On the desire to be capital: urban descriptions of the Iberian cities in times of absent monarch (16th and 17th centuries)
Iberic Modern Age, Capitals Studies, Written ulture, Lisbon, Madrid, Urban Descriptions.
This the sishas analized the Urban Descriptions made in Lisbon and Madrid in the XVI and XVII centuries unde rthe New Political History perspectives. This text format was most expressive during the period in which those cities did not have the Royal presence: Lisbon, dueto it’s incorporation by the Hispanic Monarchy (1580-1640); and Madrid, when King Philip III moved to Valladolid (1601-1606). The author soft hose texts used the formatto lament there galab sence, and also did so to elaborate on reasons to convince the monarchs to choose the respective cities as the definitive headquarters for the royalcourt, and for the capital. The objective of the thesisisto better understand how those authors represented the roles of those cities in the times in which they ceased being the regal courtand bureaucratic center. Also, how they participated in the formation of anurbanidentityand in the process of selecting the capital. This process revealedit self unusual in the iberic cities because the period in which the monarch was absent would have been essential if they were to be recognized as capital. This was used to rethink the relation ship that was built between the king and the capital. It is hoped by this the sistostimulate historians to seek a common history of Portugal and Spain, less ening the focus given by historiography in separating the iberic countries.