ABSTRACT
This article explores the role of the bodies of monarchs in legitimizing their claim to be sole ruler. Departing from anthropological studies that identify the body as an important part of narratives of power, for instance in modifying or inscribing the body of a ruler, it will provide historical examples that show a widely dispersed European practice of political body narratives. Reacting to certain bodily ideals in political and court literature, rulers adapted their physical appearance in order to conform to these ideals. Yet the body of a ruler was under constant observation, as its ability to conform was limited in most cases. This resulted in a culture of vigilance and care towards the body that characterized the early modern monarchical system.
