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by Manuel Matuzović
@matuzo
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https://htmhell.dev/adventcalendar/2024/25/

All the Articles for the 2024 Advent Calendar from HTMLHell
by Manuel Matuzović
@matuzo

#Accessibility #HTMLHell #AdventCalendar

On Manuel's website:
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Under this great hill I lie buried

Mighty elephant which the King Manuel
Having conquered the Orient
Sent as captive to Pope Leo X.
At which the Roman people marvelled, --
A beast not seen for a long time,
And in my brutish breast they perceived human feelings. Fate envied me my residence in the blessed Latium
And had not the patience to let me serve my master a full three years.
But I wish, oh gods, that the time which Nature would have assigned to me,
and Destiny stole away,
You will add to the life of the great Leo.

He lived seven years
He died of angina
He measured twelve palms in height.
Giovanni Battista Branconio dell'Aquila
Privy chamberlain to the pope
And provost of the custody of the elephant,
Has erected this in 1516, the 8th of June,
In the fourth year of the pontificate of Leo X.

That which Nature has stolen away

Raphael of Urbino with his art has restored. (6/8)

#emdiplomacy #adventCalendar

@histodons @historikerinnen @earlymodern

However, the friendship between #Pope and #elephant was short-lived: In June 1516, Hanno fell seriously ill; he could barely breathe and had convulsions. Pope Leo called in his own doctors, who diagnosed angina due to the shortness of breath. The animal was also suffering from constipation, and the doctors decided to treat it with a laxative, which, in accordance with common #earlyModern practice, was enriched with a large amount of gold and administered to the elephant in a high dosage in view of its size. The treatment was ineffective; the animal died on 8 June 1516 and was interred in the Cortile del Belvedere. His skeletal was discovered in 1962 during construction work on the cooling system. In contrary to first assumptions it did not belong to #dinosaur but an elephant. (5/8)

#emdiplomacy #NewDiplomaticHistory #history #histodons #adventCalendar #AdventCalendar2024

@histodons @historikerinnen @earlymodern

The #pope affection for his exotic pet manifested itself in various ways:
1) He showed it in occasional public performances in which the #elephant bowed and knelt when called upon, sprayed water around, danced to music and apparently performed all kinds of tricks.
2) This affection is expressed in the stories of spectators who saw the #Pope playing with Hanno on a Sunday when the public was allowed to visit the enclosure and noticed the Pope's devoted clumsiness.
3) Out of concern for Hanno's health, the Pope refused to lend the elephant to relatives elsewhere. (4/8)

#emdiplomacy #NewDiplomaticHistory #earlyModern #adventCalendar #AdventCalendar2024 #history #histodons

@histodons @historikerinnen @earlymodern

Hanno was a white elephant that was gifted to #Pope Leo X upon his election by the Manuel I, king of #Portugal.

However, Hanno was not the first #elephant within #emdiplomacy. We can trace the tradition of sending elephants as diplomatic gifts back to the year 800. It became a regular custom first in the 13th century.

Diplomatic gifts and especially exotic gifts or animals were quite common during the #earlyModern period. They should reflect or even enhance both the giver’s and receiver’s honour and rank.

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110672008-035/html

(2/8)

#NewDiplomaticHistory #history #histodons #adventCalendar #AdventCalendar2024

@histodons @historikerinnen @earlymodern

Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich promoted Ordin-Nashchokin to the rank of ‘conciliar courtier’. Having concluded the Andrusovo armistice with #Poland in 1667, which was beneficial for #Russia, he was granted the rank of boyar and Keeper of the Seal, later on becoming the Head of the Ambassadorial Chancery. Thus, the case of Ordin-Nashchokin who came from provincial gentry and had an extraordinary career was especially important as he received this post due to his personal achievements in the field of #emdiplomacy.

If you want to learn more about the development of #earlyModern Russian #diplomacy, we recommend the article by Maria A. Petrova in the #emdiplomacy handbook:

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110672008-014/html

(6/6)

#NewDiplomaticHistory #earlyModern #history #histodons #adventCalendar #adventCalendar2024

@histodons @historikerinnen @earlymodern

First in 1656 Ordin-Nashchokin could be traced in another diplomatic occupation. He facilitated negotiations that led to the conclusion of a treaty of an alliance with #Courland and in 1658 the Treaty of Valiesar with #Sweden which left #Russia in the positions of the territories that it had conquered in #Livonia during the #SecondNorthernWar for three years. Moreover, Russia promised not to carry out mass deportations of Lutherans from these territories. Two years later, in 1660, he also participated in the negotiations leading to the peace of #Kardis that turned the Valiesar treaty into a permanent peace. (5/6)

#emdiplomacy #HistoricalPeaceStudies #NewDiplomaticHistory #earlyModern #adventCalendar #adventCalendar2024 #history #histodons

@histodons @historikerinnen @earlymodern

The extension and intensification of #Russia’s international contacts in the 17th century enhanced the status of the Ambassadorial Chancery that was also in charge of managing a number of cities, monasteries and several territorial chanceries. Since 1667 boyars (members of the highest rank of feudal nobility) rather than ‘conciliar secretaries’ were often appointed to head the missions; as an example, one should name Afanasii Ordin-Nashchokin (1605–1680), our #emdiplomat of the day! (3/3)

#emdiplomacy #NewDiplomaticHistory #earlyModern #adventCalendar #adventCalendar2024 #history #histodons #Russia

@histodons @historikerinnen @earlymodern