LMD08 Medieval History of the Czech Lands

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 15 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
prof. Mgr. Libor Jan, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Jiří Malíř, CSc.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Hana Ambrožová
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
A basic grasp of medieval Czech history on a chronological basis, becoming acquainted with the main administrative, social, economic and cultural issues of the given historical period. Emphasis is placed on work with the primary sources, especially the legends, chronicles and annals, as well as on an understanding of the main exegetic trends and the development of paradigms in modern medieval research. Emphasis is also placed on the Christianization of Moravia and Bohemia, the relationship between the Przemyslid rulers and the political elite, the links with the Roman-German Empire, the emergence of a knighthood in the 13th century, and rural and urban colonisation.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will:
have an overview of the medieval Czech history;
have a good knowledge of the primary sources relevant for the given period and their specific features;
understand the most important moments of the christianization of the Czech lands and Moravia and their implications;
apprehend the main exegetic trends and the development of paradigms in modern medieval research.
Syllabus
  • Sources for the history of Great Moravia.
  • The Christianisation of Bohemia, the Kristian´s Legend and possible survival of the Old Slavonic liturgy.
  • The organisation of the Church in Bohemia and Moravia from its foundation to the Hussite Wars.
  • The relationship between the Przemyslid rulers and the Roman-German Empire; the Czech ruler as an elector of the Roman Emperor.
  • The highest offices, the origin of the local court and the formation of aristocratic society; the transformation of the rulers’ domains and their officials.
  • The politics and territorial gains of the Przemyslid rulers in the 13th century.
  • The great colonisation of the 13th century: cities, villages, emphyteuses, mining, changes in technology.
  • The growth of a knighthood, the building of castles and war crafts.
  • The ruler and the nobility during the Luxembourg period, the role of provincial law, the foundation of the Czech Kingdom.
  • Social and intellectual roots of the Hussite movement; Jan Hus, his predecessors and successors.
  • Changes in the political and cultural situation in the Czech lands during the Hussite wars; distinctive features of the Hussites in Moravia.
  • Economics of the Jagellon period.
Literature
  • MEZNÍK, Jaroslav. Lucemburská Morava 1310-1423. 1.vyd. Praha: Lidové noviny, 1999, 562 pp. ISBN 80-7106-363-0. info
  • ŽEMLIČKA, Josef. Čechy v době knížecí (1034-1198). Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 1997, 659 s. ISBN 80-7106-196-4. info
  • TŘEŠTÍK, Dušan. Počátky Přemyslovců :vstup Čechů do dějin (530-935). Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 1997, 658 s. ISBN 80-7106-138-7. info
  • ŽEMLIČKA, Josef. Přemysl Otakar I. : panovník, stát a česká společnost na prahu vrcholného feudalismu. Vyd. 1. Praha: Svoboda, 1990, 361 s. ISBN 8020500995. info
  • ŽEMLIČKA, Josef. Století posledních Přemyslovců : (český stát a společnost ve 13. století). První vydání. Praha: Panorama, 1986, 316 stran. info
  • TŘEŠTÍK, Dušan. Kosmas. 2. vyd. Praha: Melantrich, 1972, 210 s. URL info
Teaching methods
Seminar; independent processing of a selected research issue.
Assessment methods
Seminar; students will present an essay on a given topic; credit.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught each semester.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006, Spring 2007, Autumn 2007, Spring 2008, Autumn 2008, Spring 2009, Autumn 2009, Spring 2010, Autumn 2010, Spring 2011, Autumn 2011, Spring 2012, Autumn 2012, Spring 2013, Autumn 2013, Spring 2014, Autumn 2014, Spring 2015, Autumn 2015, Spring 2016, Autumn 2016, Spring 2017, Autumn 2017, Spring 2018, Autumn 2018, Spring 2019, Autumn 2019, Spring 2020, Autumn 2020, Spring 2021, Autumn 2021, Spring 2022, Autumn 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Autumn 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2023/LMD08