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Clio and the Crown: The Politics of History in Medieval and Early Modern Spain

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Richard L. Kagan (Professor of History, Johns Hopkins University) presents Clio & the Crown: The Politics of History in Medieval and Early Modern Spain, a close study of the official, commissioned histories of Spanish monarchies from the medieval era to the middle of the 18th century. From histories that focused primarily upon the monarch, to histories that studies the entire Spanish kingdom, to histories that exalted Spain's conquest of the New World, Clio & the Crown examines not only how the histories themselves changed, but also the lives of court chroniclers and the political workings that affected the censorship of official histories. Spanish monarchs sometimes went so far as to physically intimidate historians, destroy manuscripts and books, rewrite histories, or restrict history writing to authorized individuals only, seeking to consolidate power through control of knowledge. A solid guide to better understanding centuries-old secondary historical sources, Clio & the Crown is an invaluable addition to Spanish history and college library shelves. Highly recommended.