Evil lords, benign historians: strongman politics in medieval India and Renaissance Florence.
In: Intellectual History Review, Jg. 29 (2019-03-01), Heft 1, S. 11-34
academicJournal
Zugriff:
Recent developments in Europe and the United States (US) attest to an increasing fascination with and nostalgia for the strong rulers of the past - especially those that emerged in the aftermath of the creation of nation states and during the period between the First World War and the end of the Cold War era. Considerations of the "strongman syndrome" have a long lineage in premodern European and Islamic political thought. The famous Italian humanist Leonardo Bruni (ca. 1370-1444), for example, provides in his History of the Florentine People a narrative of the events that led to the ascension, ten-month rule and downfall of Walter VI of Brienne in 1342 in Florence. Writing one hundred years earlier, the historian and political writer Żiyā' al-Dīn Baranī (ca. 1285-1357) in his History of Fīrūz Shāh analyzes the failed leadership of the sultan of Delhi, Muḥammad b. Tughluq (r. 1324-1351). This article presents an exploration of specific variants of autocratic leadership in Renaissance Florence and the Delhi Sultanate - as recorded in Bruni's and Baranī's writings, respectively - which demonstrates that both authors seek to offer reflections on the emergence and gradual degeneration of strongman rule that are embedded in a broader discussion of the didactic value of the study of history and its relevance to good government. Both Bruni and Baranī highlight the transience of political authority and the dangers that can arise when a leader is out of touch with the overall social climate, alienates his constituency and operates without popular consent. A detailed examination of premodern modes of envisioning strongman rule can yield fresh insights into the circumstances that incubate the strongman syndrome and the ascent of strong leaders that are still timely today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Intellectual History Review is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Titel: |
Evil lords, benign historians: strongman politics in medieval India and Renaissance Florence.
|
---|---|
Autor/in / Beteiligte Person: | Syros, Vasileios |
Zeitschrift: | Intellectual History Review, Jg. 29 (2019-03-01), Heft 1, S. 11-34 |
Veröffentlichung: | 2019 |
Medientyp: | academicJournal |
ISSN: | 1749-6977 (print) |
DOI: | 10.1080/17496977.2019.1546427 |
Schlagwort: |
|
Sonstiges: |
|