Robin Briggs--Historian

In June 2009 a group of present and past students and colleagues of Robin Briggs gathered in Oxford for a conference to celebrate his contribution to early modern history. A series of papers paid tribute, in their diversity of themes and historical approaches, to the range and distinctiveness of Robin Briggs’ historical interests and his influence on a large community of scholars. A selection of these papers are published in this issue of French History, representing a range of topics that are at the centre of Robin’s interests and publications, and which all explore aspects of the history of early modern France and the duchy of Lorraine, the latter having been for more than thirty years the focus of Robin’s interest in witchcraft and its persecution. Other articles presented here explore demonology and witchcraft treatises, the cultural and religious politics of mid-seventeenth-century revolt, the overlapping territories of military history and political geography, and a study of social tensions and regulation seen through cases of women’s slander and defamation brought before the Huguenot Convocation of Nîmes. It seemed appropriate to preface these articles with a short introduction, discussing Robin’s publications and their contribution to the way we understand and approach many aspects of early modern history. We have divided this discussion between three of us who have, in different areas of our historical research, each been influenced by and owe much to Robin’s publications, approaches to historical problems and particular historical insights. The first section will consider Robin’s engagement with broadly political and cultural themes; it will then discuss his work that touches on religion and society, and finally the publications on witchcraft and demonology.

Demonology · Genealogy · Media studies · Optimal distinctiveness theory · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Anthropology · Classics · History · History, Culture, and Diplomacy · Law