12–14 October 2023

XIth Arenberg Conference for History: Blood and Virtue. Nobility of Blood and Nobilities of soul in the Middle Ages - The existence, in the Middle Ages, of a social category with a high situation because of its birth is commonplace. As early as the 7th century, Isidore of Seville played on notus (adjectivized past participle of gnosco, “know”) and its derivatives notabilis and nobilis, and defined the noble as “Someone whose name and family are known”. However, while this quality is inherited, the social pre-eminence of the nobility is also justified by the outstanding qualities and virtues of its members.

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Conferences & seminars Arenberg Conference for History