![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hrjSession 152 Constructions of Women Warriors in Medieval Eurasia 3.0
Organizer: Sufen S. Lai, Grand Valley State Univ. Presider: Sufen S. Lai
The Amazon Queen Thalestris in Rudolf von Ems’s Alexanderroman and the German Tradition
Suzanne Hagedorn, College of William & Mary
Thalestris as "amazon temptress" of Alexander. She sends to him requesting him to give her a child; they have sex and separate. Focus is not on romantic relationships in classical versions, but simply on the use of Alexander as a "stud" to produce the supreme Amazon queen. But as the Alexander legend is taken up in medieval romances, more romantic elements are added. Rudolf von Ems: early 13th century, famous for his "Weltchronik" (world chronicle). His works show a general interest in international literature and "exotic" stories. (There is extensive rapid discussionof Rudolf's career and patronage relations.) Both the Alexanderroman and the Weltchronik break off abruptly, suggesting some major interruption of his work (or life) while composing them in tandem. Rudolf's coverage of the Thalestris episode is significantly different from his textual sources. Nonetheless, his verse account incorporates a wide variety of sources covering the topic. Rudolf's version of the encounter is full-blown courtly romance, not the businesslike unemotional transaction of the earlier Alexander chronicles. His description of Thalestris combines the courtly lady and the valient knight. As part of their encounter, Alexander asks how it is the Amazons can live without men, which is an excuse/opportunity to insert most of the classic text of Orosius's history of the Amazons. But when Thalestris makes her move on Alexander, it takes a more medieval form, with her claiming to be a pure virgin and offering him her lands and herself, not simply looking for a hook-up. And she is portrayed as being regretful when leaving him. [There's a lot of information packed into this paper, but a lot of it is plot details which are hard to summarize.]
An Exemplary Model: Holy Mary’s Military Intervention in Early Spain
Diane M. Wright, Grand Valley State Univ.
Mary as military figure in the Cantigas. Often portrayed with mixed signifiers: sword and spindle/distaff, or on horseback trampling Moors. The Contigas de Santa Maria collectively focus on the miracles of Mary in a context of perceived external threat from Islamic presence in Spain. The miliarty images in this context promote and validate violent action against this Islamic presence, but in other Cantigas the emphasis is on peaceful resolution of conflicts. Mary's protection may sometimes be more passive, intervening as protective influence. In the Cantigas, Mary's miraculous intervention can result in the conversion of her enemies. These images of Mary seem to be drawn from a Byzantine tradition of Mary as martial protector. The stories tend to frame the Chrisian defenders as fewer in number and less well armed than the attackers, making her victory more impressive. (We now get a summary of the various Cantigas with the martial Mary motif.)
[The speaker has a pleasant rich low voice and I'm full with dinner and I'm working very hard not to drop off to sleep. I would love to add her to my anti-insomnia iPod files. It would be embarrassing to fall asleep because there are only a dozen or so in the audience. This is why I blog.]
He’elun 訶額侖 (1142–1221): Chenggis Khan’s Mother
Sherry Mou, DePauw Univ.
[Presenter was unable to attend but paper was presented by the presider.]
Brief history of the abduction-marriage of He'elun by Yesugai as she was traveling home with her new husband whom she urges to run away to save his life. She produced 4 sons and 1 daughter, with Temujin the eldest son. When Temujin was 9 Yesugai died of poison and He'elun's sons were rejected for leadership due to age, in favor of the family of one of Yesugai's concubines. He'elun appears as a strong figure in maintaining the family and their resources as Temujin matures, negotiating conflicts both within and outside the family.
[There doesn't seem to be a specific thesis in this paper, more just a view of a specific set of episodes in Mongolian history via the lens of this particular woman.]
Organizer: Sufen S. Lai, Grand Valley State Univ. Presider: Sufen S. Lai
The Amazon Queen Thalestris in Rudolf von Ems’s Alexanderroman and the German Tradition
Suzanne Hagedorn, College of William & Mary
Thalestris as "amazon temptress" of Alexander. She sends to him requesting him to give her a child; they have sex and separate. Focus is not on romantic relationships in classical versions, but simply on the use of Alexander as a "stud" to produce the supreme Amazon queen. But as the Alexander legend is taken up in medieval romances, more romantic elements are added. Rudolf von Ems: early 13th century, famous for his "Weltchronik" (world chronicle). His works show a general interest in international literature and "exotic" stories. (There is extensive rapid discussionof Rudolf's career and patronage relations.) Both the Alexanderroman and the Weltchronik break off abruptly, suggesting some major interruption of his work (or life) while composing them in tandem. Rudolf's coverage of the Thalestris episode is significantly different from his textual sources. Nonetheless, his verse account incorporates a wide variety of sources covering the topic. Rudolf's version of the encounter is full-blown courtly romance, not the businesslike unemotional transaction of the earlier Alexander chronicles. His description of Thalestris combines the courtly lady and the valient knight. As part of their encounter, Alexander asks how it is the Amazons can live without men, which is an excuse/opportunity to insert most of the classic text of Orosius's history of the Amazons. But when Thalestris makes her move on Alexander, it takes a more medieval form, with her claiming to be a pure virgin and offering him her lands and herself, not simply looking for a hook-up. And she is portrayed as being regretful when leaving him. [There's a lot of information packed into this paper, but a lot of it is plot details which are hard to summarize.]
An Exemplary Model: Holy Mary’s Military Intervention in Early Spain
Diane M. Wright, Grand Valley State Univ.
Mary as military figure in the Cantigas. Often portrayed with mixed signifiers: sword and spindle/distaff, or on horseback trampling Moors. The Contigas de Santa Maria collectively focus on the miracles of Mary in a context of perceived external threat from Islamic presence in Spain. The miliarty images in this context promote and validate violent action against this Islamic presence, but in other Cantigas the emphasis is on peaceful resolution of conflicts. Mary's protection may sometimes be more passive, intervening as protective influence. In the Cantigas, Mary's miraculous intervention can result in the conversion of her enemies. These images of Mary seem to be drawn from a Byzantine tradition of Mary as martial protector. The stories tend to frame the Chrisian defenders as fewer in number and less well armed than the attackers, making her victory more impressive. (We now get a summary of the various Cantigas with the martial Mary motif.)
[The speaker has a pleasant rich low voice and I'm full with dinner and I'm working very hard not to drop off to sleep. I would love to add her to my anti-insomnia iPod files. It would be embarrassing to fall asleep because there are only a dozen or so in the audience. This is why I blog.]
He’elun 訶額侖 (1142–1221): Chenggis Khan’s Mother
Sherry Mou, DePauw Univ.
[Presenter was unable to attend but paper was presented by the presider.]
Brief history of the abduction-marriage of He'elun by Yesugai as she was traveling home with her new husband whom she urges to run away to save his life. She produced 4 sons and 1 daughter, with Temujin the eldest son. When Temujin was 9 Yesugai died of poison and He'elun's sons were rejected for leadership due to age, in favor of the family of one of Yesugai's concubines. He'elun appears as a strong figure in maintaining the family and their resources as Temujin matures, negotiating conflicts both within and outside the family.
[There doesn't seem to be a specific thesis in this paper, more just a view of a specific set of episodes in Mongolian history via the lens of this particular woman.]
