Acta Mediaevalia. Series Nova

2024-12-13

From Acta Mediaevalia to Acta Mediaevalia. Series Nova

Paweł Kras — 2024-12-13

The texts overviews past history of the Acta Mediaevalia series and presents the aims of the CSM journal and the contents of its first volume

Deposing Popes and Kings: the Praxis of Tyranny during the Great Western Schism (1378–1417)

Joëlle Rollo-Koster — 2024-12-13

This essay summarises the evolution of the concept of tyranny from classical antiquity through late medieval Europe, examining its application to both secular and ecclesiastical figures. Beginning with Aristotle’s characterisation of tyranny as unconstitutional rule, the essay explores how classical definitions influenced early Christian thought, particularly through the writings of Isidore of Seville. Isidore’s adaptation of tyranny to ecclesiastical contexts paved the way for later medieval thinkers like John of Salisbury and Bartolus de Sassoferato to articulate theories of illegitimate power in both secular and religious spheres. The essay then delves into the Great Western Schism (1378–1417), during which the papacy was divided between rival claimants, leading to accusations of tyranny against popes and secular rulers alike. Through detailed analysis of historical sources and contemporary accounts, the essay demonstrates how charges of tyranny were leveraged to justify the deposition or elimination of political and religious figures, including Pope Urban VI, King Richard II of England, King Wenceslaus of Germany, and Pope Benedict XIII. I conclude with the case of King Władysław II Jagiełło of Poland. Drawing parallels between these cases, the article highlights common themes found in accusations of tyranny, such as abuse of power, financial mismanagement, refusal of counsel, and religious dissent. By examining the rhetoric and political dynamics surrounding these events, the essay argues that the concept of tyranny served as a powerful tool for legitimising political action and shaping public discourse.

Stanislav of Znojmo Explains Wyclif’s First Principles

Stephen Lahey — 2024-12-13

The reception of John Wyclif’s philosophical thought in late fourteenth-century Prague began as an embrace of his metaphysics and philosophy of language, known today as propositional realism. At the core of his philosophical approach is the identification of Truth and Being, which Wyclif describes in the first treatises of his Summa de ente. Stanislav of Znojmo was foremost among Wyclif’s expositors and he articulates this identification in the first several chapters of his treatise De vero et falso. This article describes this articulation and elements in which Stanislav departed from Wyclif.

An Aristotelean Argument for Unity of Regimes in Dominican and Jesuit Papalist Writings

Thomas Izbicki — 2024-12-13

Aristotle, arguing for the ‘Unmoved Mover’ in the Metaphysics, quoted Homer on the need for one leader. The Metaphysics, in Latin, included that quotation. Thomas Aquinas used examples from daily life in interpreting the Metaphysics. However, Dominicans, followed by the Jesuits, reversed this argument, saying Aristotle indicated the need for a single ruler in any polity. According to them, that ruler was the pope in the Church. In the sixteenth century this argument was attacked by John Calvin. Robert Bellarmine replied, rejecting Calvin’s interpretation of Aristotle’s text. However, in the seventeenth century, the entire argument from the Metaphysics ceased to have a place in political discourse.

Religious Transformations Reflected in the Material Traditions of the Long Fifteenth Century: A Study of the Copenhagen Easter Orationale Ms GKS 3452-8°

Carolin Gluchowski — 2024-12-13

The Easter prayerbook Ms GKS 3452-8° in the Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen, marks the beginning of a 150-year tradition of Latin and Low German manuscript production at the Cistercian convent of Medingen, reflecting the nuns' ‘long’ 15th century. This period, documented by the 65 manuscripts in the Medingen corpus, lasts more than a century, from the early 1400s to the 1550s/1570s. Completed in 1408 by Cecilia de Monte, the Copenhagen Easter prayerbook offers a rare glimpse into the origins of this remarkable tradition around 1400. This article suggests that the manuscript may have served as a model for subsequent works and calls for further research on this group of manuscripts to explore continuities and changes in Medingen manuscript production throughout the "long" 15th century. This enterprise will greatly enhance the understanding of Pre-Reformation religious writing by women and shed light on the devotional culture of the early 15th century.

Les liens entre les questions sur le quatrième livre des Sentences de Pierre Lombard rédigées à prague (par l’auteur de l’Utrum Deus gloriosus), Leipzig (par un élève de Jean de Monsterberg) et Cracovie (par Matthias de Sąspów) au xve siècle

Wojciech Baran — 2024-12-13

Les recherches menees dans le cadre de cette etude montrent que le ms Krakow, AiBKKK, Ms 113 transmet des questions sur le IVe livre des Sentences de l’eleve de Jean de Monsterberg, redigees a Leipzig dans les annees 1409–1415 et conservees aussi au ms Krakow, BJ, 1721. Six des cinquante-sept questions contiennent des similitudes avec l’Utrum Deus gloriosus qui vient de Prague. Ce fait temoigne de la reception des idees theologiques pragoises au XVe siecle non seulement a Cracovie, mais aussi a Leipzig. En revanche, quarante-huit questions du commentaire de Leipzig ont ete reprises par Matthias de Sąspow sans retouches importantes, ce qui confirme le rapport de dependance entre ce dernier et les questions de Leipzig deja observe par Zofia Włodek.

A Brave New World: Crisis and Transition in the Late Medieval Great Hungarian Plain as Witnessed by the Friary of Bátmonostora and Its Patron Family

István Pánya — 2024-12-13

The purpose of this study is to examine the historical development of the friary of Bátmonostora and the history of the family who possessed it. The rise and fall of this rural centre in the long fifteenth century illustrates the changes in this period in the society of the Great Hungarian Plain. The main subject of examination is the lay religious life at the friary and its eventual demise. While discussing this lay religiosity, we present the history of the previously unexamined monastic treasury of Bátmonostora, which was quite outstanding due to some of its special reliquaries. The fate of the family and their eventual alienation from the sacred objects show how the political and cultural changes completely transformed lay piety at the end of the period and led to the unfortunate fragmentation of the collection and the decline of the family.

The Preaching of Indulgences from the Roman Hospital Sancti Spiritus in Saxia in Poland, Lithuania, Silesia and Prussia in the Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Centuries

Mateusz Zimny — 2024-12-13

The Order of the Holy Spirit conducted a campaign of preaching the indulgences that spread throughout Europe, combined with a collection of alms for the Roman Hospital of the Holy Spirit. From the fifteenth century onwards, special commissaries preaching indulgences also reached Poland, Lithuania, Silesia and Prussia. This article presents the activities of the commissaries in areas on the basis of the surviving source material, in particular the letters of indulgence they issued.

[REVIEW]: Nora Berend, Stephen I, the First Chris tian King of Hungary: From Medieval Myth to Modern Legend, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2024, pp. 272.

Marie-Madeleine de Cevins — 2024-12-13

Review of the following book (in French) : Stephen I,the First Christian King of Hungary. From Medieval Myth to Modern Legend, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2024, 272 p.

[REVIEW]: Rafał Kubicki, Prusy krzyżackie. Gospodarka i kultura na obszarach wiejskich, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego, Gdańsk 2024, pp. 294.

Radosław Biskup — 2024-12-13

The latest monograph by Rafał Kubicki, a medievalist from Gdańsk, is devoted - generally speaking - to rural areas in the state of the Teutonic Order. In this synthetic approach, the author draws on a rich tradition of research into the development of settlements, rural society, production relations and the organisation of agriculture, breeding and cultivation etc. in the territory in question. It is worth adding that this is not his first research expedition to the Prussian countryside under rule of Teutonic Order: in 2012 his habilitation on milling in the Teutonic Order's state from the 13th to the mid-15th century was published. Similar topics are also taken up by Rafał Kubicki's students: in 2022, at the University of Gdańsk, a dissertation was defended entitled "Komturstwo Tucholskie (1330-1454). Space-economy-society', written by Grzegorz Woliński. [...]

[REVIEW]: Tomáš Homol’a, Na vzostupe moci . Zahraničná politik a Mateja Korvina w stredoeurópsk om priestore v rokoch 1458‒1471, Historický ústav Slovenskej akadémie vied, VEDA, vydavat’elstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied, Bratislava 2019, pp. 192.

Sobiesław Szybkowski — 2024-12-13

[REVIEW]: Krzysztof Bracha, Maria Mediatrix – Maria Adiutrix. Pobożność maryjna w nauczaniu kaznodziejskim w Polsce późnego średniowiecza. Sermones dominic ales et festivales z tzw. kolekcji Piotra z Miłosławia, Wydawnictwo DiG, Warszawa 2023, pp. 328.

Ewelina Kaczor — 2024-12-13

Review of Krzysztof Bracha's monograph: Maria Mediatrix – Maria Adiutrix. Marian Devotions in the Teachings of Late Medieval Preaching in Poland. The Sermones dominicales et festivals from the So-called Collectione of Piotr of Miłosław, Warszawa 2023

[REVIEW]: Katarzyna Jasińska, Dorota Kołodziej, Mariusz Leńczuk, Dwa łacińskie rozariusze z polski mi glosami. Rozariusz dominik ański . Rozariusz wrocławski , Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN, Kraków 2022, PP. 157 (Prace Instytutu Języka Polskiego PAN 164).

Agnieszka Maciąg-Fiedler — 2024-12-13

[REVIEW]: Adam Kozak, Księga sądowa gnieźnieńskich wikariuszy generalnych Sędka z Czechla i Jana z Brzóstkowa (1449–1453, 1455). Studium źródłoznawcze i edycja krytyczna, Poznańskie Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Nauk, Poznań 2023, pp. LXXXV + 522 (Folia Jagellonica. Fontes 12).