Companion Species

This book explores the connection between saints and animals, and how the power over animals has been a characteristic of saints from their beginnings in the Early Church.

Autorentext

Mathilde van Dijk teaches History of Christianity at the University of Groningen. She specializes in the history of late medieval reform as well as in the connection between the Middle Ages and popular culture and heritage studies, focusing on the Devotio Moderna, Carthusians, and saints.

Inhalt

1. Introduction

Mathilde van Dijk

2. Canes Domini? 'Saint' Guinefort, popular devotion, hierarchies and Animalité

Stephen Molvarec

3. Contested Popular Rituals in Late-Medieval Italy: Franciscan saints and animal baptism

Bianca Lopez

4. Hundheiðinn and Heathen Hounds: Dogs and the Authority of Saints in Old Norse Literature

Ashley Castelino

5. Wondrous birds in Old Norse-Icelandic Literature

Eric-Ania Haley-Halinski

6. Wonderful animals in the biographies of the prophet Muhammed

Nicolas Payen

7. 'Too large for calm consumption': Spiders as silken saviours and venomous villains in the medieval lives of saints

Sven Gins

8. 'I am like the cat': Human-Animal encounters in Devotio Moderna biographies

Mathilde van Dijk

9. Saints and animals on medieval seals: a religious bestiary for moral purposes and identity

Caroline Simonet

10. Martinus vs. Lupus: Martin of Tours as a Protector against Wolves in European Folkways and Folklore.

Martin Walsh

11. Holy Cat! Virtuous Felines, Medieval saints and their appropriations

Ann Martinez