Childlessness in Griffins: A Crisis Communication Perspective

Objective: This study aims to reconstruct the Griffin dynasty’s response to the existential threat posed by their childlessness, examining it through the lens of funerary prints. It seeks to understand the communication methods employed and assess their effectiveness. Research concept and methods: The analysis focuses on the dynasty’s image crisis, utilizing funeral sermons, orations, and literature on crisis communication. Conclusions: The demise of the Duchy of Pomerania in 1637 highlights the early modern state’s vulnerability to biological factors, particularly the fertility of its ruling class. The absence of heirs posed a significant risk of political upheaval, as evidenced by Pomerania’s eventual territorial division and loss of political sovereignty in 1648. The Griffin dynasty and their advisors adeptly communicated the threat of their lineage’s extinction to the Pomeranian populace. They endeavored to mitigate the societal unrest this revelation caused by rallying their subjects around shared values such as history and Lutheranism. They also implied collective guilt by suggesting that the princes’ childlessness was a divine punishment for the people’s sins. Their communication strategy, incorporating established patterns, framing, biblical references, metaphors, and rhetorical devices, aimed to preserve the dynasty’s reputation and legacy. Notably, they highlighted their achievements, such as legal reforms, the founding of the University of Greifswald, the Stettin Pedagogical College, the endorsement of Lutheranism as the ‘true faith’, and their stewardship of the Church, to secure a favorable historical remembrance. Cognitive value: This article explores the Griffin dynasty’s childlessness as a crisis scenario, analyzing the communication strategies employed to maintain the dynasty’s image.