THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBLIC CEREMONIAL RITUALS IN THE PROCESS OF MONARCHS’ POWER SACRALIZATION IN THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE EARLY MODERN PERIOD IN THE RESEARCHES OF BRITISH AND AMERICAN HISTORIANS OF THE LATE 20TH – EARLY 21ST CENTURIES

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the royal public ceremonies in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period considered in the papers of British and American historians of the late 20th – early 21st centuries. The author analyses the ceremonial trips of French and British Monarchs, matrimonial ceremonies and the procedure of farewell with dead rulers in England and France. The scientists‘ views on the rituals are studied, their approaches to analysing the key elements of the ceremonies and their general interpretation of these public events are evaluated. The author marks the principal features of ceremonial processions from the point of view of the represented specialists and their significance for the power presentation and its sacralization. Research revealed that ceremonial events with participation of a monarch were one of main ways to establish a connection between a monarch and their homagers. The author marks the researchers addressing to the concept of social dialogue as a way to form the sacral image of power.