One Foot in the Palace

Dries Raeymaekers is lecturer in Early Modern History at Radboud University Nijmegen.Dries Raeymaekers is als universitair docent Vroegmoderne Geschiedenis verbonden aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen. Hij is tevens voorzitter van de Vlaams-Nederlandse Vereniging voor Nieuwe Geschiedenis.

In sum, the study provides a detailed and all-encompassing picture of the political circumstances at an extraordinary court that will enrich the debates on the struggle for power in early modern Europe. The Court of Brussels has not yet been as thoroughly researched as its European counterparts in Paris, Madrid, Vienna, etc., mainly because it is considered less important. Nevertheless, it is evident that Brussels was at the centre of several key developments, especially during the seventeenth century, because it was the only place in Europe where a new household was created, the so-called Maison royale de Bruxelles, being its nearest antecedent the household of the Archdukes. So, the seventeenth-century court of Brussels constitutes an excellent case to understand power formations, and Raeymaekers' book applies an excellent approach to this topic.José Eloy Hortal Muñoz,

• PrefaceIllustrations & PlatesTables & ChartsAbbreviationsCurrency valuesPreludeIntroductionThe sovereignty debateThe emergence of court studiesCourt studies and the court of the archdukesThe role of the householdSources and methodologyArrangement of the bookPart I: Anatomy of the Archducal HouseholdChapter I: Setting the StageReconstructing the archducal householdThe development of the Spanish-Burgundian court modelStructure and organization of the archducal householdThe CapillaThe CasaThe Cámaraa) The Cámara of Albertb) The Cámara of IsabellaThe CaballerizaThe GuardaConclusion: the court ceremonial in its political contextChapter II: Household Scale & FinancesContours: the court and its householdThe figuresDiscussionFinancial organization of the archducal householdRemunerationDiscussionDepartmental budgetsConspicuous consumptionThe archducal household budgetThe figuresDiscussionConclusionChapter III: In the Service of the Dynasty*The creation of the archducal householdNation and loyaltyThe selection processThe criteriaReligious and political affinityLineage and reputationExperience and competenceAdvocacy and appreciationInfluence from Madrid?A 'Spanish bastion'?ConclusionPart II: The Political Role of the CourtiersChapter IV: 'Une Liberté Absolue d'Entrer'Access in the spatial and ceremonial senseAccess to the archducal CámaraNorms and practicesThe golden keyAccess and favor ConclusionChapter V: Eyes & Ears*Faction vs. nationThe swearing of oaths in 1616Dynastic perilsCourtiers in diplomacyConclusionChapter VI: The Archduke's Gran PrivadoThe long path to powerThe minister-favoriteFavorites and fortunesA valimiento in the Archducal Netherlands?ConclusionConclusionAppendixBibliographyArchival SourcesPrinted Primary SourcesSecondary SourcesPapersWebsitesIndexGallery