A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
The most important writer of this period is the author of the so-called
_Dalimil_, a rhymed chronicle of the events of Bohemian history,
which, beginning with the deluge, ends with the close of the reign
of Henry of Carinthia (1310). The book was mostly written during the
reign of John of Luxemburg, Henry's successor. In no prince was the
cosmopolitan element inherent in chivalry so thoroughly developed as
in King John. The conduct of a prince who considered that Paris was
the most chivalrous city in the world, and who (anticipating the
modern American) declared that he did not care to live anywhere except
there, who visited Bohemia but rarely, and then only for the purpose
of levying taxes, and who expressed open contempt for the national
language, was bound to produce a strong national reaction in Bohemia.
The beginning of the great national movement which culminated in the
Hussite wars can undoubtedly be traced as far back as to the reign of
King John.
The author of the so-called _Chronicle of Dalimil_ is unknown; the
researches of recent Bohemian scholars, however, prove that he was a
Bohemian noble, probably belonging to the northern districts of the
country. From the contents of the book, which is plentifully supplied
with dates, it can be gathered that the author began writing in 1308
and finished his work in 1316; of the events from 1279 downward he
writes as an eye-witness.
_Dalimil's Chronicle_ is one of the most important works of Bohemian
literature and the first historical work written in the Bohemian
language. Its popularity, to which the pronounced Bohemian-nationalist
views of the author no doubt largely contributed, was very great. In
proof of this it may be mentioned that, in spite of the wholesale
destruction of Bohemian writings, nine complete manuscript copies of
the Chronicle are in existence; the oldest of them, curiously, is to
be found in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge. The work was
first printed in 1620, during the brief reign of Frederick of the
Palatinate, but this edition was from political motives destroyed after
the occupation of Prague by the Austrian troops in the autumn of the
same year. The book has been several times printed and published in the
present century.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account