Mad Princes of Renaissance Germany (Studies in Early Modern German History) [Paperback]

H. C. Erik Midelfort (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 1996 | Series: Studies in Early Modern German History

During the sixteenth century close to thirty German dukes, landgraves, and counts, plus one Holy Roman emperor, were known as mad- so mentally disordered that serious steps had to be taken to remove them from office or to obtain medical care for them. This book is the first study these princes, and a few princesses, as a group in context. The result is a flood of new light on the history of Renaissance medicine and of psychiatry, on German politics and in the century of Reformation, and on the shifting Renaissance definitions of madness.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With Michel Foucault's Madness and Civilization in 1961, the study of madness became an ever more popular lens through which to view societal norms. In his short but well-researched and entertaining book, Midelfort, a professor of history at the University of Virginia, focuses on princes because they are better documented than other folk; Germany because it had many princes; and the Renaissance because new, more centralized governments were increasingly dependent on the person of the hereditary ruler for legitimacy. At the beginning of the 16th century, a mad prince like Landgrave Wilhelm I of Hesse might simply be locked away in a castle with little or no treatment. But by the mid-16th century, treatment was becoming common--not that it seemed likely to help. Most medical practitioners treated madness by trying to balance the proportion of black bile associated with melancholy. The initial protocol was fairly benign--sleep, fresh air, sunlight, exercise, cheerful servants--but thereafter livelier measures could include applying the entrails of a freshly killed snow-white dog to the head or administering a drink of powdered pearls. Reluctantly, a follower of Paracelsus (1493-1541) might be allowed to try his hand with various chemicals, or, very rarely, an exorcist called in. In anecdote and analysis, Midelfort cunningly cooks up a heady brew of medicine, religion, psychiatry, power, sex and pathos. Illustrations.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Midelfort ( The Great Cat Massacre , Random, 1985) writes about "mad princes" with the aim of answering three questions: How did courtly medicine change in the 16th century, particularly in reference to the treatment of mental illness? How did madness cause state crises? How can we document madness among German princes of the 16th century? On questions one and three he does admirably, but the answer to question two is a bit contrived, i.e., he sees madness as a cause of the Thirty Years' War. Well documented from primary sources, this work features interesting historical research, though the sampling is a bit small and generalizations a bit large. Recommended for academic libraries.
- Harry Willems, Kansas Lib. System, Iola
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: University of Virginia Press; 1St Edition edition (January 22, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813915015
• ISBN-13: 978-0813915012
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,052,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual and thought-provoking, May 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mad Princes of Renaissance Germany (Studies in Early Modern German History) (Paperback)

Although the title initially almost seems like a parody of historical research on incredibly arcane topics (and, as Midelfort points out, there is no particular reasons to believe that Renaissance German royalty were more prone to insanity than anyone else, inbreeding not withstanding), the book in fact uses the unusually high levels of documentation available on these individuals to create a fascinating and detailed study, not only of the medical and religious treatment of insanity during this period, but also of the political implications when a monarch or his heir became "unfit" to rule.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A detailed book about an hitherto unexplored subject, December 9, 2000

By 

J. N. W. Bos "Joan" (Utrecht, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mad Princes of Renaissance Germany (Studies in Early Modern German History) (Paperback)

This is the book that inspired me for starting my Mad Monarchs Series (http://www.xs4all.nl/~kvenjb/madmon.htm)! Before I found this book, I had often seen references to "the last mad Duke of Cleves, married to a sister of the last mad Duke of Prussia". This book has finally shed some light on that odd pair of Dukes.

The first part of the book focuses on the early 16th century, when mental problems was not regarded as an illness and melancholic Princes were locked up and often neglected. Sometimes they were exorcised. The cases described are, among others, Princes of Hesse, Saxony and Baden. William the Younger of Brunswick is the 1st Prince whose mental state is described in more detail, because unique reports have survived: "He ran out into the streets of Celle half-dressed, [..] spoke unintelligibly and gestured weirdly". He was actually treated by doctors.

The second part of the book describes Albrecht Friedrich of Prussia, Rudolf II of Austria and the last Dukes of Cleves in more detail. Midelfort describes detailed accounts of their mental and medical conditions and the doctor's crude attempts to cure them.

The book is a serious and detailed study of 16th century Princes that were described by their contemporaries as "melancholic" or locked up as being "mad". Black and white images of most of the described mad Princes and Princesses are included. An unique book about an unique subject!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Frivolous title; scholarly data, April 19, 2003

By 

Virginia E. Demarce "veasleyd" (Arlington, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mad Princes of Renaissance Germany (Studies in Early Modern German History) (Paperback)

The piece de resistance of this book has to be the theological memorandum concerning the mental condition of the Duke of Prussia which begins with the unfortunate Osiandrian sympathies displayed by his parents prior to his birth and their possible contribution to the current situation. The majority of the recommendations, however, came from physicians and were medical rather than theological.

It's solidly researched -- if anything, one would have wished more detail on some of the episodes, such as that of the Duke of Saxe-Weimar in the bath house.