Acknowledgements
Such a project inevitably leaves in its wake an indebtedness that I can only begin to acknowledge here. This book emerged from my PhD and I owe a special debt of gratitude to my supervisor Bridget Heal, who helped me shape this project from the outset. Her steadfast advice and intellectual generosity have informed not only the present work, but my historical outlook more broadly. I could not have had a better Doktormutter. I am grateful to my doctoral examiners, Andrew Pettegree and Jenny Spinks, for their close engagement with my research and preparing me in the best way for the task of turning my thesis into a book.
Financial support from UK and European institutions has made this book possible. The St Andrews School of History, the German History Society, the Institute of Historical Research, and the Scouloudi Foundation all supported me as a doctoral student. The Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst made a year-long archival stay in Germany possible. I profited from the incalculable benefit of a programme that brings students of different nationalities together. At a time when this form of exchange has become more difficult, bodies like this are even more vital. The Leibnitz Institut für Europäische Geschichte and the Society for Renaissance Studies both allowed me to undertake postdoctoral study and gave me the time to think about the shape of the book following the PhD.
During my archival work I was helped by a number of individuals whose attentiveness, patience, and knowledge made my research more fruitful. In Stuttgart, I am indebted to the staff at the Hauptstaatsarchiv, particularly to Andrea Heck, Irene Kremser, and Bianka Deckert, and to the staff at the Landeskirchliches Archiv, especially Bertram Fink. At the Altedrucke Lesesaal in the Württembergisches Landesbibliothek, I am thankful for the assistance of Magdalene Popp-Grilli, Luitgard Nuß, Esther Sturm, and Arietta Ruß. Outside the archive, old and new friends in Germany made my research year possible; chief among them are Marlise Hoff in Heidelberg, Albin Hoff and Klaus Kampmann in Berlin, and the Wörner family in Stuttgart. In London the staff in the British Library’s Rare Books reading room were endlessly helpful.
While the writing of a book is an individual pursuit, it is not done in isolation. It is the product of multiple collaborations. I have been lucky to benefit from conversations in a variety of academic communities. In St Andrews, London, and Oxford, I was fortunate to have feedback on my work at varying stages from colleagues, including Adrianna Catena, Martin Christ, John Condren, Nikolas Funke, Jaap Geraerts, Shanti Graheli, Nina Lamal, Matthew Laube, Saskia Limbach, Jan Machielsen, Allison Stielau, Edmund Wareham Wanitzek and Lucy Wooding. I am especially indebted to those who read full drafts for their incisive comments: Thomas Seymour Evans, Bridget Heal, Kat Hill, Hannah Murphy and Ulinka Rublack. The intellectual generosity of colleagues at Oxford, in particular Lyndal Roper, John-Paul Ghobrial, and Peter Wilson, helped me refine my ideas in the later stages of book writing. Academic collaborations with Hannah Murphy, Allison Stielau, and Kat Hill have brought me great joy and have made me a better thinker. Their support as I navigated life as an early career researcher was indispensable, as was the guidance of Nina Lamal.
I am grateful to all those at BRILL who helped bring this book to fruition: Francis Knikker, Ivo Romein, Bart Nijsten. My thanks to Edmund Wareham Wanitzek and Kate Shore for their help with my German translations and to Henry Cullen for his assistance with Latin sources. I am also thankful to Matilde Grimaldi for her map of Württemberg and Jess Farr-Cox for her indexing work.
My family has asked me not to thank them, which reflects their belief that they have done no more than what is required of them. This is very far from the truth, but I shall respect their wishes and say only that the happiest days are when we are all together. Henry, this project could not have been completed without your unwavering support and love. Méabh, this project might have been completed more quickly without your arrival, but having you in the world is much better.
This book is dedicated to my grandparents—Nancy and Kevin Scanlan.