Publication details
Královské insignie z kláštera Pegau a "obětování korun"
| Title in English | Royal insignia from the monastery Pegau and ‘sacrificing crowns’ |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Studia Mediaevalia Bohemica |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | History |
| Keywords | Pegau; crown; Wiprecht of Groitzsch; Vratislaus II.; Bohemia |
| Description | In the summer of 1096, Pegau Abbey not far from Leipzig was consecrated. The founder of the monastery Wiprecht of Groitzsch and his wife the Přemyslid Judita, daughter of King of Bohemia Vratislaus II (1061–1092) were not absent from the spectacular celebration. According to the Annals of Pegau, Judita approached then with a golden crown on her head and wearing a dress with gulden thread with a cloak to the local altar on which she placed the items decorated with gold and precious stones and dedicated them to the monastery. The study assigns the described event to the ritual of 'sacrificing crowns' and attempts to map the various symbolic levels of these acts, which the literature does not reflect in its entirety. The ceremonial submission of the crown, cloak and dalmatica on the altar of Pegau Abbey is also placed in the context of ‘sacrificing the crown’. The main topic of the study is however the question concerning the character and origin of the donated insignia. It appears to be very unlikely that Vratislaus' sons and daughters used crowns and brazenly wore them even after the death of their father and the end of his royal title. The idea that the royal 'crown decorated with gold and precious stones' were part of the commonly used gems of mere Duchess Judita is therefore hard to maintain. The diadem with ornate dress rather belonged to some king or queen and subsequently came into the ownership of Judita of Groitzsch, who nor more than uncommonly wore them for the handover to Pegau Abbey. The most likely place of origin of these jewels is the court from which the Přemyslid came, the court of her parents King Vratislaus and Queen Svatava. Besides the crown and cloak, the collection of royal insignia included also a dalmatica. This liturgical dress belonged to the coronation clothes of kings, not queens, which rather connects the donated gems with Vratislaus. |
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