2024 Conference: “Challenging Power”

Conference Programme

Dr Paul Cavill (Pembroke): ‘The 1549 “Rebellion” in Cambridgeshire’

Dr Cavill described the 1549 Rebellion as the biggest and broadest set of uprisings in Tudor England and this lecture focused on the events and impact on Cambridge and Cambridgeshire. The traditional version about the uprisings of 1549 is that there were two rebellions: the first, the Western Rebellion, in Devon and Cornwall, motivated by opposition to the new Book of Common Prayer and secondly, Kett’s Rebellion focused on Norfolk and Suffolk, which was motivated by criticism of landlords especially over enclosures, but it was sympathetic to the regime’s new religious policies. This view has proved very successful for examinations over the years, but is not actually a true picture of what happened. The reasons can be found here.

Dr Fernanda Gallo (Homerton): ‘Reconfiguring the State in Nineteenth-Century Italy’

For our second lecture, Dr Fernanda Gallo spoke on the topic of conceptions of a state in nineteenth-century Italy. Her expansive synthesis explored how revolutions, wars of independence, revolts, international agreements, political pamphlets and music all played a role in the transformation of different political regimes into to a modern state. The lecture explored some of the different myths which underpinned the Risorgimento-the myth of Rome and the myth of Dante.

Dr Bobby Lee (Selwyn): ‘Indigenous Challenges to State Power in Nineteenth-Century North America’

Our final lecture from Dr Bobby Lee explored the theme of resistance to colonialism and state power through the specific example of the rise of the Comanche and the growing influence they exerted in the mid-nineteenth century. The lecture highlighted the increase in Comanche power in the wake of Spanish colonisation and increasing influence in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  Central to this empowerment, was the turn to horse culture. Although Comanche horsemanship was presented as seemingly timeless image, for example in paintings of George Catlin, it was a new development;  the Comanche had no equestrian background, originally hunting Buffalo on foot with dogs in the early 16th century before migrating towards New Mexico. The adoption of an equestrian culture enabled them travel further, both for trade and warfare. Dr Lee examined the impact of this development which enabled the Comanche to shape interactions with states on their borders.

The three talks were followed by a Forum discussion with all the speakers.

Topics explored ranged from preconditions in the challenge of power to the significance of the role of individuals. There was much fruitful discussion of what constituted success in the challenge of power and in the utility of such questions.

Interested in History at University?

After the lunch Dr David Smith led a tour of Selwyn College and the History Faculty, located nearby on West Road, for any students who were considering studying History at university. This was for anyone thinking of a History degree course anywhere. There will be another opportunity for this in March 2025.