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Gifts as Media in the Construction of Princes : A Case Study of Duke Johan of Östergötland

Isacsson, Alexander LU (2025) In Sixteenth Century Journal 56(2). p.373-393
Abstract
This article examines the media construction of Duke Johan of Östergötland (1589–1618), a Swedish prince, through the lens of his recorded gift giving practices. It posits that gifts should be conceptualized as media, shaping the construction of Duke Johan as a ruler and virtuous prince, both in the early seventeenth century and for posterity. By analyzing the remediation of Duke Johan’s gift giving practices in primary sources such as account books, letters, testaments, and funeral sermons, this study proposes a novel approach to gift analysis. It emphasizes that all archives are media archives, suggesting implications for understanding princes not only as producers and content of media but also as media entities themselves.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Sixteenth Century Journal
volume
56
issue
2
pages
21 pages
publisher
Sixteenth Century Journal Publishers, Inc
ISSN
0361-0160
DOI
10.1086/735051
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
82ec219b-dcf0-441b-98a0-ffd1f651f06d
date added to LUP
2025-06-03 06:58:39
date last changed
2025-06-16 15:38:55
@article{82ec219b-dcf0-441b-98a0-ffd1f651f06d,
  abstract     = {{This article examines the media construction of Duke Johan of Östergötland (1589–1618), a Swedish prince, through the lens of his recorded gift giving practices. It posits that gifts should be conceptualized as media, shaping the construction of Duke Johan as a ruler and virtuous prince, both in the early seventeenth century and for posterity. By analyzing the remediation of Duke Johan’s gift giving practices in primary sources such as account books, letters, testaments, and funeral sermons, this study proposes a novel approach to gift analysis. It emphasizes that all archives are media archives, suggesting implications for understanding princes not only as producers and content of media but also as media entities themselves.}},
  author       = {{Isacsson, Alexander}},
  issn         = {{0361-0160}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{373--393}},
  publisher    = {{Sixteenth Century Journal Publishers, Inc}},
  series       = {{Sixteenth Century Journal}},
  title        = {{Gifts as Media in the Construction of Princes : A Case Study of Duke Johan of Östergötland}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/735051}},
  doi          = {{10.1086/735051}},
  volume       = {{56}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}