Domus Bolezlai: Values and Social Identity in Dynastic Traditions of Medieval Poland (c.966-1138) (East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 450-1450)

Focused on the formative force of national identity for the Poles the transmission of values the book offers a tour of a huge set of primary sources from the period 966-1138 in search of the traditions of the Piasts the ruling dynasty of Poland. Between The Middle Of The Tenth Century And The Middle Of The Twelfth Century, Both The Cultural And The National Identities Of The Poles Were Formed. They Were Determined By Political Decisions Made By The Rulers From The Piast Ruling House And Built On A Framework Consisting Of Stories Focused On The Piasts' Past. In All Of This, A Dynastic Tradition Supported By The Current Ruler And His Entourage Was Created And Re-created. In This Work, Tradition Is Understood As A Means Of Communication, The Aim Of Which Was To Transmit Values Which Define Ways Of Perceiving The World By Those People Who Accept This Tradition As Their Own - By The Poles. The Purpose Is To Seek Traces Of These Traditions And Values Still Alive In Polish Culture. -- From Back Cover. Part One: On The Trail Of Tradition -- Chapter One. Fragments - Scattered Evidence -- 1. The Starting Point - Dagome Iudex -- 2. The Lives And Passions Of St Wojciech -- The Vita Prior And The Vita Brunonis -- The Passion Of Tegernsee -- 3. St Bruno Of Querfurt's Life Of The Five Brothers And Letter To Henry Ii -- 4. Thietmar Of Merseburg - The Echo Of A Tradition -- Three Ladies -- Domus Bolezlai -- Bolesław In Kiev -- One Or Many Piast Traditions In The Chronicon Of Thietmar 5. The Epitaph Of Bolesław The Brave -- The Genesis Of The Monument -- The Dynastic Tradition Embedded In The Epitaph -- 6. The Codex Of Matylda -- 7. Gertrude's Prayer Book -- 8. Letter Of Władysław Herman To The Cathedral Chapter In Bamberg -- 9. Document Of The Legate Gilles, Cardinal Of Tusculum -- Chapter Two. Annalistic Records -- 1. The Written Sources -- 2. Two Models Of The Beginnings Of Polish Annalistic Writing -- 3. Stages Of The Recording Of Tradition --^ 4. Hypothetical Shape Of The Tradition -- Part Two: The Time Of The Great Narrative -- Chapter Three. The Shadow Of The Great Bolesław. The Chronicle Of Gallus Anonymous On The Descendants Of Piast -- 1. The Genesis And Structure Of The Chronicle -- The Aim Of Writing The Chronicle - Only The Glorification Of Bolesław Wrymouth? -- A Chronicle, About What Or Whom? -- The Problem Of The Authorship Of The Chronicle -- Gallus' Sources - Written Sources And Oral Tradition -- The Complex Structure Of The Chronicle -- 2. Gallus Anonymous' Presentation Of The Dynastic -- Tradition Of The Piasts -- In The Hut Of Piast -- Siemowit And The Accession To Power -- Pagans And Piasts -- An Omen Of The Passage - The Second Feast -- Mieszko -- Bolesław The Brave -- Mieszko Ii -- Kazimierz The Restorer -- Bolesław Ii The Bold -- Fall -- Mieszko, Son Of Bolesław -- Władysław Herman And The Shadow Of Bolesław Wrymouth --^ Chapter Four. The Embodiment Of Tradition? Bolesław Iii Wrymouth In The Chronicle Of Gallus Anonymous -- 1. The Fruitful Branch Of The Piast Family Tree -- Bolesław And Zbigniew -- Bolesław's Sole Role -- 2. The Tradition Of The Family Of The Descendents Of Piast In Gallus Anonymous -- Chapter Five. After Gallus Anonymous...the Traditions Of Bolesław And The Lives Of Bishop Otto Of Bamberg -- Duke Bolesław And Christ's Church -- Bolesław Iii As A Warrior And Initiator Of The Pomeranian Mission -- Part Three: Tradition In Action -- Introduction -- Chapter Six. Family Life And Family Tradition -- 1. The Child Brought Into The Tradition - The Problem Of Naming -- 2. Dynastic Policies - Marriages -- The Living And The Dead - Władysław Herman And Bolesław Wrymouth -- Chapter Seven. The Piast Gesture - A Sign Of Power -- 1. Under A Saint's Protection -- 2. Taking Power - Inheriting The Copy Of The Spear Of St Maurice -- 3. Power Defined By Gesture And Commentary --^ Bolesław The Brave And Mieszko Ii -- Bolesław The Bold - Władysław Herman - Bolesław Wrymouth -- Problematic Bullae - From Bolesław The Bold To Bolesław The Curly? -- The Piast Tradition Of The Iconography Of Power -- 4. Places Of Power - Places Of Tradition? -- Chapter Eight. Tradition: Foundations And Memory -- 1. Poland -- Foundations For The Diocesan Clergy -- Monasteries -- Movable Goods -- In The Face Of Death -- 2. The Reich -- Fulda -- Magdeburg -- Lüneburg -- Naumburg -- Bamberg -- Merseburg -- Niederlalteich -- Brauweiler -- Regensburg -- Pegau -- Quedlinburg And Gandersheim -- Zwiefalten -- The Monastery Of St Blaise (sankt Blasien/schwarzwald) -- 3. The Abbey Of Saint-gilles -- 4. A Piast Commemorative Tradition? -- Conclusion. By Przemyslaw Wiszewski ; [translated By Paul Barford]. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [539]-581) And Index. Between the middle of the 10th century and the middle of the 12th century both the cultural and the national identities of the Poles were formed. They were determined by political decisions made by the rulers from the Piast ruling house and built on a framework consisting of stories focused on the Piasts'past. In all of this a dynastic tradition supported by the current ruler and his entourage was created and re-created. Tradition was understood as communication, the aim of which was to transmit values which define ways of perceiving the world by those people who accept this tradition as their own – by the Poles. The aim of the work is to seek traces of these traditions and values still alive in Polish culture. Between the middle of the 10th century and the middle of the 12th century both the cultural and the national identities of the Poles were formed. They were determined by political decisions made by the rulers from the Piast ruling house and built on a framework consisting of stories focused on the Piasts past. In all of this a dynastic tradition supported by the current ruler and his entourage was created and re-created. Tradition was understood as communication, the aim of which was to transmit values which define ways of perceiving the world by those people who accept this tradition as their own by the Poles. The aim of the work is to seek traces of these traditions and values still alive in Polish culture.