A review of an academic book

[Gethin]

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Aurell, Martin. <i>Convaincre et persuader: Communication et
propagande aux XII et XIIIe siècles</i>. Poitiers: Université de
Poitiers-centre d'études supérieures de civilisation médiévale, 2007.
Pp 724. €75. ISBN 9-95251-2-2.

Reviewed by Joëlle Rollo-Koster
University of Rhode Island
joelle@uri.edu


It is tough to find fault to such an important book, published under
the auspices of the increasingly recognized <i>Centre d'études
supérieures de civilisation médiévale of Poitiers</i> (France). This
volume is important by its size, close to 730 pages of a large 27 by
20 centimeters format, and by its focus: propaganda and communication,
convincing and persuading in the twelfth and thirteenth century, a
topic that medievalists are just starting to discover.[1] This volume
culminates and recapitulates a series of meetings that took place
between 2004 and 2006 in France, Great Britain, and Spain. The
volume's geographical and chronological scopes span the European
central Middle Ages, and its general focus lays on the genesis of the
modern concept of propaganda. One of this book's best qualities is to
showcase many talented French and Spanish medieval historians little
known outside of Europe.

Martin Aurell offers readers an exemplary methodological and
historiographical introduction to the topic, where he defines the
fields and linguistics of propaganda,[2] communication, and publicity;
the actors (patrons, creators, intermediaries and public); and the
media (writing, sound, gesture and/or image). Aurell defends the study
of propaganda and communication by the new perspectives that these
topics open to medievalists. Both are at the heart of social life,
politics, social affirmation, and religious practices. Aurell proposes
several binomial concepts of analysis to place propaganda in its
indigenous medieval context. Firstly, it can be concrete that is
circumstantial, on the one hand, or extemporal or general on the
other. Secondly, propaganda can be explicit or implicit (to serve the
distinction between propaganda and communication), and finally it can
be what Aurell labels servile versus free propaganda, that is, whether
it serves a "master" or is the direct voice of a creator.

The volume is divided into four large sections, each of excellent
quality and with an embarrassment of the riches in the details of
texts, appendices, and footnotes. Due to the constraints of this
review I can only list the papers (I translated the titles for
convenience in order to lead readers to their specific interests) and
then spend very little time with each article. I strongly advise
anyone interested in the topic to run and get this book.

The first section, the thickest with 9 papers, deals with the "voice"
of propaganda: harangue, sermon, and prophecy. Xavier Storelli, in
"Convince to Win: The Place and Function of Military Harangues in
Anglo-Norman Historiography (XI-Beginning XIII Centuries)," initiates
the collection. Xavier Storelli's discussion of military harangue will
certainly interest military historians and others, because as with
many other medieval documents we can assume that harangues were not a
reality but a re-composed discourse. Their stated aims were to
galvanize soldiers into not fearing death on the battlefield but in
the impossibility of knowing whether they were ever uttered they can
be studied for the message their authors transmitted (communal values,
their ideological and psychological framework). As Storelli concludes,
harangues magnified vassalic and political ties, and common identity--
hence, propaganda. But the author also warns us about the shortcomings
of his study: the analysis of the reception, diffusion, and audience
of the discourses is yet imperfect. His appendix of harangues adds a
very nice touch to the soundness of his essay. Maïté Billoré, in
"Christian Ideology and Political Ethics through the Dialogue between
King Henry II and the Abbot of Bonneval of Peter of Blois," discusses
royal pedagogy as found in the "mirrors of the prince" where a king is
entreated to lead his subjects politically and morally through a
criticism of the prince's leadership that in turn becomes religious
and political propaganda in favor of that same leadership. Angeles
García de la Borbolla, in "Hagiographical Discourse as Means of
Propaganda: The Model of Gonzalo de Berceo," treats the hagiographical
production that advertised specific religious centers as it edified,
entertained, and taught catechism to its readers. Beatriz Marcotegui's
"Transmission of the Evangelical Message in the XIII Century: Eudes of
Cheriton" frames preaching within the boundaries of propaganda when
convincing the audience to act as and be Christian, but also when
serving as models for sermon collections. Catalina Girbea, in
"Persuasive Discourses and Religious Consciousness in Arthurian
Romances (XII-XIII Centuries)," traces the evolution of one of the
most salient medieval contradictions, the Christian propaganda
imbedded in the "pagan" Arthurian romances, from Chrétien de Troyes
who knew how to balance adventure and religious morality to his
successors who tipped the scale toward moral instruction. With the
same irony, Catherine Daniel, in "The Merlin Prophecies: A Propaganda
Tool of the XII and XIII Centuries," traces the life of Merlin's
prophecies, from tales directed at the Britons fighting foreign
invaders (like the Germans) to serving foreign invaders whether
Normans or Plantagenets. In a minutely sophisticated article Martha
Ganéva, in "A Spiritual Itinerary through French Tales of the XIII
Century (Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale de France n. acq. Fr. 4276),"
returns to the original <i>fide</i> in propaganda (the only meaning
that the Middle Ages knew) and searches for the rationale behind a
collection of texts now found at the BN. With exquisite detail, Ganéva
guides us through the collection until its meaning unravels. The
collection was to lead a reader through prayers, conversion, and
contemplation. Isabelle Rousseau-Jacob's "The 'Apocalypses of
Faction': Instructions" and François Foronda's "The Monarchic
Propaganda in Thirteenth-Century Castile: Some Considerations on the
<i>Libro de los Doze Sabios</i>" continue with a discussion of
prophecies and history. Rousseau-Jacob looks at the relationship
between prophetic texts and historical reality, taking into
consideration the long life and adaptability of many predictions. Her
edition of two prophecies (Biblioteca de Catalunya, ms. 490, fol.
100v., opus magistri Arnaldi de Vilanova, and Biblioteca del palacio,
ms. II/3096) will also satisfy interested readers. François Foronda
uses texts issued from the Castilian monarchy to argue for a history
of consensus within the history of propaganda. In short the author
suggests rightfully that successful propaganda appeals to and
reinforces social cohesion. Again, his transcription of the prologue
and chapters I-XXVI of the <i>Libro de los doze sabios</i> will
interest his readers.

The second section focuses on information--gathering and hiding
information--and the spreading of rumors. Francesc Rodríguez Bernal's
"On the Letter of Sexton Pere de Vic to the Viscountess Guillerma de
Cardano (circa 1150): Attempts at a Contextual Framework" initiates
this section with a study founded on the name identity of the
Catalonian lords of Montcada, the Cardonas. The article offers several
illustrations, maps, genealogy, transcription, and photographs that
will interest readers. The capture of Richard the Lionhearted by
Leopold of Austria and the ensuing anti-Riccardian propaganda is the
focus of Egbert Türk's "A Kingdom without a King: Pierre de Blois and
Aliénor d'Aquitaine." The author discusses the epistolary invectives
of Peter of Blois, who was at the service of Alienor, against pope
Celestine's lack of support for the famous crusader. An edition and
French translation of Peter's letter 146 follows the essay. At the
risk of sounding partial, I wholly appreciated the essay of Myriam
Soria Audebert on papal propaganda during the twelfth-century schisms.
Soria Audebert's "Pontifical Propaganda during the Schisms: Alexander
III to the reconquest of Church Unity" makes evident that schisms
entailed double allegiance hence propaganda to bring the opponent over
to the "other" side. The essay discusses Alexander III's propaganda in
France, to keep the country in his obedience. The elegant title of
Laurence Moulinier-Brogi's article "Defamation (<i>délit
d'opinion</i>) and Heresy (<i>déni d'orthodoxie</i>) in Thirteenth-
Century Europe" indicates its concentration on language. In an
original essay, Moulinier-Brogi studies the linguistic existence of
heresy, during the century that saw the creation of the inquisition.
Using Renard le Bestourné, Claudio Galderisi, in "The Opinionated Poet
between Propaganda and Satire: Context and Reader Sloth in Renart le
Bestourné," studies urban "poetry," communal culture, and the
channeling of public opinion through satire. Elodie Lecuppre-
Desjardin, in "From Invective to Consciousness: The War between Douai
and Lille (1284-1285)," uses a lesser-known war between the cities of
Douai and Lille in 1285 to revisit Jacques Le Goff's enunciation of
four categories for the circulation of propaganda (oral, written,
image and gesture) and focuses on what she labels insidious
propaganda, when based on provocation, defiance, taunt, outrage, and
harassment. Aude Cirier's "Communication and Politics in Northern and
Central Italy at the End of the Middle Ages: For a History of the
General Intelligence" concludes the second section with an important
article on the history of spying in central and northern Italy. The
study leads to a focus on the conception of <i>maiestas</i>, the
authority of podestas and captains, and the administrative, military,
and diplomatic organization of the state.

The third section deals with transmission and alteration of memory. It
starts with the article of Damien Carraz, "Ancestral Memory and
Monastic Archives: The Bourboutons and the Commanderie of
Richerenches." Damien Carraz frames his discussion of memory within
the ideological dimension of charters, using a Provençal lineage's
association with the foundation charters of a Templar commanderie. An
important appendix containing a genealogy, cartulary structure,
tables, photographs, drawings, and an edition of the principal
documents follow his presentation. David Crouch, in "Biography as
Propaganda in the 'History of William Marshall'," continues with a
discussion underscoring the propagandistic elements of biographies. He
focuses on a life of William Marshall, asking more specifically why,
in this case, a poet was chosen to write this biography. Gilles
Lecuppre, in "The Capetian Order and Germanic Confusion: Royal
Competition in French Sources of the XIII Century," contrasts the
smooth succession of the Capetian dynasty with the chaotic state of
affairs of the Holy Roman Empire electoral system, wondering how the
difference was felt in contemporary writings. Thomas Deswarte, in "To
Justify the Unpardonable: The Elimination of Spanish Liturgy in
Literature XII - Middle XIII Century)," initiates his essay with Pope
Gregory VII's injunction to Castile, Leon, and Navarre to follow Roman
rites. He then studies how this liturgical innovation was received in
Spain, suggesting that it was presented as a monarchic rather than
papal initiative. Marta Lacomba closes the section with
"Historiography and Propaganda in Castile at the End of the XIII
Century: The Example of El Cid" where she discusses historiography and
propaganda, opening her essay with King Alphonso X's ordering a
history of Spain and a general history. El Cid is at the core of her
study and she unveils his exploitation by the historiography of the
Spanish monarchy from Alphonso to Sancho IV.

The fourth and last section focuses on the visual aspects of
propaganda with images, paintings, displays, and the valorization of
ritual. Esther Dehoux, in "Paintings of Canons: Images and Messages at
Saint-Jacques-des-Guérets," locates her essay within the confines of
visual propaganda in the Loire Valley, unraveling the iconographic
messages found in south-west Vandômois, more especially in Saint-
Jacques-des-Guérets. There, the church's canons chose to represent on
their walls Catholic dogma, social hierarchy, and communal identity.
Several maps, diagrams, and photographs conclude the essay. Using the
fleur-de-lys, Laurent Hablot's "Under the Fleurs-de-Lys: The Use of
Royal Armorials as a Tool of Governance from Philip Augustus to the
Last Capetian" proposes to enlarge the study of heraldic's function.
He looks further than heraldic's identifying function on the battle or
tournament field and focuses on the Fleur's symbolic political
association with the Capetian monarchy. In his words heraldic was a
governing tool. Hablot demonstrates how several social groups were
allowed to carry the arms (or a variation thereof) according to their
social functions. His presentation is followed by several photographs
of seals and stain glasses depicting the symbol. Vincent Debiais, in
"Display to Persuade: The Construction and Promotion of Memory in
Inscriptions as a Means of Medieval Propaganda," concentrates on the
propagandistic-communicative function of funerary and commemorative
epigraphy. He is concerned with the text itself, the text's support
(form and space where and on which the text is inscribed), and its
audience. Several photographs of epitaphs and inscriptions follow his
article. The volume closes with Alain Rauwell's "Liturgical Treatises
and the Exaltation of Roman/ness from Bernold of Constance to Innocent
III" where he discusses the <i>expositiones missae</i>, which offered
liturgical explanations of texts and ceremonies of the mass. Rome, its
papal court, and its pope weigh heavily in most texts, to such a point
that Rauwell may be calling these liturgical documents Roman
propaganda. Hence Rauwell hypothesizes on the possibility of using
concepts like propaganda in the analysis of ecclesiastical literature.

Robert Halleux concludes this rich volume recapitulating the many
analytical concepts applicable to the religious or political world of
propaganda and communication: persuasive, seductive, invasive,
insidious, verbal, iconographic, or gestural. Again, this volume is
necessary and essential to anyone interested in the various means of
medieval communication. One should praise the high standards of this
collection and the originality of the research.

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Notes:

1. The most salient medieval examples are: Martin Aurell, <i>Culture
politique des Plantagenêt, 1154-1224: Actes du colloque tenu à
Poitiers du 2 au 5 mai 2002<i> (Poitiers: Centre d'études supérieures
de civilisation médiévale, 2003); Convegno storico internazionale
(Todi, Italy), <i>La propaganda politica nel basso Medioevo: Atti del
XXXVIII Convegno storico internazionale, Todi, 14-17 ottobre 2001<i>
(Spoleto, Perugia: Centro italiano di studi sull'alto Medioevo, 2002);
Thelma S. Fenster and Daniel Lord Smail, <i>Fama: The Politics of Talk
and Reputation in Medieval Europe<i> (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University
Press, 2003); and George Makdisi, Dominique Sourdel, and Janine
Sourdel-Thomine, <i>Prédication et propagande au Moyen Age: Islam,
Byzance, Occident: Penn-Paris-Dumbarton Oaks Colloquia, III, session
des 20-25 octobre 1980<i> (Paris: Presses universitaires de France,
1983).

2. At the basis of propaganda are the religious and often coercive
elements of the <i>Congregatio de propaganda fide<i> of the Counter-
Reformation.