Central European Medieval Texts

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Latest release: May 15, 2023
Series
16
Books

About this ebook series

Simon of Kéza was a court cleric of the Hungarian King, Ladislas IV (1272-1290). He travelled extensively in Italy, France and Germany and culled the epic and poetic material from a broad range of readings.Written between 1282-1285, the Gesta Hungarorum is an ingenious and imaginative historical fiction of prehistory, medieval history and contemporary social history. The author divides Hungarian history into two periods: Hunnish-Hungarian prehistory and Hungarian history, giving a division which persisted in Hungary up to the beginnings of modern historiography. Simon of Kéza provides a vivid retelling of the well known Attila stories, using such lively prose as - ".the battle lasted for 15 days on end, Csaba's army received such a crushing defeat that very few of the Huns or the sons of Attila survived, the river Danube from Sicambria as far as the city of Potentia was swollen with blood and for several days neither men nor animals could drink the water." The book is also significant because of the author's legal-theoretical framework of corporate self government and constitutional law, inspired by French and Italian sources and practice, which made this chronicle become an integral part of Hungarian historiography.
Gesta Hungarorum: The Deeds of the Hungarians
Book 1 · Jan 1999 ·
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Simon of Kéza was a court cleric of the Hungarian King, Ladislas IV (1272-1290). He travelled extensively in Italy, France and Germany and culled the epic and poetic material from a broad range of readings.Written between 1282-1285, the Gesta Hungarorum is an ingenious and imaginative historical fiction of prehistory, medieval history and contemporary social history. The author divides Hungarian history into two periods: Hunnish-Hungarian prehistory and Hungarian history, giving a division which persisted in Hungary up to the beginnings of modern historiography. Simon of Kéza provides a vivid retelling of the well known Attila stories, using such lively prose as - ".the battle lasted for 15 days on end, Csaba's army received such a crushing defeat that very few of the Huns or the sons of Attila survived, the river Danube from Sicambria as far as the city of Potentia was swollen with blood and for several days neither men nor animals could drink the water." The book is also significant because of the author's legal-theoretical framework of corporate self government and constitutional law, inspired by French and Italian sources and practice, which made this chronicle become an integral part of Hungarian historiography.
Deeds of the Hungarians
Book 1 · Jan 1999 ·
0.0
Written between 1282-1285, Gesta Hungarorum is an ingenious and imaginative historical fiction of prehistory, medieval history and contemporary social history. The author divides Hungarian history into two periods: Hunnish-Hungarian prehistory and Hungarian history, a division which persisted in Hungary up to the beginnings of modern historiography.
Autobiography of Emperor Charles IV and his Legend of St Wenceslas
Book 2 · Oct 2001 ·
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One of the few autobiographies to have survived from the Middle Ages, this life history of one of the most influential rulers of the fourteenth century, Charles IV of Bohemia, covers his life from birth until his election as King of Germany in 1346.

Charles IV describes his childhood, spent mainly in the court of French kings, his juvenile years, his marriage and his first steps into the international political scene during the early part of the fourteenth century.

A unique addition to this volume is the first ever English translation of the Legend of Saint Wenceslas, written by Charles IV of Luxemburg.

Gesta principum Polonorum: The Deeds of the Princes of the Poles
Book 3 · May 2003 ·
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Written around 1112-1116, The Deeds of the Princes of the Poles is the oldest narrative source from Poland, formerly attributed to 'Gallus,' a French monk. The anonymous author tells the ancient history of Poland down to the reign of Boleslaw III. The chronicle contains valuable information on Poland's relations to her neighbors as well as the political ideas of his time.
Anonima tzw. Galla kronika czyli Dzieje ksi???t i w?adc¢w polskich
Book 3 · Jan 2003 ·
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Written around 1112-1116, the Chronicles and Deeds is the oldest narrative source from Poland. This work tells the ancient history of Poland down to the reign of Boleslaw III.
History of the Bishops of Salona and Split
Book 4 · Feb 2006 ·
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Ever since Thomas's Historia Salonitana was first published in 1666, it became a part of the corpus of European medieval literature. Thomas' aim was to write a history of the church of Split in order to prove that it was legally and justly the heir of the metropolitan rights of nearby Salona, an episcopal see from the 4th century. His reports on the fourth and the fifth crusade and on the Mongol invasion of 1241-2, are based on personal experience or on eyewitness reports. This is the 4th volume of the series of Central European Medieval Texts, Latin and English bilingual editions of major historical documents.
Historia Salonitanorum Atque Spalatinorum Pontificum
Book 4 · Jan 2006 ·
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This is the 4th volume of the series of Central European Medieval Texts, Latin and English bilingual editions of major historical documents. Ever since Thomas' "Historia Salonitana" was first published in 1666, it became a part of the corpus of European medieval literature. Thomas' aim was to write a history of the church of Split in order to prove that it was legally and justly the heir of the metropolitan rights of nearby Salona, an episcopal see from the 4th century. His reports on the fourth and fifth crusade and the Mongol invasion of 1241-2, are based on personal experience or on eyewitness reports.
Anonymus and Master Roger: The Deeds of the Hungarians. Epistle to the Sorrowful Lament upon the Destruction of the Kingdom of Hungary by the Tatars
Book 5 · Jan 2010 ·
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This volume contains two very different narratives; both are for the first time presented in an updated Latin text with an annotated English translation.

An anonymous notary of King Bela of Hungary wrote a Latin Gesta Hungarorum (ca. 1200/10), a literary composition about the mythical origins of the Hungarians and their conquest of the Carpathian Basin. Anonymus tried to (re)construct the events and protagonists—including ethnic groups—of several centuries before from the names of places, rivers, and mountains of his time, assuming that these retained the memory of times past. One of his major “inventions” was the inclusion of Attila the Hun into the Hungarian royal genealogy, a feature later developed into the myth of Hun-Hungarian continuity.

The Epistle to the Sorrowful Lament upon the Destruction of the Kingdom of Hungary by the Tartars of Master Roger includes an eyewitness account of the Mongol invasion in 1241–2, beginning with an analysis of the political conditions under King Bela IV and ending with the king’s return to the devastated country.

Anonymus and Master Roger
Book 5 · Jul 2010 ·
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Contains two very different narratives; both are for the first time presented in an updated Latin text with an annotated English translation.An anonymous notary of King Bela of Hungary wrote a Latin Gesta Hungarorum (ca. 1200/10), a literary composition about the mythical origins of the Hungarians and their conquest of the Carpathian Basin. Anonymus tried to (re)construct the events and protagonists—including ethnic groups—of several centuries before from the names of places, rivers, and mountains of his time, assuming that these retained the memory of times past. One of his major "inventions" was the inclusion of Attila the Hun into the Hungarian royal genealogy, a feature later developed into the myth of Hun-Hungarian continuity.The Epistle to the Sorrowful Lament upon the Destruction of the Kingdom of Hungary by the Tartars of Master Roger includes an eyewitness account of the Mongol invasion in 1241–2, beginning with an analysis of the political conditions under King Bela IV and ending with the king's return to the devastated country.
Saints of the Christianization Age of Central Europe (Tenth-Eleventh Century)
Book 6 · Jan 2013 ·
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This is the first of two volumes containing hagiographical narratives from medieval Central Europe. The lives of the saints in this volume, from the tenth to eleventh centuries, written not much later, are telling witnesses for the process of Christianization of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary and Dalmatia. Most of them became patrons of their region and highly venerated throughout the Middle Ages. The volume presents the first English translation of a legend of each of these saints with the most recent critical edition of the Latin original and prefaces discussing the textual tradition. In an appendix the extensive hagiographical literature of the saints is being critically surveyed.
Saints of the Christianization Age of Central Europe: Tenth to Eleventh Centuries
Book 6 · Oct 2012 ·
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This volume is the first of two containing hagiographical narratives from medieval Central Europe. The lives of the saints in this volume, from the tenth to eleventh centuries, written not much later, are telling witnesses for the process of Christianization of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary and Dalmatia. Most of them became patrons of their region and highly venerated throughout the Middle Ages. The volume presents the first English translation of a legend of each of these saints with the most recent critical edition of the Latin original and prefaces discussing the textual tradition. In an appendix the extensive hagiographical literature of the saints is being critically surveyed.
The Sanctity of the Leaders: Holy Kings, Princes, Bishops and Abbots from Central Europe (11th to 13th Centuries)
Book 7 · May 2023 ·
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The latest title in the Central European Medieval Texts series contains the lives of saints who were canonized in the eleventh through thirteenth centuries in the newly Christianized countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, and Dalmatia). A rejoinder to the earlier volume in the series, the Saints of the Christianization Age of Central Europe (CEMT, Vol. 6), containing hermits, missionaries, and martyrs, this second volume of hagiography is dominated by political or ecclesiastical leaders who became saintly patrons of their region and were highly venerated throughout the Middle Ages.

The legends in the volume present the two Hungarian holy kings Stephen and Ladislas, the holy duke Emeric, the Czech holy abbot Prokop of Sázava, three bishops, the Venetian-Hungarian Gellért of Csanád, the Polish Stanislas of Cracow (both martyrs), and the Dalmatian holy bishop Saint John of Trogir. Each “vita” is published in Latin original with an English translation and with prefaces discussing the textual tradition.

Saints’ lives have been recognized as an invaluable source of information on social and economic history, the history of mentalities and everyday life, cultural history, and, above all, as a special genre with crucial importance and prevalence in medieval literature.

The Oldest Legend: Acts of the Canonization Process, and Miracles of Saint Margaret of Hungary
Book 8 · Feb 2018 ·
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This bilingual volume (Latin text with English translation) is the second in the series presenting hagiographical narratives from medieval Central Europe. It contains the most important hagiographical corpus of medieval Hungarian history: that of Saint Margaret (1242?1270), daughter of King B‚la IV, who lived her life as a Dominican nun. Margaret?s cult started immediately after her death and the demand to examine her sanctity was first formulated in 1272. The canonization process recommenced in 1276, followed by further initiatives across the centuries. Margaret was eventually canonized only in 1943.

Besides the full Latin text and the English translation of her oldest legend, written between 1272 and 1275, this volume contains the acts of the 110 testimonies of the papal investigation concerning her sainthood, recorded between July and October 1276 and prepared from existing source editions. In addition, the editors include a series of recently discovered documents, including a petition by the bishop of V rad (Oradea) to promote the cause, and the notarial records of a set of miracles that occurred at Margaret's grave in the second half of the fifteenth century.

The book ends with a selected bibliography of Saint Margaret and of her hagiography.

The Oldest Legend: Acts of the Canonization Process, and Miracles of Saint Margaret of Hungary
Book 8 · Jan 2018 ·
0.0
This bilingual volume (Latin text with English translation) is the second in the series presenting hagiographical narratives from medieval Central Europe. It contains the most important hagiographical corpus of medieval Hungarian history: that of Saint Margaret (1242–1270), daughter of King Béla IV, who lived her life as a Dominican nun. Margaret’s cult started immediately after her death and the demand to examine her sanctity was first formulated in 1272. The canonization process recommenced in 1276, followed by further initiatives across the centuries. Margaret was eventually canonized only in 1943. Besides the full Latin text and the English translation of her oldest legend, written between 1272 and 1275, this volume contains the acts of the 110 testimonies of the papal investigation concerning her sainthood, recorded between July and October 1276 and prepared from existing source editions. In addition, the editors include a series of recently discovered documents, including a petition by the bishop of Várad (Oradea) to promote the cause, and the notarial records of a set of miracles that occurred at Margaret's grave in the second half of the fifteenth century. The annotated bilingual text is complemented by a select bibliography on Saint Margaret and her hagiography.
The Illuminated Chronicle: Chronicle of the Deeds of the Hungarians from the Fourteenth-Century Illuminated Codex
Book 9 · Jul 2018 ·
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The Illuminated Chronicle was composed in 1358 in the international artistic style at the royal court of Louis I of Hungary. Its text, presented here in a new edition and translation, is the most complete record of Hungary's medieval historical tradition, going back to the eleventh century and including the mythical past of its people. The pictures in this manuscript—formerly known as the Vienna Chronicle—are not merely occasional illustrations added to some exemplars, but text and image are closely connected and mutually related to each other, to qualify it as a proper “illuminated chronicle”. The artistic value of the miniatures is quite high, and the characters are drawn with detail and with a knowledge of anatomy. Forty-two of the miniatures are included in the present volume. A full color facsimile will be accessible online.

The 147 pictures are an invaluable source of information on late medieval cultural history, costume, and court life. In a historiographical context, The Illuminated Chronicle is an attempt at the popularization of the national history and a systematic appeal to circles beyond the old monastic-clerical audience.

The Illuminated Chronicle (Chronica de gestis Hungarorum e codice picto saec. xiv.) is the ninth volume in the Central European Medieval Texts, a Latin–English bilingual series.

Cosmas of Prague: The Chronicle of the Czechs
Book 10 · Oct 2020 ·
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The Latin-English bilingual volume presents the text of The Chronicle of the Czechs by Cosmas of Prague. Cosmas was born around 1045, educated in Liège, upon his return to Bohemia, he got married as well as became a priest. In 1086 he was appointed prebendary, a senior member of clergy in Prague. He completed the first book of the Chronicle in 1119, starting with the creation of the world and the earliest deeds of the Czechs up to Saint Adalbert. In the second and third books Cosmas presents the preceding century in the history of Bohemia, and succeeds in reporting about events up to 1125, the year when he died.


The English translation was done by Petra Mutlova and Martyn Rady with the cooperation of Libor Švanda. The introduction and the explanatory notes were written by Jan Hasil with the cooperation of Irene van Rensvoude.T