Nobility and patrimony in modern France / Elizabeth Chalmers MacKnight.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

MacKnight, Elizabeth C., author.

Series:

Studies in modern French history.

Studies in modern French history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Nobility--France--History.

Nobility.

Cultural property--France.

Cultural property.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 237 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

Manchester : Manchester University Press, 2018.

Summary:

Châteaux and landed estates, family portraits, names, titles and coats of arms are symbols of aristocratic identity and integral to the collective memory of nobility. In this study of tangible and intangible cultural heritage Elizabeth Macknight explains the significance of nobles' conservationist traditions for public engagement with the history of France. During the French Revolution nobles' property was seized, destroyed, or sold off by the nation. State intervention during the nineteenth century meant historic monuments became protected under law in the public interest. The Journées du Patrimoine, created in 1984 by the French Ministry for Culture, became a Europe-wide calendar event in 1991. Each year millions of French and international visitors enter residences and museums to admire France's aristocratic cultural heritage. Drawing on archival evidence from across the country, Macknight presents a compelling account of power, interest and emotion in family dynamics and nobles' relations with rural and urban communities.

Contents:

Front matter; Dedication; Contents; List of tables; Acknowledgements; Abbreviations; Introduction; Protecting property during revolution; Divisions of inheritance; Adoption for transmission; Incapacity and debt; Landed estates in operation; Residences and gardens; Holding the fort in the world wars; Initiatives for preservation and tourism; Conclusion; List of families; Archival sources; Index.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 10 Jul 2026).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781526120533

1526120534

9781526136169

1526136163

9781526120526

1526120526

OCLC:

1030233801