Description
Book SynopsisIn this book, Frances Courtney Kneupper examines the apocalyptic prophecies of the late medieval Empire, which even within the sensational genre of eschatological prophecy stand out for their bitter and violent nature. In addition to depicting the savage chastisement of the clergy and the forcible restructuring of the Church, these prophecies also infuse the apocalyptic narrative with explicitly German elements-in fact, German speakers are frequently cast as the agents of these stirring events in which the clergy suffer tribulations and the Church hierarchy is torn down.These prophecies were widely circulated throughout late medieval German-speaking Europe. Kneupper explores their significance for members of the Empire from 1380 to 1480, arguing that increased literacy, the development of strong urban centers, the drive for reform, and a connection to the imperial crown were behind their popularity. Offering detailed accounts of the most significant prophecies, Kneupper shows how they fit into currents of thought and sentiment in the late medieval Empire. In particular, she considers the relationships of German prophecy to contemporary discourses on Church reform and political identity. She finds that eschatological thought was considered neither marginal nor heretical, but was embraced by a significant, orthodox population of German laypeople and clerics, demonstrating the importance of popular eschatological thought to the development of a self-conscious, reform-minded, German-identified Empire on the Eve of the Reformation.
Trade ReviewKneupper's book is a brilliant, engaging and most-needed analysis of a relatively reduced but influential corpus of late medieval literature that contributes to the understanding of the religious and political genesis of the Protestant Reform. * Carme Font Paz, Comitatus *
The Empire at the End of Time should find an eager readership among historians of the late Middle Ages and the early Reformation, but also among readers curious to learn more about Christian apocalyptic traditions. * Jesse Spohnholz, Reading Religion *
Kneupper treats her subject with admirable care and precision. * John Watkins, The American Historical Review *
By showing more concretely and in greater detail than ever before the ways in which the spread of anticlerical and apocalyptic prophecies went hand in hand with an emerging sense of what it meant to be German, Kneupper's work makes a significant contribution to our understanding of late medieval culture. Scholars in early modern studies, including those who focus on the Reformation era, can gain valuable insights here as well. * Robin B. Barnes, Renaissance Quarterly *
Table of ContentsMap Acknowledgments Preface Introduction SECTION ONE: CONTEXT 1 Audience and Reception SECTION TWO: INDIVIDUAL PROPHECIES OF LATE MEDIEVAL GERMAN-SPEAKING EUROPE 2 The Gamaleon Prophecy 3 The Letter of Brother Sigwalt 4 The Auffahrt Abend Prophecy 5 The Wirsberger Letters SECTION THREE: THEMES IN LATE MEDIEVAL GERMAN PROPHECY 6 The Church and Clergy in Prophetic Thought 7 German Identity in Prophetic Thought CONCLUSION Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Notes Bibliography Index
