PV1A344 Medieval History of the Czech Lands

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
prof. Mgr. Libor Jan, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lukáš Reitinger, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. Mgr. Libor Jan, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Olga Barová
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 14:00–15:40 B2.32, except Tue 14. 11.
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
The aim of the subject is to acquaint the student with the basic trends of the development of Bohemian and Moravian medieval societies, to understand the decisive moments of the historical development. The students are introduced to the fundamental types of narrative sources: legends, chronicles, annals. The political history is put in the context of the sources of a material nature, primarily with the archaeological and artistic. A synopsi sis also presented of the basic paradigms and their representatives, the historians of the 19th and 20th centuries. Emphasis is also placed on the development of social stratigraphy and the transformations in the area of the economics of settlement. After completion, the students should be able to orient themselves in the given circles and understand the streams of the historical development of the Czech lands.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to: a basic grasp of medieval Czech history on a chronological basis, define acquainted with the main administrative, social, economic and cultural problems of the stated historical period. Emphasis is placed on a familiarisation with the principle sources, in particular with the authors of legends, chroniclers and annalists, as well as an understanding of the main explanatory trends and the development of paradigms in modern medievalist research.
Syllabus
  • The problems with sources in the history of Great Moravia.
  • The Christianisation of Bohemia, the Kristián Legend and the 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 Přemysl 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 Přemyslid rulers of the 13th century.
  • The great colonisation of the 13th century: cities, villages, emphyteusis, mining, changes in technology.
  • The growth of a knightly culture, the building of castles and war crafts.
  • Ruler and nobility during the Luxembourg period, the role of provincial law, the foundation of the Czech Kingdom.
  • The social and intellectual roots of the Hussite movement; Jan Hus, his predecessors and successors.
  • Changes in the Czech lands following the Hussite wars; concentrating on the Hussites in Moravia.
  • Economics during the Jagiellon period.
Literature
  • 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
  • MEZNÍK, Jaroslav. Lucemburská Morava 1310-1423. 1.vyd. Praha: Lidové noviny, 1999, 562 pp. ISBN 80-7106-363-0. info
  • TŘEŠTÍK, Dušan. Počátky Přemyslovců :vstup Čechů do dějin (530-935). Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 1997, 658 s. ISBN 80-7106-138-7. info
  • TŘEŠTÍK, Dušan. Kosmas. 2. vyd. Praha: Melantrich, 1972, 210 s. URL info
  • ŽEMLIČKA, Josef. Čechy v době knížecí (1034-1198). Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 1997, 659 s. ISBN 80-7106-196-4. info
Teaching methods
Seminar; Students will present an essay on a given topic
Assessment methods
Colloquium. Written test consisting of questions focusing on the basic notions of the discipline.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Autumn 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2023/PV1A344