Society for the Medieval Mediterranean Conference 2015: Law, Custom and Ritual in the Medieval Mediterranean – Day One
So, thank you to all of those delegates who have travelled from far and wide to meet this week here at the University of Lincoln for the 4th International Conference of the Society for the Medieval Mediterranean. Special thanks, of course, to those delivering papers and to today’s keynote speaker, Prof. Simon Doubleday of Hofstra University.
Papers today covered such diverse topics as our first sessions on Justice and judicial practice in early medieval NW Iberia – Government and Archives – and on Comparative aspects of the institutionalisation of law – the Making of Political Discourses, on Fatimid rituals, revolts and rules, on Medieval Laws of the Sea, the late medieval crown of Aragon, and last (but certainly not least) Orthodoxy and deviance. As so often, sessions were lively, the speakers engaging and the questions extremely thought-provoking – thank you.
Professor D
oubleday’s keynote speech on ‘Illegitimate Approaches’, essentially on how we should undertake a serious re-evaluation of our views of illegitimacy in the medieval period and beyond, looking especially at the relationship of Alfonso X of Castile and his daughter Beatriz, was also very well received. Again, thank you!
I’m writing this whilst at the evening wine reception and listening in on the buzz of academic conversation. It seems like it will be an interesting day tomorrow.
We hope you all enjoy your stay in Lincoln. Please make the most of its wonderful medieval history and heritage while you are here – and we look forward to meeting you again tomorrow.
