HIA296 Cosmas of Prague and Vratislaus

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
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
Tue 12:00–13:40 B1.41, except Mon 18. 11. to Sun 24. 11.
Prerequisites
Ability to work with narrative sources and literature.
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 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 6/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Kosmas' Chronicle of the Bohemians is considered one of the most important narrative sources to the Czech Middle Ages. Despite the rich literature, however, the motives that prompted Kosmas to write the story of the Bohemians have still not been convincingly described. A more careful reading of the chronicle, however, has shown that the interpretive key might lie in Kosma's relationship with the Bohemian prince, from 1085/1086 King Vratislav. In the framework of the seminar, therefore, the possibilities and limits of our knowledge will be approached.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course the student will be able to:
- work critically with narrative texts;
- define the nature of the changes in the Bohemian lands during the ducal period;
- write a study on the legitimacy of the power of the Bohemian dukes;
- compare the differences in the Holy Roman Empire before and after the struggle for investiture;
Syllabus
  • Introduction to the problem, state of knowledge, research questions;
  • Cosmas of Prague and his world;
  • Chronicle of Bohemians, origin and structure;
  • Cosmas' conception of ducal power;
  • Cosmas and Vratislav;
  • Good and bad rulers in the Chronicle of Bohemia;
Literature
  • Bretholz, Bertold, Weinberger, Wilhelm (edd.), Cosmae Pragensis Chronica Boemorum, Berlin 1923 (MGH SRG Nova series 2)
  • Wihoda, Martin, Kosmas, Argo Praha 2024 (Edice Historické myšlení 94), ISBN 978 80 257 4472 7.
  • KOSMAS. Kronika Čechů. Edited by Martin Wihoda, Translated by Karel Hrdina - Marie Bláhová. Vyd. 8., (v této úpravě a. Praha: Argo, 2011, 285 s. ISBN 9788025704653. info
  • TŘEŠTÍK, Dušan. Kosmas. 2. vyd. Praha: Melantrich, 1972, 210 s. URL info
  • TŘEŠTÍK, Dušan. Kosmova kronika : studie k počátkům českého dějepisectví a politického myšlení. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1968, 251 s. URL info
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminar exercises, group discussions, presentation of seminar papers
Assessment methods
Final group project
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2022.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2024/HIA296