This thesis describes the Bohemian coronation of Francis II, which took place in 1792. It examines it in the context of other coronations, which Francis undertook in the same year, and compares it with the coronation of his father Leopold II. A description of the coronation ceremony of Francis' wife Maria Theresa is also included. This thesis documents not only the act of coronation itself but also the whole process of preparation and accompanying festivities. Attention is also paid to the concept of "folk" and the folk celebration that took place in Bubeneč. Keywords Francis II - coronation - celebration in Bubeneč - Maria Theresa

François de Lorraine, duc de Guise, fut l’un des principaux acteurs politiques du royaume de France de 1547 à sa mort en 1563. Célèbre, il n’a pourtant pas fait l’objet d’une étude historique approfondie alors que les matériaux sont nombreux pour retracer son parcours. Plus qu’une biographie traditionnelle, le doctorat a eu pour visée d’articuler la problématique de l’identité aristocratique et la question de l’engagement d’un homme qui se pensait entre Dieu et le Roi. Prince de la Renaissance, François de Lorraine construisit son rôle en se fondant d’une part sur l’intégration d’un riche capital identitaire en grande partie constitué de la geste de son lignage lorrain, et d’autre part sur la force qu’il tirait de la maison de Guise, en particulier grâce à l’association étroite de son frère Charles, cardinal de Lorraine. Le duc poursuivit sa quête de salut divin et de reconnaissance sociale dans deux contextes très différents qui déterminèrent des oscillations dans son jeu d’acteur. Le premier est celui du règne d’Henri II (1547-1559), durant lequel il s’imagina être le bras armé du Roi Très-Chrétien en vue d’établir une monarchie universelle. Le second (1559-1563) fut marqué par la crise profonde et multiforme du royaume de France : le duc aspira à être alors le défenseur des catholiques face au calvinisme qu’il associa à une hérésie et contre lequel il assuma d’être tel un nouvel envoyé de Dieu aux côtés des jeunes rois François II puis Charles IX. / François de Lorraine, duc de Guise, was one of France’s most influential politicians from 1547 to 1563, at the time of his death. Although a potent figure, he hasn’t been the subject of any serious historical study. Yet, historical sources are numerous. This thesis is much more than a traditional biography : it aims at questioning the identity of De Guise as an aristocrat and his commitment as a man who figured himself as standing between God and his king.Prince of the Renaissance, François de Lorraine built up his influence by relying on both his heritage and identity as a member of the Lorraine family and his power derived from the de Guise family and his close association with his brother Charles, the Bishop of Lorraine. The duke undertook his quest for divine salvation and political recognition in two different historical contexts which determined and influenced his actions. First, under the reign of Henry II (1547-1559), he acted as the Christian king’s executioner with the view to establishing a universal monarchy.Then, between 1559 and 1563, when the kingdom of France suffered from crises which were deep and manifold, the duke posed as the protector of the Catholics against Calvinism which he considered as heresy. He resisted it by assuming the role of a protector sent by God to assist the two young kings, François II and Charles IX.

This thesis is a study of royal acts printed in French before 1601. The kingdom of France is a natural place to begin a study of royal acts. It possessed one of the oldest judicial systems in Europe, which had been established during the reign of St Louis (1226-1270). By the sixteenth century, French kings were able to issue royal acts without any concern as to the distribution of their decrees. In addition, France was one of the leading printing centres in Europe. This research provides the first detailed analysis of this neglected category of texts, and examines the acts’ significance in French legal, political and printing culture. The analysis of royal acts reveals three key historical practices regarding the role of printing in judiciary matters and public affairs. The first is how the French crown communicated to the public. Chapters one and two discuss the royal process of dissemination of edicts and the language of royal acts. The second is how printers and publishers manoeuvred between the large number of royal promulgations and public demand. An overview of the printing industry of royal acts is provided in chapter three and the printers of these official documents are covered in chapter four. The study of royal acts also indicates which edicts were published frequently. The last two chapters examine the content of royal decrees and discuss the most reprinted acts. Chapter five explores the period before 1561 and the final chapter discusses the last forty years of the century. An appendix of all royal acts printed before 1601, which is the basis of my research for this study, is included. It is the first comprehensive catalogue of its kind and contains nearly six thousand entries of surviving royal acts printed before 1601.

Cette thèse étudie les modalités et les conséquences politiques de la crise qui ébranle l’autorité royale française durant le très court règne du jeune François II et fait basculer le royaume dans le temps des troubles de religion. Dans le contexte de la fin des guerres d’Italie et après la tragique mort d’Henri II, l’avènement d’un roi âgé de quinze ans refusant le pouvoir qui lui revient, déclenche une contestation politique inédite dans la France du XVIe siècle. La situation s’envenime d’autant plus pour l’autorité monarchique que le gouvernement royal, conduit par les Guise, oncles du roi, répond par une sévère répression antihérétique au succès de la Réforme protestante. En mars 1560, la conjuration manquée d’Amboise révèle au pouvoir l’ampleur et l’imbrication de ces mécontentements à la fois politiques que religieux. À la faveur d’acteurs aussi essentiels pour la France du XVIe siècle que Catherine de Médicis, le cardinal de Lorraine ou Michel de l’Hospital, un processus d’inflexion politique majeure s’initie alors : le pouvoir opte pour une modération religieuse et une politique d’apaisement qu’il s’efforce d’ajuster à la « nécessité des temps » autant qu’à l’accélération des élans catholiques et protestants. Si le règne de François II ouvre le temps des troubles civils, il ouvre donc aussi celui des tentatives et des expérimentations politiques dont les édits des guerres de Religion seront les héritiers. Appuyé sur une fine analyse de l’enchaînement événementiel, le présent travail s’efforce de révéler la complexité de ce règne « à la croisée des temps » autant que son caractère décisif pour la réflexion politique du second XVIe siècle français. / This thesis focuses on the processes and political consequences of the crisis which destabilizes the French royal authority during the short-lived reign of young Francis II and propels the kingdom into the French troubles of religion. In the wake of the Italian Wars and the tragic death of Henry II, the accession of a fifteen-year-old king who refuses the power that is handed down to him entails a political contestation that is unprecedented in sixteenth-century France. The situation further deteriorates for the monarchical authority since the royal government led by the King’s uncles, the Guises, responds to the successful Protestant Reformation with severe repressive measures against heretics. In March 1560, the failed Amboise conspiracy reveals to the royal authority the extent and interconnectedness of the political and religious discontents. Thanks to figures of paramount importance to sixteenth-century France, such as Catherine de’ Medici, the Cardinal of Lorraine or Michel de l’Hospital, a process of major political reorientation is then initiated : the royal authority opts for religious moderation and an appeasement policy it tries to adapt to both the “necessities of times” and the increasing Catholic and Protestant momentums. Though the reign of Francis II opens the era of civil wars, it also opens that of political trials and experimentations which will eventually bring about the Wars of Religion edicts. This work is based on a detailed analysis of the chain of events, and endeavours to reveal the complexity of a reign “at the crossroads of times” as well as its determining role in the political reflection of the second half of the sixteenth century in France.