The following research records the functionality of collections of wealthy individuals in an effort to clarify the current system of collection categorization. Although many functions were indeed possible, this research will be restricted to the discussion of collections in which objects reveal the collector’s devotional, social, and intellectual curiosity. These classifications reflect the most prevalent themes initiated by my research on collections of royal and affluent collectors during the Early Modern Period, and as such are the three most rational means of discussing collections as functional, working, tools.

The following research records the functionality of collections of wealthy individuals in an effort to clarify the current system of collection categorization. Although many functions were indeed possible, this research will be restricted to the discussion of collections in which objects reveal the collector’s devotional, social, and intellectual curiosity. These classifications reflect the most prevalent themes initiated by my research on collections of royal and affluent collectors during the Early Modern Period, and as such are the three most rational means of discussing collections as functional, working, tools.

Dans cette thèse, il s'agit d'observer les logiques de fonctionnement de la monarchie polycentrique des Habsbourg à travers l'exposition d'une étude de cas centrée sur Gênes. En 1528, emportée dans le giron du condotierri génois Andrea Doria, la seigneurerie de Gênes s'était affranchie de la domination du roi de France et avait intégré le système impérial des Habsbourg en tant que république indépendante et alliée. L'entretien du système politique, militaire et financier hispano-génois dut beaucoup aux liens entre les maisons Habsbourg et Doria. Si la figure d'Andrea Doria a été mise en valeur par une importante production historiographique, son petit neveu Giovanni Andre - qui fut pourtant capitaine général de la mer entre 1584 et 1602 - n'a pas encore été l'objet d'études abouties. Par l'observation de sa trajectoire individuelle, l'objectif est de créer un outil permettant de questionner le rôle et la figure de l'entrepreneur de la guerre dans la politique impérialiste des Habsbourg. En croisant les perspectives empiriques et micro-analytiques et en redimensionnant les échelles analytiques, l'enjeu est de comprendre la stratégie du roi qui consistait à confier des parcelles de pouvoir politique à des particuliers et d'observer comment certains génois en tiraient profit. Enfin, il s'agit de mesurer les conséquences que ce modus operandi eut sur la politique guerrière des Habsbourg en Méditerranée. Par ces questionnements, c'est l'incidence de l'intérêt privé dans la construction de la monarchie polycentrique qui est soulevé. / In this thesis, we study the articulation of the polycentric monarchy of the Habsburgs through the exposure of a case study centered on Genoa. In 1528, trained in the lap of the genoese condotierri Andrea Doria, Genoa was freed from the domination on the king of France and had integrated the Habsburg imperial system, as an independent and allied republic. The Hispano-Genoese political military and financial system owed much to the links between the Habsburg and Doria houses. If Andrea Doria was highlighted by an important historiographical production, his little nephew Giovanni Andrea, - who was admiral for the Spanish between 1584 and 1602 - has not yet been the object of completed studies. By observing his individual trajectory, the objective is to create a tool to question the role of the figure of the war contractor in the Habsburg imperialist policy. By crossing the empirical and micro-analytical perspectives, and resizing the analytical scales, the challenge is to understand the king's strategy of entrusting parcels of political power to individuals and to observe how Genoese took advantage of it. Finally, it is a question of measuring the consequences that this modus operandi had on the Habsburg war policy in the Mediterranean area. Through these questions it is the impact of the private interest in the construction of the polycentric monarchy that is raised.

Au moyen âge et au début de l’époque moderne, un groupe de personnes se présentait comme les serviteurs de toute la noblesse : les hérauts. Ces personnages en apparence inférieurs se trouvaient investis de fonctions importantes pour l’identité des nobles et du prince. À la Renaissance, malgré un déclin certain cet office continua à exister et à servir princes et nobles dans un contexte d’évolution importantes. Auprès des Habsbourg, ils participèrent notamment aux guerres de Charles Quint, à la sédentarisation et à l’hispanisation de la cour sous Philippe II et à la révolte des Pays-Bas. A travers eux, c’est l’histoire du principat des premiers grands Habsbourg et de leur noblesse que l’on peut deviner. / During the middle-ages and the early modern period, a group of person was claiming to be the servants of the whole noble order. They were the heralds. Several important functions related with the identity of the prince and his nobility were associated with these apparently inferior persons. During the Renaissance, in spite of a manner of decline, this officeremained in existence and continued to serve both princes and nobles. The evolutions of these two traditionnal groups were nonetheless important. At the court of the Hapsburg, the heralds took part in particular in the wars of Charles V, in the sedentarisation an hispanisation of the court of Philip II and in the Dutch revolt. Through these persons, the history of the reign of the two first Hapsburg reveals itself.