Founding narratives and chronicles of Žďár (Fons beatae Mariae virginis) and Zbraslav (Aula Regiae): An Attempt to form Cistercian identity in Czech lands?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Cîteaux: Commentarii Cistercienses: Revue d'histoire cistercienne |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://www.citeaux.org/numero-actuel/ |
| Keywords | Cistercians; high middle ages; czech lands; medieval historiography; identities |
| Description | The aim of this article is to analyze the foundation narratives of two Cistercian chronicles written in Czech lands, the shorter versed Chronicon domus Sarensis (ca. 1300) and the longer prose Chronica Aulae regiae (ca. 1314-1339). Scrutiny of these founding narratives shows that although the geographical scope was different (local society vs. kingdom of Bohemia), they shared basic elements of textual strategy: an intense interest in the founder of the monastery. Instead of looking for a Cistercian context, they—like their Benedictine predecessors—attempted to reinforce the monastery’s position within local networks through links with the lay founder and his family. It also appears that to position the monastery in the Cistercian network and to reinforce Cistercian identity, monasteries in Czech lands primarily used liturgical texts and necrologies. |