceremony was closely related to the royal propaganda and the tendencies to either show the king in the full majesty or to exploit the circumstances of his death for the sake of current political struggle (e.g. to create the white or black myth of royal reign). The ritualization of autopsies in early modern Europe was the key to treat both real and mystical bodies of the king appropriately and to pay a sort of homage to the death monarch.

Prace Analityczne

pl