__Mulieres suadentes__ - Persuasive Women: Female Royal Saints in Medieval East Central and Eastern Europe

Translated by Martina Fedorová & al. First published as Mulieres suadentes = Presviedčajúce ženy: Štúdie z dejín ženskej panovníckej svätosti v strednej a vo východnej Európe v 10.–13. storočí. LÚČ – vydavatelské družstvo Bratislava. In "Mulieres suadentes - Persuasive Women", Martin Homza scrutinises the genesis of ruler ideology among the most prominent East Central and Eastern European dynasties from the early and later Middle Ages. At the center of attention are the Přemyslids, the Piasts, the Rurikids, and the Árpáds, but also the main dynasties of the Balkans, namely the Trpimirović and the Nemanjić dynasties, as well as the House of Bogdan, and the Moldova dynasty of the Muṣatins. Unlike previous work, which has focused on narrative sources of male ruler hagiography, Homza studies texts concerning female royal figures. More broadly, this book also attempts to bridge the artificial gap between West and East in Europe. Contents 7 Acknowledgements 9 List of Illustrations and Tables 10 Abbreviations 12 Introduction 15 Chapter 1 Methodological Basis 17 Chapter 2 The Phenomenon of Mulieres Suadentes (Persuasive Women): Between the East and the West 22 1 Mulieres Suadentes 22 2 “Daughters” of St. Ludmila (?) 30 Chapter 3 Christian Female Ruler Archetype of Empress St. Helena 47 1 Imitatio Helenae (et Constantini) 47 2 Other Variants of the Imitatio Helenae (et Constantini) in Central-East Europe 63 3 Occurrence of the Name Helena within the Most Important European Dynasties until the End of the Thirteenth Century 75 Chapter 4 St. Ludmila of Bohemia, Model of Female Ruler Sainthood in Central-East Europe? 94 1 Historical and Cultural Foundations of the Cult of St. Ludmila 94 2 Imago Sanctae Ludmilae in the Homily Factum est, an Attempt of Analysis 103 3 St. Ludmila in the Cycle of St. Wenceslas 137 Chapter 5 St. Olga: The Mother of All Princes and Tsars of Rus’ 157 Chapter 6 Adelaide, Princess of Cracow and Wife of Grand Duke of Hungary Geza: On the Problem of Fictivity and Reality in East-Central European Medieval Narratives 183 1 An Attempt to Interpret the Role of Princess Adelaide in the Hungarian-Polish Chronicle 183 2 Princess Adelaide and origo Regni Hungariae 214 Conclusions 225 Bibliography 231 Index 257 Acknowledgements vii List of Illustrations and Tables viii Abbreviations x Introduction 1 1. Methodological Basis 3 2. The Phenomenon of Mulieres Suadentes (Persuasive Women): Between the East and the West 8 1 'Mulieres Suadentes' 8 2 'Daughters' of St. Ludmila (?) 16 3. Christian Female Ruler Archetype of Empress St. Helena 33 1 'Imitatio Helenae (et Constantini)' 33 2 Other Variants of the 'Imitatio Helenae (et Constantini)' in Central-East Europe 49 3 Occurrence of the Name Helena within the Most Important European Dynasties until the End of the Thirteenth Century 61 4. St. Ludmila of Bohemia, Model of Female Ruler Sainthood in Central-East Europe? 80 1 Historical and Cultural Foundations of the Cult of St. Ludmila 80 2 'Imago Sanctae Ludmilae' in the Homily 'Factum est', an Attempt of Analysis 89 3 St. Ludmila in the 'Cycle of St. Wenceslas' 123 5. St. Olga: The Mother of All Princes and Tsars of Rus’ 143 6. Adelaide, Princess of Cracow and Wife of Grand Duke of Hungary Geza: On the Problem of Fictivity and Reality in East-Central European Medieval Narratives 169 1 An Attempt to Interpret the Role of Princess Adelaide in the 'Hungarian-Polish Chronicle' 169 2 Princess Adelaide and origo Regni Hungariae 200 Conclusions 211 Bibliography 217 Index 243 In 'Mulieres suadentes / Persuasive Women', Martin Homza scrutinises the genesis of ruler ideology among the most prominent East Central and Eastern European dynasties from the early and later Middle Ages. At the center of attention are the Premyslids, the Piasts, the Rurikids, and the Árpáds, but also the main dynasties of the Balkans, namely the Trpimirović and the Nemanjić dynasties, as well as the House of Bogdan, and the Moldova dynasty of the Muṣatins. Unlike previous work, which has focused on narrative sources of male ruler hagiography, Homza studies texts concerning female royal figures. More broadly, this book also attempts to bridge the artificial gap between West and East in Europe