ABSTRACT Medieval xenophobia fostered attitudes that viewed anything foreign or distasteful as monstrous. Accordingly, insular inhabitants of the Middle Ages were constantly striving to distinguish Self from Other. My dissertation argues that sixteenth-century England began to reverse this trend: it began to reconcile difference, not by distinguishing Self from Other, but by blurring those distinctions. Visions of ancient Self and contemporary Other began to fuse as proponents of Imperial Britain sought to assimilate foreign monsters that were once considered barbaric, inferior, or inhuman. This method of assimilation is especially apparent during the Elizabethan Age of conquest in the New World. England's prophetic destiny was inextricably tied to its epic history, its Trojan ancestry, and its most glorified rulers, Brutus and his distant successor, King Arthur. Thus, reestablishing and rewriting Britain's legendary past became an exercise in securing its future. I maintain that John Dee (c. 1527-1608/9) and Edmund Spenser (c. 1552-1599) strategically fused ancient Britain and the New World via the figures of King Arthur and his alleged descendant, Queen Elizabeth. Portions of Dee's Brytanici Imperii Limites are explored to illustrate this connection, as are some of his arcane mystical pursuits. I further examine sections of Spenser's Faerie Queene in relation to Queen Elizabeth and King Arthur, and interpret Arthur in Faery lond as a metaphor for England in the New World. My introduction establishes the key features of the Galfridian tradition and its significance to the Tudor dynasty. It further discusses medieval perceptions of the monstrous that influenced the early-modern era. Subsequent chapters argue that England's assimilation of Other extended to pagan deities and giants, Native Americans, ancient Israelites, and (in Elizabeth's case) to the feminine Other. My final chapter demonstrates how Queen Elizabeth, via her affiliation with King Arthur, became a temporal bridge uniting England's epic past with its future glory.

As chamadas teorias pós-coloniais iniciaram, na década de 1980, uma revisão histórica que levou ao resgate da história de povos conquistados e ao questionamento de teorias estabelecidas, como é o caso da teoria de aculturação. A arqueologia, influenciada pelas revisões pós-coloniais, começou a reformular a história do Império Romano e das províncias a ele incorporadas, entre elas, e de especial interesse no presente trabalho, as províncias estabelecidas em territórios “celtas” e no norte da Grã-Bretanha. Além de questionamentos sobre a teoria de romanização, arqueólogos como Simon James constataram que estas populações possuíam culturas de base local, mostrando que os inúmeros povos rotulados como “celtas” pertenciam a tradições múltiplas e autônomas. No entanto, a cultura popular e inclusive alguns acadêmicos divulgam uma imagem consistente de uma “civilização celta”, habitante de regiões que iam da Espanha aos Balcãs e do norte da Itália às Ilhas Britânicas, para a qual eram as similaridades e não as diferenças que importavam. Mesmo tendo permanecido por muito tempo como um povo à parte, desde a década de 1950, os pictos (ou bretões do norte) também têm sido incluídos nesta grande civilização. Porém, embora autores gregos e romanos colocassem um grande número de povos continentais antigos sob um único rótulo – celtas -, o mesmo não é verdade com relação aos antigos habitantes das ilhas britânicas: para estes, os autores utilizavam o nome bretões, diferenciando-os dos bárbaros continentais. Ainda assim, iniciada no século XVII, a construção da história de uma civilização celta, à qual os bretões (habitantes da província romana, em um primeiro momento, e, mais tardiamente, também os bretões do norte) foram incluídos, encontra suporte nos autores clássicos: a similaridade das caracterizações de celtas, gálatas ou gauleses com as dos bretões é notável. De acordo com David Rankin, a cristalização da imagem destes bárbaros deve-se, em grande medida, ao sistema de educação retórico, o qual punha considerável ênfase no aprendizado de lugares-comuns. Seguindo o raciocínio de Rankin, o presente trabalho se propõe a analisar as descrições sobre o modo de fazer guerra de bretões do norte, comparando-as com aquelas dos povos chamados de celtas do continente europeu. Esta comparação se dá ainda à luz das considerações sobre o papel da influência da retórica na história, a inventio, as digressões etnográficas e os lugares-comuns – utilizando para esse fim, as indicações de antigos manuais retóricos. A definição de lugar-comum, um conceito chave para a análise, foi extraída do manual Da Invenção, de Cícero. Além disso, essas caracterizações foram entendidas como representações, seguindo a teoria proposta pelo historiador Franklin Rudolf Ankersmit que define uma representação enquanto uma operação de três lugares. / The so-called postcolonial theories began a historical review, in the 1980s, which led to the rescue of the history of conquered peoples and to the questioning of established theories, such as the acculturation theory. Archaeology, influenced by postcolonial reviews, began to reformulate the history of the Roman Empire and of the provinces the Empire had incorporated. Among these provinces, and of particular interest in this study, the ones established in “Celtic” territories and in North Britain. In addition to questions about the Romanization theory, archaeologists as Simon James found that these people had locally based cultures, showing that countless people labeled as “Celtic” belonged to multiple and autonomous traditions. However, popular culture and even some academics disseminated a consistent image of a “Celtic civilization”, inhabitant of areas ranging from Spain to the Balkans and from Northern Italy to the British Isles, to which were the similarities, and not the differences, that mattered. Even having stayed long as a people apart, since the 1950s, the Picts (or North Britons) have also been included in this great civilization. But, although Greek and Roman authors placed a large number of ancient continental peoples under a single label - Celtic - the same is not true for the former inhabitants of the British Isles: for these, the authors used the name Britons, differentiating them from the continental barbarians. Still, started in the seventeenth century, the construction of the history of a Celtic civilization, in which the Britons (the inhabitants of the Roman province, first, and later also the Britons of the North) were included, is supported by the classic authors: the similarity between the the characterization of the Celts, Galatians or Gauls with that of the Britons is remarkable. Still, started in the seventeenth century, the construction of the history of a Celtic civilization, in which the Britons (inhabitants of the Roman province, at first, and later also the Britons of the North) were included, is supported by the classic authors: the similarity between the characterization of the Celts, Galatians or Gauls with that of the Britons is remarkable. According to David Rankin, the crystallization of the image of these “barbarians” is due largely to the rhetorical education system, which put considerable emphasis on commonplaces learning. Following Rankin’s argument, this study aims to analyze the descriptions about the North Britons’ way of making war, comparing it with that of the so-called Celtic people of Europe. This comparison is done with the support of considerations about the role of the influence of rhetoric in history, the inventio, the ethnographic digressions and the commonplaces - using for this purpose, instructions given by ancient rhetorical manuals. The definition of commonplace, a key concept for the analysis was taken from Cicero’s manual, On Invention. Moreover, these characterizations were understood as representations, following the theory proposed by the historian Franklin Rudolf Ankersmit, who defines a representation as a three places operation.

The prologue studies the Tory publication of Milton's Character of the Long Parliament (1681). It argues that the provenance of this tract is best explained if Milton did in fact attempt to include the Digression in his History of Britain. Further ambiguities in Milton's early reputation are discussed in a review of the History's reception. Chapter I surveys Milton's response to the long­ standing demand for a national history and briefly reconsiders his ideas on history and historiography. Chapter II proposes that his political sympathies led Milton to look to the British legends for his historical subject. The strong Protestant and Tudor associations of such native myth have been largely overlooked, and yet they bear strongly on Milton's proposals for a British historical poem. His reappraisal of the myths in the History indicates his disillusionment with his original historical project: and reflects his changing opinion of the national character. Chapter III charts Milton's response to the legends surrounding Lucius, Constantine and the early British church, and traces conflicts between his need to deny church history and his desire to rewrite it. It then turns to his curiously muted views on the Saxon church. Chapter IV compares the use of Gildas's De Excidio in the History with Milton's relative silence on Arthur. Milton's regard for this ancient British jeremiad recalls that of the Reformers and suggests the instability of his commitment to purely classical styles of historiography in his time. Chapter V surveys the conflicting ideological and religious pressures on the history of the Saxons and the Conquest and compares Milton's shifting response to these in his political tracts with his views in the History. The Epilogue returns to Milton's view of the national character, with special reference to the Digression. Presenting his references to climate theory in a wider context, it argues that in moving from a loosely predestinarian position to a belief in free will, Milton first sought some determining natural force to explain England's conduct through the ages.

As chamadas teorias pós-coloniais iniciaram, na década de 1980, uma revisão histórica que levou ao resgate da história de povos conquistados e ao questionamento de teorias estabelecidas, como é o caso da teoria de aculturação. A arqueologia, influenciada pelas revisões pós-coloniais, começou a reformular a história do Império Romano e das províncias a ele incorporadas, entre elas, e de especial interesse no presente trabalho, as províncias estabelecidas em territórios “celtas” e no norte da Grã-Bretanha. Além de questionamentos sobre a teoria de romanização, arqueólogos como Simon James constataram que estas populações possuíam culturas de base local, mostrando que os inúmeros povos rotulados como “celtas” pertenciam a tradições múltiplas e autônomas. No entanto, a cultura popular e inclusive alguns acadêmicos divulgam uma imagem consistente de uma “civilização celta”, habitante de regiões que iam da Espanha aos Balcãs e do norte da Itália às Ilhas Britânicas, para a qual eram as similaridades e não as diferenças que importavam. Mesmo tendo permanecido por muito tempo como um povo à parte, desde a década de 1950, os pictos (ou bretões do norte) também têm sido incluídos nesta grande civilização. Porém, embora autores gregos e romanos colocassem um grande número de povos continentais antigos sob um único rótulo – celtas -, o mesmo não é verdade com relação aos antigos habitantes das ilhas britânicas: para estes, os autores utilizavam o nome bretões, diferenciando-os dos bárbaros continentais. Ainda assim, iniciada no século XVII, a construção da história de uma civilização celta, à qual os bretões (habitantes da província romana, em um primeiro momento, e, mais tardiamente, também os bretões do norte) foram incluídos, encontra suporte nos autores clássicos: a similaridade das caracterizações de celtas, gálatas ou gauleses com as dos bretões é notável. De acordo com David Rankin, a cristalização da imagem destes bárbaros deve-se, em grande medida, ao sistema de educação retórico, o qual punha considerável ênfase no aprendizado de lugares-comuns. Seguindo o raciocínio de Rankin, o presente trabalho se propõe a analisar as descrições sobre o modo de fazer guerra de bretões do norte, comparando-as com aquelas dos povos chamados de celtas do continente europeu. Esta comparação se dá ainda à luz das considerações sobre o papel da influência da retórica na história, a inventio, as digressões etnográficas e os lugares-comuns – utilizando para esse fim, as indicações de antigos manuais retóricos. A definição de lugar-comum, um conceito chave para a análise, foi extraída do manual Da Invenção, de Cícero. Além disso, essas caracterizações foram entendidas como representações, seguindo a teoria proposta pelo historiador Franklin Rudolf Ankersmit que define uma representação enquanto uma operação de três lugares. / The so-called postcolonial theories began a historical review, in the 1980s, which led to the rescue of the history of conquered peoples and to the questioning of established theories, such as the acculturation theory. Archaeology, influenced by postcolonial reviews, began to reformulate the history of the Roman Empire and of the provinces the Empire had incorporated. Among these provinces, and of particular interest in this study, the ones established in “Celtic” territories and in North Britain. In addition to questions about the Romanization theory, archaeologists as Simon James found that these people had locally based cultures, showing that countless people labeled as “Celtic” belonged to multiple and autonomous traditions. However, popular culture and even some academics disseminated a consistent image of a “Celtic civilization”, inhabitant of areas ranging from Spain to the Balkans and from Northern Italy to the British Isles, to which were the similarities, and not the differences, that mattered. Even having stayed long as a people apart, since the 1950s, the Picts (or North Britons) have also been included in this great civilization. But, although Greek and Roman authors placed a large number of ancient continental peoples under a single label - Celtic - the same is not true for the former inhabitants of the British Isles: for these, the authors used the name Britons, differentiating them from the continental barbarians. Still, started in the seventeenth century, the construction of the history of a Celtic civilization, in which the Britons (the inhabitants of the Roman province, first, and later also the Britons of the North) were included, is supported by the classic authors: the similarity between the the characterization of the Celts, Galatians or Gauls with that of the Britons is remarkable. Still, started in the seventeenth century, the construction of the history of a Celtic civilization, in which the Britons (inhabitants of the Roman province, at first, and later also the Britons of the North) were included, is supported by the classic authors: the similarity between the characterization of the Celts, Galatians or Gauls with that of the Britons is remarkable. According to David Rankin, the crystallization of the image of these “barbarians” is due largely to the rhetorical education system, which put considerable emphasis on commonplaces learning. Following Rankin’s argument, this study aims to analyze the descriptions about the North Britons’ way of making war, comparing it with that of the so-called Celtic people of Europe. This comparison is done with the support of considerations about the role of the influence of rhetoric in history, the inventio, the ethnographic digressions and the commonplaces - using for this purpose, instructions given by ancient rhetorical manuals. The definition of commonplace, a key concept for the analysis was taken from Cicero’s manual, On Invention. Moreover, these characterizations were understood as representations, following the theory proposed by the historian Franklin Rudolf Ankersmit, who defines a representation as a three places operation.

[pt] O olhar de um escritor latino sobre um dos inúmeros povos que habitavam o território do Império Romano. Palavras que viajam através do tempo e que contribuem para construir representações sobre os povos que ficaram conhecidos como Celtas. A construção de uma narrativa que diz o Outro, mas que ao mesmo tempo fala sobre Si-mesmo, apresentando um jogo de fronteiras identitárias. Nesta dissertação propomos uma análise minuciosa dos textos de Tácito, onde o autor narra e apresenta seu parecer sobre os Brigantes. Povo que tem a sua história relacionada diretamente com a dos Romanos, na medida que integrava a Província romana da Britânia. O objetivo central deste trabalho é compreender os usos que Tácito faz do passado ao escrever sobre os Brigantes. / [en] A Latin writer s view on one of the countless people who inhabited the Roman Empire territory. Words that travel through time and contribute to the construction of representations of the people that became known as Celts. The construction of a narrative that speaks about Another, but at the same time talks about One Self, presenting a game of identity borders. In this dissertation we bring the proposition of a detailed analysis of Tacitus s texts, where the author narrates and presents his opinion about the Brigantes. This People who has it s history directly related to the Romans, as it integrated the Roman Province of Britannia. The main goal of this research is to seek to understand the ways that Tacitus uses the past when he writes about the Brigantes.

As chamadas teorias pós-coloniais iniciaram, na década de 1980, uma revisão histórica que levou ao resgate da história de povos conquistados e ao questionamento de teorias estabelecidas, como é o caso da teoria de aculturação. A arqueologia, influenciada pelas revisões pós-coloniais, começou a reformular a história do Império Romano e das províncias a ele incorporadas, entre elas, e de especial interesse no presente trabalho, as províncias estabelecidas em territórios “celtas” e no norte da Grã-Bretanha. Além de questionamentos sobre a teoria de romanização, arqueólogos como Simon James constataram que estas populações possuíam culturas de base local, mostrando que os inúmeros povos rotulados como “celtas” pertenciam a tradições múltiplas e autônomas. No entanto, a cultura popular e inclusive alguns acadêmicos divulgam uma imagem consistente de uma “civilização celta”, habitante de regiões que iam da Espanha aos Balcãs e do norte da Itália às Ilhas Britânicas, para a qual eram as similaridades e não as diferenças que importavam. Mesmo tendo permanecido por muito tempo como um povo à parte, desde a década de 1950, os pictos (ou bretões do norte) também têm sido incluídos nesta grande civilização. Porém, embora autores gregos e romanos colocassem um grande número de povos continentais antigos sob um único rótulo – celtas -, o mesmo não é verdade com relação aos antigos habitantes das ilhas britânicas: para estes, os autores utilizavam o nome bretões, diferenciando-os dos bárbaros continentais. Ainda assim, iniciada no século XVII, a construção da história de uma civilização celta, à qual os bretões (habitantes da província romana, em um primeiro momento, e, mais tardiamente, também os bretões do norte) foram incluídos, encontra suporte nos autores clássicos: a similaridade das caracterizações de celtas, gálatas ou gauleses com as dos bretões é notável. De acordo com David Rankin, a cristalização da imagem destes bárbaros deve-se, em grande medida, ao sistema de educação retórico, o qual punha considerável ênfase no aprendizado de lugares-comuns. Seguindo o raciocínio de Rankin, o presente trabalho se propõe a analisar as descrições sobre o modo de fazer guerra de bretões do norte, comparando-as com aquelas dos povos chamados de celtas do continente europeu. Esta comparação se dá ainda à luz das considerações sobre o papel da influência da retórica na história, a inventio, as digressões etnográficas e os lugares-comuns – utilizando para esse fim, as indicações de antigos manuais retóricos. A definição de lugar-comum, um conceito chave para a análise, foi extraída do manual Da Invenção, de Cícero. Além disso, essas caracterizações foram entendidas como representações, seguindo a teoria proposta pelo historiador Franklin Rudolf Ankersmit que define uma representação enquanto uma operação de três lugares. / The so-called postcolonial theories began a historical review, in the 1980s, which led to the rescue of the history of conquered peoples and to the questioning of established theories, such as the acculturation theory. Archaeology, influenced by postcolonial reviews, began to reformulate the history of the Roman Empire and of the provinces the Empire had incorporated. Among these provinces, and of particular interest in this study, the ones established in “Celtic” territories and in North Britain. In addition to questions about the Romanization theory, archaeologists as Simon James found that these people had locally based cultures, showing that countless people labeled as “Celtic” belonged to multiple and autonomous traditions. However, popular culture and even some academics disseminated a consistent image of a “Celtic civilization”, inhabitant of areas ranging from Spain to the Balkans and from Northern Italy to the British Isles, to which were the similarities, and not the differences, that mattered. Even having stayed long as a people apart, since the 1950s, the Picts (or North Britons) have also been included in this great civilization. But, although Greek and Roman authors placed a large number of ancient continental peoples under a single label - Celtic - the same is not true for the former inhabitants of the British Isles: for these, the authors used the name Britons, differentiating them from the continental barbarians. Still, started in the seventeenth century, the construction of the history of a Celtic civilization, in which the Britons (the inhabitants of the Roman province, first, and later also the Britons of the North) were included, is supported by the classic authors: the similarity between the the characterization of the Celts, Galatians or Gauls with that of the Britons is remarkable. Still, started in the seventeenth century, the construction of the history of a Celtic civilization, in which the Britons (inhabitants of the Roman province, at first, and later also the Britons of the North) were included, is supported by the classic authors: the similarity between the characterization of the Celts, Galatians or Gauls with that of the Britons is remarkable. According to David Rankin, the crystallization of the image of these “barbarians” is due largely to the rhetorical education system, which put considerable emphasis on commonplaces learning. Following Rankin’s argument, this study aims to analyze the descriptions about the North Britons’ way of making war, comparing it with that of the so-called Celtic people of Europe. This comparison is done with the support of considerations about the role of the influence of rhetoric in history, the inventio, the ethnographic digressions and the commonplaces - using for this purpose, instructions given by ancient rhetorical manuals. The definition of commonplace, a key concept for the analysis was taken from Cicero’s manual, On Invention. Moreover, these characterizations were understood as representations, following the theory proposed by the historian Franklin Rudolf Ankersmit, who defines a representation as a three places operation.

This study examines the interaction between religious and national affiliations within a Dissenting denomination. Linda Colley and Jonathan Clark argue that religion provided the unifying foundation of national identity. Colley portrays a Protestant British identity defined in opposition to Catholic France. Clark favors an English identity, based upon an Anglican intellectual hegemony, against which only the heterodox could effectively offer criticism. Studying the Baptists helps test those two approaches. Although Methodists and Baptists shared evangelical concerns, the Methodists remained within the Church of England. Though Baptists often held political views similar to the Unitarians, they retained their orthodoxy. Thus, the Baptists present an opportunity to explore the position of orthodox Dissenters within the nation. The Baptists separated their religious and national identities. An individual could be both a Christian and a Briton, but one attachment did not imply the other. If the two conflicted, religion took precedent. An examination of individual ministers, specifically William Winterbotham, Robert Hall, Mark Wilks, Joseph Kinghorn, and David Kinghorn, reveals a range of Baptist views from harsh criticism of to support for the government. It also shows Baptist disagreement on whether faith should encourage political involvement and on the value of the French Revolution. Baptists did not rely on religion as the source of their political opinions. They tended to embrace a concept of natural rights, and their national identity stemmed largely from the English constitutional heritage. Within that context, Baptists desired full citizenship in the nation. They called for the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts and the reform of Parliament. Because of their criticism of church and state, Baptists demonstrate the diversity within British Protestantism. For the most part, religion did not contribute to their national identity. In fact, it helped distinguish them from other Britons. Baptist evangelicalism reinforced that separate identity, as the nation did not outweigh spiritual concerns. The church and state establishment perceived the Baptists as a threat to social order, but Baptists advocated reform, not revolution. They remained both faithful Baptists and loyal Britons.

Existing studies of popular culture and popular politics in the long eighteenth century over-favour either the ‘culture’ or the ‘politics’. This thesis contributes to debates on the making of both national and class identity in Britain via intensive analysis of popular song culture, in the context of the Napoleonic Wars. Portrayals of Napoleon himself are used to shape the thesis’ source material and the forms of discussion. It argues for the necessity of sympathetic, informed contextualisation of political issues within contemporary cultural processes: that an understanding of the composition/production and performance/ consumption of song is a prerequisite of determining songs’ relevance and reception. In so doing, it uncovers a nuanced array of attitudes towards both Napoleon and British patriotism, of unsuspected breadth, assertiveness, and idiosyncrasy. The thesis is divided into two stages of argument. Part I consists of a close and contextualised reading of songs as literary and musical objects. Chapter One, after close historiographical engagement that moves to a focus on Colley’s Britons and revisionist arguments about British society, discusses those songs originating after Waterloo. Chapter Two considers songs from 1797-1805. Chapter Three considers songs from 1806-15. Part II builds upon the themes and conclusions of Part I by situating these songs within a lived context. Chapter Four looks at the role of songwriters and printers; Chapter Five at singers; Chapter Six at audiences and reception. Chapter Seven elaborates the overall argument in a synoptic case study of Newcastle. The conclusion is followed by an appendix, listing the songs most pertinent to the thesis, giving additional bibliographical information. A hard copy (USB) of recordings of a representative selection of these songs is also included. These appendices reinforce the thesis’ methodology: to consider songs, not as passive evidence of expression, but as active, dynamic objects.

This thesis offers an interdisciplinary approach to the period between c. AD 400 and 650 in the Lincoln region, considering in depth not only the archaeological evidence, but also the historical, literary and linguistic. It is argued that by using all of this material together, significant advances can be made in our understanding of what occurred in these centuries, most especially with regard to Anglian-British interaction in this period. It is contended that this evidence, when taken together, requires that a British polity named *Lindēs was based at Lincoln into the sixth century, and that the seventh-century Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Lindsey (Old English Lindissi < Late British *Lindēs-) had an intimate connection to this British political unit. In addition to investigating the evidence for Anglian-British interaction in this region and the potential legacies of British *Lindēs, this thesis also provides a detailed analysis of the nature of the Anglo-Saxon population-groups that were present in the Lincoln region from the mid-fifth century onwards, including those of *Lindēs-Lindissi and also more southerly groups, such as the Spalde/Spaldingas. The picture which emerges is arguably not simply of importance from the perspective of the history of the Lincoln region but also nationally, helping to answer key questions regarding the origins of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, the nature and extent of Anglian-British interaction in the core areas of Anglo-Saxon immigration, and the conquest and settlement of Northumbria.

Despite a close geographical position to the Czech Republic, there are vast differences between the Czech and British cultures. Commonly after arriving in Britain, many Czech nationals experience a cultural shock and do not understand the behaviour of the British people. The same can be said about Britons arriving in the Czech Republic. This makes it important to understand the cultural differences to help both nationals interact successfully with one another. This Master thesis focuses on cultural standards, a concept made by Alexander Thomas. Therefore, this report aims to define the Czech-British and British-Czech cultural standards, whilst comparing them with the theory and then to apply them in a cultural-historic framework. This report will hypothesise that the defined cultural standards do not differ from the standards analysed within the book by Karel Čapek. Other hypothesis of this thesis is: Many Britons see Czech people as over-caring and anxious. In conclusion to this report, the author will provide recommendations to both Czech nationals travelling to Great Britain and also the same for British descendants arriving within the Czech Republic.