Summer school in Gotha: Discover Africa's mysterious courtes!

Summer school in Gotha: Discover Africa's mysterious courtes!

The University of Erfurt is organizing a summer school this year that is devoted to the perception of Africa in the early modern period. This unique event, which begins on June 6, 2025, is aimed at advanced students during the master thesis, doctoral students and postdocs as well as employees of museums and institutions who have an interest in the history of perception and knowledge of Africa. Interested parties in the history of court culture as well as the history of object, book and scholarship in Europe of early modern times are also welcome. According to [Uni-erfurt.de], the program includes lectures and guided tours by experts and workshops to explore the stocks of the Gotha research library, the Friedenstein Foundation and the Gotha.

The historical context of this summer school is complex. Africa is viewed as a cradle of mankind and has the earliest traces of human ancestors. The continent, which has been considered the third continent alongside Europe and Asia since ancient times, was largely unknown to European explorers until the maritime expansion in the 15th and 16th centuries. The first European knowledge of the country was limited to the northern part, while the south, especially the area south of the Sahara, was not researched. [wikipedia.org] reports of the circulation of the Cape Bojador and the crossing of the equator as important events that led to the development of Africa along the coasts.

historical discoveries and the Duchy of Saxony-Gotha

in the Duchy of Saxony-Gotha, founded in 1640 during the Thirty Years' War, there were considerable activities for Africa's research. The first Duke Ernst I already reformed the administration and promoted Ethiopia's research by scholars such as Job Ludolf. The latter had initiated the invitation of the Abyssinian spiritual Abba Gregorius to interview about Ethiopian Christianity and Culture. Travelers like Johann Michael Wansleben were sent to explore Africa, and the collection of travel reports in the ducal library experienced remarkable growth in the 18th century.

The summer school also deals with central questions: Why was the farm in Gotha interested in Africa? What functions did the collections have? And how does this interest reflect the typical features of the early modern period? These are aspects that shape the understanding of Africa's perception and the development of court culture in Gotha.

The influence of colonialism

From the 15th century, Africa's systematic colonization began by European powers. Portugal was the first nation to build commercial base on the Guinea coast. This time marks the transition from local trade branches to a comprehensive colonial rule. According to [bpb.de], the colonial expansion was organized by the Berlin conference in 1884 from the middle of the 19th century, which regulated Africa's division among the European powers. This led to profound economic and political changes on the continent and decisively shaped relationships between the African peoples and the colonial powers.

Colonization led to the breakdown of traditional political systems, while new African elites emerged from administrative officials and entrepreneurs. These influences and the tensions caused by the colonial administration can still be felt in many political and social structures in Africa. The effects of these changes are a central topic in historical and current context of African historiography.