The population of Pleszew in the years 1751–1793 in the light of birth certificate registers

The text is an attempt at analysing the natural movement of Pleszew’s population in 1751–1793. The research has been based on birth certificate registers as well as city records from the time in question which provide collective information on the demographic phenomena at work.

The theatre of and for the nuns (Naples, 18th century)

Recent studies have focused on the musical environment and the theatre in female monasteries of many Italian cities between the 16th and 18th centuries. These art forms became famous as forms of entertainment in travel literature and in the chronicles of the time but were forbidden in the age of the Counter-Reformation. However, the theatrical performances, both in prose and in music, enjoyed enormous success and spread in male and female monasteries. As of the 17th century, if not even earlier, travellers from half of Europe arrived in Naples, attracted by the excellence of the musical and theatrical performances that they could enjoy in the monasteries of the city. This essay aims to reconstruct the times, the modalities, and the contents of the theatrical offerings in the female monasteries of Naples at the beginning of the 18th century, all of which are still unknown today. In particular, the case of the Franciscan monastery of St Chiara will be examined. Through the patronage of Queen Maria Amalia, musical and theatrical performances played an active leading role in the configuration of a specific theatrical type and taste and increased the education of the nuns and young women who were educated in the monastery, representing and legitimising new feelings and sensibilities. The religious women found a way to talk of their feelings and concerns together; they forged relationships even with the environments outside of the monastery and especially with the Queen’s court and with the courts of the aristocratic palaces of their families of origin.

The paths of good and evil in the 18th-century painting of the New Spain

The Catholic Church propagated the idea of the existence of two paths, that of good and that of evil, through images, so that the faithful would regulate their conduct based on the teaching they contained. The path of good, which was ethically recommended, led to heaven. It was called “the path of thorns” because it was of renouncing earthly goods and satisfactions in favour of suff ering. The path of evil, presided by the demon, led to hell. It was called “the path of roses” because it was pleasant. In him amusements prevailed, the good life and the enjoyment of sensory pleasures.

The proto-industrial family and the perspectives of its demographic research in the 18th and the first half of the 19th century (an example of the village Stružinec in north-eastern Bohemia)

Proto-industrialization is an interesting phenomenon that has been discussed for more than half a century. The most disputed part of this theory is the demographic aspects. The submitted article focuses on research opportunities of the proto-industrial family in the 18th and 19th centuries; the research focuses on Stružinec u Lomnice nad Popelkou, a village in north-eastern Bohemia. Only a comprehensive study of demographic indicators makes it possible to establish the basic differences between the family in proto-industrial and agriculture-based areas.

Hacer Topaktaş on Franciszek Piotr Potockis mission to Istanbul (1788–1793)

Reading Ottoman-Polish diplomatic relations leads to a clear conclusion that in the late 18th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had an opportunity to enter into an international alliance as a partner alongside the Ottoman Empire. Topaktaş has not attempted to create hypothetical scenarios regarding the survival or otherwise of the First Republic, but has reconstructed the idea of an Ottoman-Polish alliance in a scholarly manner, drawing on a rich body of historical sources. The publication contains innovative insights from the fields of history, political science and international relations. It takes into account the latest state of research and the results of searches personally conducted by the author. Topaktaş has almost managed to avoid factual mistakes and errors. The scale of the research apparatus used and the high specialisation of the technique of the historian of Polish-Turkish relations makes this monograph a work complementary to the diplomatic relations between the Republic of Poland and the Ottoman Empire. The reader is presented with a convincing argument alternating with a narrative that gives the impression of a reportage on the journey and stay of Franciszek Piotr Potocki - all wrapped up in academic terminology. The author has accomplished the research goals declared in the introduction. I personally believe that Topaktaşs book is a groundbreaking and inspiring treatise on the late 18th century. It is worth recommending to enthusiasts of Ottoman studies, but also to students of history interested in the subject.