The International Congress: “Historiographical Narrative, the Great Schism and the Hundred Years War (1337-1453): Discourse, Religiosity and Reality”, to be held in Lisboa at NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, during the 30th-31st May, 2019, is dedicated to the study of medieval chronicles as historical sources, both through analysis of their narrative content and by comparison with data contained in chancellery documentation (royal, ecclesiastical, nobiliary, and municipal) with particular focus on the geopolitical and social relationships in operation between various power groups during the period of the Great Schism and the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). 

This Congress seeks to highlight the continuous dialogue between, on the one side, historiographical representation, and on the other, the reality as transmitted in official documents produced by the power groups who facilitated or influenced the processes of change or dynastic consolidation in different Peninsular and European kingdoms in the context of the Avignon papacy and the Franco/English war. These power groups may be divided into categories including: clergy, nobility, officialdom, bourgeoisie and people. Elements within these groups had differing objectives, but their methods for attaining them were often common, allowing for the creation of alliances and the formation of heterogeneous blocks. 

Medieval chronicles are accounts of historical episodes characterised by the internationality of their production, and most of the time owe their content more to the patron of a particular work than to the predilections of the particular chronicler/author. From this point-of-view, study of the ways in which historical problematics are represented becomes highly relevant, especially when comparisons are made with evidence contained in non-literary sources. To this end it will be crucial to employ methods of investigation from different disciplinary areas including History, Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology, Art History and even Psychology. 

In the light of the above, this event aims to bring together international specialists – of varying academic levels – on the theme of the Congress, with special emphasis on three main aspects: 

  1. Discourse – Between two essentials: Medieval Historiography (including current scholarship) concerning the period of the Schism and the Hundred Years War; and the philosophical-political basis of texts of legitimation or de-legitimation for each political interest group. 
  1. Religiosity – Formal and informal religiosity with special attention to the background imaginary of the period (mentalities and rituals) such as appear in the narrative and documental sources. 
  1. Reality – Purely socio-economical aspects as evidenced by the historiographical narrative in contraposition with documental sources. 

Topics for proposed papers may include the following (NB, this is not an exclusive list): 

  • Coincidence of chronicles and documentation relating to a historical episode (a battle, a treaty, a marriage, a friendship etc.). 
  • What concepts are used to legitimate a political position? 
  • What does modern-day historiography have to say about the role of Portugal, Castile, France…etc, or nobles, clerics, common people…etc., in the Schism or the Hundred Years War? 
  • What was the role of officialdom or clergy in a particular dynastic change? 
  • How did the Schism affect the lives of ordinary people in Castile, Portugal, England… etc.? 
  • What rituals were most anthropologically relevant in religious ceremonies? 

The national and international scientific community is invited hereby to submit proposals for papers on any of the abovementioned themes or themes transversal thereto, by sending the Title and an Abstract of 250-300 words, by 1 May 2019, to the following email address: franciscomarcilla@fcsh.unl.pt. Results will be communicated within the first week of May. 

Languages spoken in the Congress will be Portuguese, Spanish, French, English and French. 

Registration fee: 
40€ (general, with paper) 
25€ (PhD candidates with paper) 
20€ (participants without paper) 
10€ (students without paper) 
Free for IEM members 

A selection of papers – subject to blind peer review process – will be published in an indexed journal. For more information, please send your inquiries to the above-email address. 

Organisation: 
Institute for Medieval Studies of NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities of Universidade Nova de Lisboa 

Organiser: 
Francisco José Díaz Marcilla (IEM-NOVA FCSH) 

Scientific Committee: 
César Olivera (Instituto de Historia-CSIC) 
Covadonga Valdaliso (CH-UL) 
Filipe Moreira (IF-UP) 
Francisco José Díaz Marcilla (IEM-NOVA FCSH) 
Godfried Croenen (University of Liverpool) 
Hermínia Vilar (CIDEHUS-UÉ) 
José Manuel Nieto Soria (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) 
Óscar Villarroel (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)