The Triumph of Kermis in the Spanish and the Austrian Netherlands

The kermis was a local community celebration on the patron saint's day. Its triumph is noted by the failed attempts by both emperor Charles V in the sixteenth century and emperor Joseph II in the late eighteenth century to have all kermises celebrated on the same day. The project argues that a kermis was a transcultural space for ordinary people. The key issue is to relate empirical evidence on actual kermis celebrations to cultural, social and religious change over two and a half centuries. This raises questions about the divergence/ convergence of elite and popular culture, the relations of local communities to a wider world, and the place of religion in early modern society. While the visual record of the kermis in the Spanish and the Austrian Netherlands is outstanding, we are urgently in need of archival intelligence on these community feasts. Analyzing their political, religious and social functions in the territory will enhance the understanding of cultural dynamics among common people.

Keywords:Ordinary People, Cultural Exchange, Archival Intelligence, Patron Saint Feast Day, Ritual Festival

Disciplines:History of historical culture