AHC: Make it so that the 17th century is the most popular past era in modern pop culture instead of the Middle Ages

[baltur2]

Since at least the mid-to-late 1800s, the most popular historical era in Western popular culture has been the Middle Ages, specifically the High Middle Ages from about 1000 to 1300.

You know, swords and armor, knights, crusades, castles, kings, etc. Sometimes earlier things (like Arthurian legends) and later things (like the Black Death) are mixed in somewhat ahistorically, but the era's popularity from 19th century novels through 20th century films to 21st century video games appears to be perennial.

Your challenge is to replace this popularity of the Medieval period with the 1600s. So muskets and outlaws instead of armor and knights, the Ottoman conquest instead of the Crusades, the 30 years' war and witch trials instead of the Black Death etc.

 

[Grey Wolf]

The Sealed Knot are quite big, maybe they used to be even bigger so look at how that happened and why it waned

Rochester's writings could be televised

TV series on King Charles II and his life

 

[Lee-Sensei]

Since at least the mid-to-late 1800s, the most popular historical era in Western popular culture has been the Middle Ages, specifically the High Middle Ages from about 1000 to 1300.

You know, swords and armor, knights, crusades, castles, kings, etc. Sometimes earlier things (like Arthurian legends) and later things (like the Black Death) are mixed in somewhat ahistorically, but the era's popularity from 19th century novels through 20th century films to 21st century video games appears to be perennial.

Your challenge is to replace this popularity of the Medieval period with the 1600s. So muskets and outlaws instead of armor and knights, the Ottoman conquest instead of the Crusades, the 30 years' war and witch trials instead of the Black Death etc.

Is the Middle Ages the most popular period?

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

have ttl's creator of various big fantasy tropes model their world on that era instead of OTL's tolkien and middle ages

 

[Gokbay]

Is the Middle Ages the most popular period?

What else unless you consider contemporary era. Most entertainment considered historical has a (quasi) Medieval setting (with WW2 being the closest competition). I mean at least as far as I can see.

 

[overoceans]

Re: witch trials vs. the black death

Actually, witch trials ARE one of the more popular images of the 16th Century, eg. I first learned about Salem from an episode of Bewitched.

And interestingly the witch trials are one aspect of the C17 that is most resonant of the bigotry and superstition we associate with the medieval period. Which might tell us something about why the Middle Ages are so popular ie. they seem like such a completely different world from our own, it makes for a better form of escapism.

 

[Herman Gigglethorpe]

The Tudors are disproportionately popular in English language historical fiction, so if anything it seems the post-medieval 16th century is one of the most popular periods.

For the 17th century to become dominant in pop culture, have Dumas novels like The Three Musketeers and The Black Tulip become even more popular somehow.

 

[overoceans]

What else unless you consider contemporary era. Most entertainment considered historical has a (quasi) Medieval setting (with WW2 being the closest competition). I mean at least as far as I can see.

And often when you get into later periods, the narrative takes the side of the more archaic faction, eg. the Scarlet Pimpernel is a hero for rescuing aristocrats(ie. the last holdouts of feudalism) from the Enlightenment revolutionaries.

And don't get me started on Gone With The Wind.

 

[GeographyDude]

Make a big saga of 17th century sailing, exploring and fighting as popular as the The Iliad and Odyssey.

————

As far as the dark side, the witchhunting and all that. Well, there’s a song by Avenged Sevenfold called “Heretic” that begins:

“As they search for blood​

All eyes descend on one​

Honest man in chains​

But that don't matter anyway​

My judgement day​

. . . . ”​

So, seems like there’d be some literary and dramatic possibility along these lines.

 

[Lee-Sensei]

What else unless you consider contemporary era. Most entertainment considered historical has a (quasi) Medieval setting (with WW2 being the closest competition). I mean at least as far as I can see.

The the Classical periods don’t the 19th to the 20th Century.

 

[overoceans]

The Tudors are disproportionately popular in English language historical fiction, so if anything it seems the post-medieval 16th century is one of the most popular periods.

That's true, but I think as far as pop culture goes, the general perception of the Tudors, esp. Henry VIII, fits in more with common ideas of the medieval era.

When people think about Henry and his brood, they think about a gargoylish despot having his wives and rivals beheaded in the Tower Of London. Rather than the era that saw the emergence of literacy(via bible translations), the career of Shakespeare, scientific and geographic discoveries through exploration etc.

Again, that's just pop culture. I'm sure the people who read historical novels have a wider context.

 

[Johannes Parisiensis]

It seems the Grand siècle in France (rule of Louis XIV) enjoy relative popularity.

 

[Deleted member 142663]

Have Dungeons and Dragons be set in a world(s) with 17th Century tech instead of 13th.

 

[RamscoopRaider]

J.R.R. Tolkien dies in the trenches. No Lord of the Rings thus the Fantasy genre is a lot less focused on pseudo medieval. Someone instead writes a fantasy version of the 3 Musketeers that does quite well

Edit: Admittedly this only works for about 1970 on or so

 

[Lord High Executioner]

So muskets and outlaws instead of armor and knights, the Ottoman conquest instead of the Crusades, the 30 years' war and witch trials instead of the Black Death etc.

You forgot pirates.

What else unless you consider contemporary era. Most entertainment considered historical has a (quasi) Medieval setting (with WW2 being the closest competition). I mean at least as far as I can see.

May I direct your eyes out of yout comfort zones and towards a small thing called romance novels and the Napoleonic-Regency era?

For the 17th century to become dominant in pop culture, have Dumas novels like The Three Musketeers and The Black Tulip become even more popular somehow.

I'm trying to think of a 1000s-1300s fictional character that has the name recognition of The Three Musketeers...
There's... Robin Hood...

A selection of titles and characters to demonstrate the case being made would, as always, be useful.

Have Dungeons and Dragons be set in a world(s) with 17th Century tech instead of 13th.

The default tech of Dungeons & Dragons is closer to 16th century...
(Full plate, ridiculous variety of polearms etc.)

J.R.R. Tolkien dies in the trenches. No Lord of the Rings thus the Fantasy genre is a lot less focused on pseudo medieval. Someone instead writes a fantasy version of the 3 Musketeers that does quite well

Well enough to overshadow The Ones Who Follow In The Footprints Of Conan, who would move the preferred time period further back?

 

[Gokbay]

May I direct your eyes out of yout comfort zones and towards a small thing called romance novels and the Napoleonic-Regency era?


I'm trying to think of a 1000s-1300s fictional character that has the name recognition of The Three Musketeers...
There's... Robin Hood...

1: Regency Era romances is definitely a thing that I failed to consider not going to lie. I might have thought too much about vaguely Medieval Fantasy and War Movie/Miniseries/Video Games of WW2 and ignored other things.

2: King Arthur? He is too early to work so no. (Had an idea and disproved it myself, moving along)

 

[Lord High Executioner]

Sorry, I just realised: if we're comparing things to "the general-ahistorical medieval period of knights", wouldn't it be
more appropriate/accurate to compare it with "the general-ahistorical era of the swashbuckler", which would be
something like from The Seahawk to Zorro.

1: Regency Era romances is definitely a thing that I failed to consider not going to lie. I might have thought too much about vaguely Medieval Fantasy and War Movie/Miniseries/Video Games of WW2 and ignored other things.

It's a very easy trap to fall into.

 

[overoceans]

I'm trying to think of a 1000s-1300s fictional character that has the name recognition of The Three Musketeers...
There's... Robin Hood...

Personally, as someone who does not really follow the relevant genres, I've always known WAY more about Robin Hood, eg. the characters, the villains, rob from the rich give to the poor, than I have ever known about The Three Musketeers. I think I was in high school or university before I knew that TTM were fighting Cardinal Richelieu.

But that might just be because of the Disney cartoon, Rocket Robin Hood etc. As I think others have implied here, popular representations of RR and TTM sort of take place in the same Age Of Swashbuckling.

 

[overoceans]

Oh, and while the original story was written and set in the late Victorian period, I think Count Dracula is arguably a medieval figure. Or at least embodies popular ideas about what a medieval tyrant hailing from the backwaters of Europe would be like.

 

[Jiraiyathegallant]

Having American high school history classes spend more than a day covering colonial American history would help.