ABSTRACT
The sixteenth century was an age of royal progresses. Many European rulers made tours of their domains, using these journeys to promote dynastic goals. However, there was another type of princely traveller whose voyage has escaped scholarly attention: princesses, and less commonly princes, travelling to marry a hitherto unseen foreign spouse. These journeys were massive enterprises, involving hundreds of people and encompassing an elaborate set of rites and festivals. Further, there are hints that the journey was used in preparation for their future role as royal consort. Yet, this traditional, female-gendered bridal journey may have differed where a bridegroom was making a marital transfer. This chapter examines the wedding transfers of two Habsburg princes (Maximilian I and II) and juxtaposes them with their female counterparts and royal progresses. By comparing key aspects of logistics, festivities, level of agency and ritual transition, it reveals the voyages’ gender and dynastic dynamics that make them a unique mixture of royal progresses and female wedding journeys. Despite sharing many common features with traditional bridal transfers, the bridegroom’s voyage differed as to how the rite of passage was staged. The ritual element sets this type of journey apart from other tours of pre-modern monarchs.
