HIA296 Cosmas of Prague and Vratislaus

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2022
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Martin Wihoda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Martin Wihoda, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Mon 16:00–17:40 B1.41
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 17 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 6/17, only registered: 0/17
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The seminar will focus mainly on the working with written sources, more precisely the analysis of the Chronicle of the Bohemians. The main subject of attention will be the chapters in which Cosmas described the duke, since the year 1085/1086 king Vratislav. It is known that Cosmas evaluated Vratislav critically, but it has not yet been possible to formulate a convincing answer as to why. In the seminar, a comparative analysis of examples of a good and a bad ruler will be applied, which focuses on the problem of why Cosmas considered Vratislav a ruler who did not live up to his duties.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will be able to:
- work critically with medieval narrative sources;
- to define the constitutional order of Bohemia in the 12th century;
- define the medieval ideal of a good and a bad ruler;
Syllabus
  • - Introduction to the issue, sources, literature;
  • - Cosmas of Prague and his time;
  • - The structure of the Chronicle of the Bohemians;
  • - Cosmas of Prague and libertas ecclesiae;
  • - Coronation of King Vratislav;
  • - The world of Czech leaders;
  • - Saints and Patrons;
  • - Old Czech myths;
  • - Founding of Prague;
  • - Charismatic Contract;
  • - Summary;
Literature
    required literature
  • Kosmas : [studie s výběrem z Kosmovy Kroniky] (Variant.) : Kosmas [Třeštík, 1972]. info
  • WIHODA, Martin. První česká království (The First Kingdoms of Bohemia). Vydání první. Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2015, 438 pp. Česká historie ; sv. 32. ISBN 978-80-7422-278-8. info
  • TŘEŠTÍK, Dušan. Kosmova kronika : studie k počátkům českého dějepisectví a politického myšlení. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1968, 251 s. URL info
    recommended literature
  • TŘEŠTÍK, Dušan. Mýty kmene Čechů : (7.-10. století) : tři studie ke "Starým pověstem českým". Praha: Lidové noviny, 2003, 291 s. ISBN 80-7106-646-X. info
Teaching methods
Work with the source, criticism and interpretation, class discussion, homwework, reading.
Assessment methods
Final written work.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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