Taisei Yamashita: Reconstructing Courtly Networks

Johann Joseph Khevenhüller was a high-ranking nobleman at the Viennese court under Maria Theresia and the author of an extensive diary. Maintained from 1742 until his death in 1776, this diary has been published in eight volumes and is considered one of the most valuable sources for the era of Maria Theresia. Despite its significance, scholarly interest in Khevenhüller himself and in a systematic analysis of his diary has remained limited. This may be due, on the one hand, to the rejection of his anti-Enlightenment views in the 19th century and, on the other hand, to the diary’s sheer length—approximately 645,000 words—which poses considerable challenges for comprehensive analysis.

This presentation explores both Khevenhüller and his diary in an effort to reconstruct court life under Maria Theresia. The current project focuses on analyzing the social networks reflected in the diary. Particular attention is given to the system of court quarters (“Hofquartierwesen”) and to the spatial dimensions of these networks. The seminar will present previous research as well as the current methodological approach.

Taisei Yamashita is Visiting Researcher at Institute of Austrian Historical Research (University of Vienna), and a graduate of School of Humanities and Faculty of Letters (Kobe University).