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VIRTUAL IAS Book Launch: The Bianchi of 1399 in Central Italy: Making Devotion Local

20 September 2021, 5:00 pm–6:30 pm

The Bianchi of 1399 book cover

Join us for this online launch of UCL's Dr Alex Lee's new book, 'The Bianchi of 1399 in Central Italy: Making Devotion Local'.

This event is free.

Event Information

Open to

All | UCL staff | UCL students | UCL alumni

Availability

Yes

Cost

Free

Organiser

Institute of Advanced Studies

Please join the event here.

In the summer and autumn of 1399, the populace of northern and central Italy was moved by a threat of plague to don white clothes and participate in religious devotions: the Bianchi processions. Participants went from town to town, singing, fasting and barefoot, spreading their message of peace and penitence. This book takes a comparative, regional approach to the Bianchi, challenging traditional presentations of the movement as a homogeneous whole. Consequently, it reveals new and intricate details about how the Bianchi processions were realised at a local level.

With a focus on central Italy, this book explores the Bianchi at Lucca and Pistoia. It considers the origin narratives for the movement, as well as the way that momentum was maintained for the processions. Regulations are examined, with a particular focus on singing and self-flagellation, demonstrating a nuanced approach to this ascetic practice. The issue of Civic Religion is tackled in relation to this popular religious revival, suggesting that even though the processions moved, communal support was crucial for the successful spread of the Bianchi throughout this region. Towns provided for their own inhabitants as well as those arriving from nearby locations, offering practical support in the form of food and leadership. While the Bianchi left no long-lasting mark on the Italian peninsula as a whole, small pockets of their legacy can be seen at a local level. In Tuscany, there are numerous Bianchi crucifixes and confraternities, whereas in Umbria, a series of frescoes commemorate the movement. Ultimately, this book offers a window into how medieval people coped with an outbreak of epidemic disease by seeking individual and communal salvation through penitential processions.

Join us for a presentation from the author, Dr Alex Lee, followed by a panel discussion with Professor Martial Staub and Dr William Purkis chaired by Dr Catherine Keen. There will then be a chance for the audience to ask questions.

Order a copy of The Bianchi of 1399 in Central Italy: Making Devotion Local here: https://brill.com/view/title/58226

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About the Speakers

Dr Alex Lee

PGTA at School of European Languages, Culture and Society, UCL

More about Dr Alex Lee

Professor Martial Staub

Professor of Medieval History at Department of History, University of Sheffield

More about Professor Martial Staub

Dr William Purkis

Reader in Medieval History at Department of History, University of Birmingham

More about Dr William Purkis

Dr Catherine Keen

Senior Lecturer at School of European Languages, Culture and Society, UCL

More about Dr Catherine Keen