Les représentations politiques de l'espace impérial dans les «rêves» et les « visions » fictifs, de la guerre de Trente ans à la fin du XVIIe siècle

Abstract

This article deals with the representation of the space of the Holy Roman Empire in the 17th century in three respects: its thematization in texts, the geographical organization of these texts, and the political communication thereby established. To this end, fictitious "dreams "and "visions " about the Empire are analysed. The perception of the Thirty Years War generated the representation of a melancholy imperial landscape, which replaced the traditional dynastical images. The reception of eulogies of absolute power, then the aggressions of the armies of Louis 14th made the western frontier place no longer of wandering but of an itinerary inscribed in the soil and certain to trigger memories. The assault against the Turks, which rekindled the perception of the Empire's body as confined by its borders contributed to the revival of the question of the Emperor's "portrait".