Poland, holy war, and the Piast monarchy, 1100-1230 / by Darius von Güttner-Sporzyński.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Güttner-Sporzyński, Darius von, author.

Contributor:

Constance L. Rosenthal Book Fund.

Series:

Europa sacra ; v. 14.

Europa sacra ; volume 14

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Crusades.

Poland--History--Piast period, 960-1386.

Poland.

History.

Crusades--Participation, Polish.

Piast dynasty.

Physical Description:

xii, 294 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Turnhout, Belgium : Brepols, [2014]

Summary:

Europa Sacra, This series is concerned with the relationship between religion, society, culture, and identity in Europe from the early medieval period to the end of the ancient régime, with particular emphasis on continuity and transformation within urban religious life and institutions. The series concentrates on medieval Europe, though may also include North Africa and the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on studies that focus on history in the longue durée. Poland, Holy War, and the Piast Monarchy, 1100-1230, This study charts the evolution of the ideology of holy war and crusading in medieval Poland through Polish incursions into the Baltic, the last bastion of paganism in Europe. It traces the transmission of the idea of holy war and crusade to north central Europe, explaining its impact on political and religious life in Poland, and Polish missionary and crusading activity in Prussia, Pomerelia, and Pomerania. Holy war and crusade helped influence state formation, politics, and dynastic succession. Key mechanisms by which the idea of holy war was transmitted to Poland are examined and compelling evidence is provided that the Polish elites were highly familiar with, and receptive to, the idea of crusade. The Polish elites were deliberate participants in Christian holy wars and undertook various crusading activities during the twelfth century. The influence of the idea of holy war on the actions of the Polish dynasts and the central role of women in the establishment of family traditions of participating in crusading are examined in some detail. Furthermore, this book explores the conditions that enabled the cause of the Christianization of Prussia to be taken up by the Teutonic Order by tracing the divergence of the idea of holy war in the Piast realm away from the norms of Latin Christendom in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. This work offers new perspectives for international studies of warfare sanctioned by religion. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 The Expansion of the Piast Realm, 960-1100 29

Chapter 2 The Evolving Idea of Holy War and Crusade 51

Chapter 3 Conquest of Pomerania: Boleslaw III and Holy War 77

Chapter 4 Mission and Crusade: Wladyslaw II and the Piast Juniors 107

Chapter 5 A Piast in the Holy Land: Henry of Sandomierz 135

Chapter 6 The Piasts and the Holy War Against the Prussians 161

Chapter 7 Missions to the Prussians and the Beginning of the Prussian Crusade 187.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Constance L. Rosenthal Book Fund.

ISBN:

250354794X

9782503547947

OCLC:

885452566

Publisher Number:

99960543984