Handlungsstrukturen

Structures of action – The estates of Thurn und Taxis on the threshold of the 19th century under Prince Maximilian Karl

• Doll, Eva-Carolina
• Wilhelm Imkamp/Peter Styra (Ed.): Thurn und Taxis Studies – New Series, Volume 8
• Verlag Friedrich Pustet, Regensburg 2017
• Length: 248 p., hard cover

Portrait of the author: Eva-Carolina Doll, Dr. phil., studied History and German; she taught modern history and is a member of staff at the Academy for Innovative Education and Management Heilbronn-Franken.

The 19th century is a period of sweeping change. The traditional rulers, the old and the known, were challenged repeatedly, shifting the balance of power. Affecting all classes, this process had a significant effect on the Princely houses, which sought to solidify their place and position on this ‘epochal threshold’. The year 1806 in particular brought profound changes, as mediatisation effectively lowered the status of the aristocratic families. Weaving the strands into a cohesive narrative, the book uses various examples to illustrate how the Thurn und Taxis family succeeded in asserting their place and position during this period of upheaval.