ABSTRACT
Since the 1980s, many historians have convincingly argued that having access to the ruler was a vital component of the acquisition of favour and influence at the early modern court. In a political context largely dependent on the authority of a single monarch – and therefore subject to princely caprice – the possibility for personal interaction with the ruler was a much-coveted privilege in the struggle for individual advancement and power. At the same time, being denied access could seriously hamper one’s hopes and ambitions in this regard. In this chapter, we will take a closer look at the characteristics of access, at the way it was regulated, and at its significance for understanding early modern court culture.
