An introduction to the sport of falconry in the medieval world, this book details several different aspects, ranging from how these birds were trained to their usefulness as gifts in diplomacy.
Excerpt:
What follows are six chapters that deal with central aspects characterizing falconry in the Middle Ages. We deal with issues such as the global beginnings of the practice (Chapter One), the human–animal interactions underlined through falconry tools and training (Chapter Two), and also with power and the aristocracy (Chapter Three). The geographical dimensions of transfer between East and West concerning the handling of hawks forms another important field (Chapter Four). Symbolic aspects linked to the practice, such as warfare, chivalry and religion, highlighting the cultural life of the times, are approached in Chapter Five, alongside falconry’s role in diplomacy and gifting – how political relations were forged through the donation of precious falcons around the globe – in Chapter Six. Finally, in the Coda, the book will focus on the pictorial legacy of falconry, its visual agency. Multiple aspects of falconry survive today, and this visual legacy partly explains the subject’s great fascination.
Who is this book for?
While many books on medieval falconry are highly specialized, this one fills a unique niche by providing a broader overview. It offers an accessible introduction to this fascinating aspect of medieval culture, making it valuable for readers exploring the role of animals in the Middle Ages, as well as those interested in knighthood and royal traditions.
The Art of Medieval Falconry
By Yannis Hadjinicolaou
Reaktion Books
ISBN: 978 1 78914 910 4
An introduction to the sport of falconry in the medieval world, this book details several different aspects, ranging from how these birds were trained to their usefulness as gifts in diplomacy.
Excerpt:
What follows are six chapters that deal with central aspects characterizing falconry in the Middle Ages. We deal with issues such as the global beginnings of the practice (Chapter One), the human–animal interactions underlined through falconry tools and training (Chapter Two), and also with power and the aristocracy (Chapter Three). The geographical dimensions of transfer between East and West concerning the handling of hawks forms another important field (Chapter Four). Symbolic aspects linked to the practice, such as warfare, chivalry and religion, highlighting the cultural life of the times, are approached in Chapter Five, alongside falconry’s role in diplomacy and gifting – how political relations were forged through the donation of precious falcons around the globe – in Chapter Six. Finally, in the Coda, the book will focus on the pictorial legacy of falconry, its visual agency. Multiple aspects of falconry survive today, and this visual legacy partly explains the subject’s great fascination.
Who is this book for?
While many books on medieval falconry are highly specialized, this one fills a unique niche by providing a broader overview. It offers an accessible introduction to this fascinating aspect of medieval culture, making it valuable for readers exploring the role of animals in the Middle Ages, as well as those interested in knighthood and royal traditions.
The Author
Yannis Hadjinicolaou is a Research Assistant at the University of Bonn, where he works on art history. You can listen to him talk about his new book on The Medieval Podcast.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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