Alchemy and Authority in the Holy Roman Empire

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The book explores the lives of alchemists in the sixteenth and seventeenth-century Holy Roman Empire, focusing on their role as both practical innovators and targets of satire. It examines how these entrepreneurs were valued by political patrons while also facing allegations of fraud, which shaped their practices. By analyzing various historical records, Tara Nummedal highlights the complex relationship between alchemy, commerce, and intellectual authority, revealing how these everyday practitioners contributed to early modern science and society's broader issues.