This summer school will bring together specialists of royal and court histories to analyse themes encompassing court politics, gender politics, and queenship in the Iberian contexts. It provides a unique experience to learn about, and to discuss the roles and experiences of women within the courtly and palatial settings of both Spain and Portugal.

Sintra Summer School '24 

Argument

Court and queenship studies have received growing attention over the past decades and now encompass a broad range of interdisciplinary, transnational and comparative approaches. Building on academics such as Norbert Elias and Theresa Earenfight, recent historiography has analysed themes of political, cultural and economic agency, gender relations, the development of complimentary (or antagonistic) loci of power, and the dynamic (or disruptive) networks of nobles and courtiers.

This summer school will bring together specialists of royal and court histories to analyse themes encompassing court politics, gender politics, and queenship in the Iberian contexts. It provides a unique experience to learn about, and to discuss the roles and experiences of women within the courtly and palatial settings of both Spain and Portugal.

Join us for sessions on royal households (their form and function), access and networks, female spaces, devotion, correspondence, and leisure. In order to centralise the importance of the spatial dimension within these themes, these sessions will be held in the national palaces of Sintra. Furthermore, the programme includes the opportunity to peek behind the scenes of the National Palace of Sintra, to visit the rococo splendour of the National Palace of Queluz, and to explore the romantic whimsy of the National Palace of Pena. As monastic spaces were important locations for noble education and for the performance of royal piety, the programme will also include visits to outstanding early modern female convents in Lisbon, such as the convento dos Cardaes.

More information: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/made-for-you/sintra-summer-school-2024/

Application guidelines

Application open until 31 March 2024

Applications must be sent to sintrasummerschool@parquesdesintra.pt or via the form on the following webpage: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/made-for-you/sintra-summer-school-2024/

Applications must include:

• completed registration form
• motivation letter (maximum 500 words)
• CV

Maximum number of registrations : 30 (thirty)

There are no credits, but a certificate is issued.

Course dates

2 to 6 September 2024

Participation costs

Registration fee - students100 € Registration fee - general public200 € Accommodation (6 nights at the youth hostel)180 €

Accommodation details

• Youth hostel accommodation -Pousada de Jovens - Sintra
• 6 nights in a four-bed mixed dorm

Meals

• Meals included in the registration fee: 1 cocktail, 4 coffee breaks, 1 lunch.
• The remaining meals are at the expense of the participant.

Organisation

• Fundación Carlos de Amberes
• Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, SA
• Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid
• Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia de Madrid
• Universidade de Lisboa
• Universitat de Barcelona

Associated Research Projects

• AGENART. La agencia artística de las mujeres de la Casa de Austria (1532-1700) (Agencia Estatal de Investigación – Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, PID2020-116100GB-I00) (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid).
• ELITFEM. Élites y 'agency' femenina al servicio de la Monarquía Hispánica (siglos XVI-XVII) (Comunidad de Madrid, PR27/21-024) (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
• POLEMHIS. Comunicación política, gestión de la información y memoria de los conflictos en la Monarquía Hispánica (1548-1725) (Agencia Estatal de Investigación - Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, PID2020-112765GB-I00) (Universidad Complutense de Investigación).
• CHURCHMOVE. Churchmen on the move: the routes of religious orders between Italy and Spain and beyond as instruments of political, cultural and religious exchange, and integration among the elites (1560-1700) (Proyecto Marie Sklodowska Curie UNA4CAREER-2021-ATL4000069410) (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
• HERMESP. Élites y Agentes en la Monarquía Hispánica: Formas de articulación política, negociación y patronazgo (1506-1725) (Grupo de I+D de Excelencia, UCM, GR3/14).
• PyRCEM. Poder y Representaciones Culturales en la Época Moderna (UNED Madrid and Universitat de Barcelona).

Organization Committee

• António Nunes Pereira (Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, SA, Portugal)
• Bernardo J. García García (ITEM-Universidad Complutense de Madrid - Fundación Carlos de Amberes, Spain)
• Bruno A. Martinho (Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, SA; CHAM – Centre for the Humanities, UNL/FCSH, Portugal)

Speakers

• Ellie Woodacre (University of Winchester, United Kingdom)
• Manuela Santos Silva (Universidade de Lisboa – Faculdade de Letras, Portugal)
• Lledó Ruiz Domingo (Universitat de València, Spain)
• Alejandra Franganillo Álvarez (ITEM-Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain)
• Ben James (Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, SA, Portugal)
• Nuno Senos (Universidade Nova de Lisboa - FCSH, Portugal)
• Sergio Ramiro Ramírez (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain)
• María Cruz de Carlos Varona (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain)
• Massimo C. Giannini (Universitá di Teramo, Italy; Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain)
• Mónica Luengo Añón (Instituto de Estudios Madrileños, Spain)
• Inês Olaia (Universidade de Lisboa – Faculdade de Letras, Portugal)
• Andrés Gutiérrez Usillos (Museo de América, Spain)
• Isabel Drumond Braga (Universidade de Lisboa – Faculdade de Letras, Portugal)