Silvia Z. Mitchell
- Associate Professor // History
- Affiliated Faculty // Medieval and Renaissance Studies // SIS
- Affiliated Faculty // Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies // SIS
- Affiliated Faculty // Latin American Studies // SIS
Research Focus
Early Modern Europe, Spanish Monarchy
Office and Contact
Room: BRNG 6120
Office hours: Spring 2023: Virtual, By appointment only
Email: mitch131@purdue.edu
Phone: (765) 496-2715
Fax: (765) 496-1755
Courses
Undergraduate Courses
Lower division:
HIST 103—Introduction to the Medieval World (offered usually Spring and Maymester)
SCLA 10100—Transformative Texts, Critical Thinking and Communication I
Upper division:
HIST 32105—Spain: The First Global Empire, 1469-1713
HIST 37001—Queens and Empresses in Early Modern Europe
HIST 41505—Gender and Politics in Early Modern Europe
HIST 395—Junior Research Seminar for Majors
Graduate Courses
HIST 610—History: Theory and Methods
HIST 601—Spain, Europe, and the World, 1492-1714
HIST 601—Entangled Histories of European Empires, 1441-1830
HIST 602—Second Year Research Seminar
Ph.D. University of Miami, 2013
Specialization
Early Modern European history; early modern Spain; queenship, court, women and gender studies
I am a historian of early modern European history with a focus on the history of the Spanish Monarchy in the later seventeenth century (1665–1700) from national and international perspectives. I also study women of the royal House of Habsburg from political, cultural, and dynastic perspectives. I am fascinated by queenship as a history of female political power and the influence of royal courts on political, cultural, and diplomatic history. My goal is to place women as key agents of change in diplomatic, international, and national histories.
Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I completed all my academic training in the U.S., first at Florida International University and then at the University of Miami, where I received my Ph.D. I’ve been on the faculty at Purdue University since 2013. I am currently on research leave in Spain (2023-2024) in residence with the research group CINTER (Court, Image, Nobility, and Territory) at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid.
Another of my defining qualities: I spend a lot of time in archives. My book Queen, Mother, and Stateswoman is the first in-depth study of the regency and exile of Queen Mariana of Austria (1665–1679), which I analyze as a distinct period within the reign of her son, Carlos II (1665–1700), who inherited the throne when he was just three years old. I highlight the active role Spain played in European international politics and Mariana’s part in reversing Spain’s financial and political difficulties during a period of uncertainty—by helping redefine the military and diplomatic blocs of Europe in Spain’s favor. The Spanish edition, Reina, madre y estadista. Mariana de Austria y el gobierno de España, has been published by the CEEH in an extended and lavishly illustrated edition.
For additional information on publications and ongoing projects, visit my website, https://www.silviamitchell.com/
Graduate students interested in working with me on early modern Spanish history, should email me expressing interest and specifying experience, potential topic of research, and language skills.
Website
https://www.silviamitchell.com/