Advice literature, Advice literature, Forschungsprojekte -Orient Institute Beirut

Conducted By: Dr. Syrinx von Hees

Religion in Late Medieval Political Advice Literature

In the late medieval period, a large number of Arabic mirrors for princes were written that established political and moral guidelines for specific rulers. These texts, written between the 13th and 15th centuries, have not yet been studied thoroughly. Many of the treatises have recently been edited and published, while some still exist only as handwritten manuscripts.

I plan to use a sample of these late medieval mirrors for princes to examine the role of religion in late medieval politics. My analysis will revolve around four main questions. First, I will consider the way in which these texts construct concepts of political legitimacy. This will be complemented by an investigation of the norms of “good governance” on the one hand, and the legitimization of violence, on the other. Finally, I am especially interested in comparing the textual representations of power with their actual implementation. In all four areas of analysis, special attention will be given to the relationship between politics and religion. Even tentative conclusions would, at this stage, be premature; I hope instead to develop a set of theses through rigorous engagement with these rich sources.