ABOUT THE PAPER

In 1681, Chancellor John Leslie, duke of Rothes received what was described as the most sumptuous funeral ever staged in Scotland. The duke's memorials became both the stuff of heraldic legend and a prime target for since lost satiric ephemera in print and song. This paper will make a detailed reconstruction of Rothes' 'solemn and pompous' funeral by using previously unknown manuscript sources, including the receipts collected by Rothes' heir, letters to the Lyon Court and previously unstudied first-hand accounts. Introducing this fresh archival material, this talk will consider Rothes' elaborate memorials within a wider dialogue of political performance and explore their value as a case study for the significance of extra-textual political communication in Restoration Scotland.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr. Laura Doak is an historian of political culture in early modern Scotland and the wider British Isles, currently based at the University of Dundee with the Scottish Privy Council Project. She has completed her PhD at the University of Glasgow in 2020 and has since published on progresses, print, public executions, and female militants.

VENUE DETAILS

Tuesday, January 23rd | 17:30
The Boyd Orr Building
Room 412 (Lecture Theatre B)
University Avenue
Glasgow
G12 8SP

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First published: 16 January 2024

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Dr. Laura Doak