Publication details
Berounská sídelní komora v raném a vrcholném středověku (před r. 1419). Úvaha nad majetkovou strukturou mikroregionu a nad reprezentativností našich pramenů k dějinám osídlení
| Title in English | The Beroun District Settlement Chamber in the Early and High Middle Ages (before 1419). Consideration of the property structure of the microregion and of the representativeness of our sources on the history of settlement |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Medievalia historica Bohemica |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | History |
| Keywords | Beroun; Karlštejn; Tetín; early middle ages; high middle ages; lesser nobility; history of power; social control and communication; subjects in middle ages; regional history; central Bohemia |
| Description | The area, which today is connected with the historic town of Beroun, the historic monastery of St John, the former provostry of the Ostrov monastery, Tetín fortified settlement or Castles Karlštejn, Žebrák and Točník, figured in the historical sources already from the beginning of the 10th century. The presence of the ducal castle of Tetín (but also of several other early medieval castles, on which we however do not know much from the perspective of history or archaeology) proves the interest of the duke in the control of the area being studied. Only later is there more evidence of the presence of the elites, which come thanks to the structure of the preserved sources. While the importance of Tetín decreases during the 13th century, the town of Beroun is gradually forming, a new buttress of sovereign power. The first half of the 14th century brought another reinforcement of the property presence of the ruler, when some more estates were redeemed or exchanged and when Karlštejn was built. It is also impossible to ignore the relatively dense network of small fortified seats, which belonged predominantly to members of the lesser aristocracy. This social group was a very important “reservoir” of ducal servants, just as it played an important role in the resolution (but certainly also the evocation) of local disputes. The property of these families of lesser nobility was apparently small. Despite the existence of a significant number of families, we record only four churches, the patronage of which would have been connected with the lower aristocracy; we also very often record the existence of multiple owners in individual villages. Hence, for most the revenue of the small owners could not be sufficient to make a living. The small number of reports allows only a few episodic views into the legal, social and economic position both of the class and of the serfs there. Observing the dynamic of these classes on the territory of the Beroun district is hardly possible at the given time, but the prepared analysis of the Karlštejn accounts from the times of the Hussite revolution promise further results. |