Chronica Slavorum

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Beginning of the Lübeck manuscript of the Chronica Slavorum (15th century)

The Chronica Slavorum ( Chronicle of the Slavs ), written by Helmold von Bosau , describes the eastern settlement and the missionary work of the Slavs, especially from Otto I.

It deals primarily with the formation of power, settlement and mission in Ostholstein, Mecklenburg and Pomerania, but also in Brandenburg and Scandinavia. Helmold describes the religion, culture and society of the pagan tribes east of the Elbe, who are called Elbe and Baltic Sea Slavs in modern research . When differentiating between the tribes on the Baltic Sea, in the first chapter he emphasizes the Pruci / Prussians , which he mistakenly considers Slavs, because of their "virtues"; they serve as a projection surface for criticism of Christians. The focus of his chronicle (108 chapters) deals with the historical events in the Slavic area between Kiel ( Wagrier ) over the Mecklenburg ( Obotriten ) and Rügen ( Ranen ) to Stettin ( Pomoranen ), which corresponds approximately to the Billunger Mark , namely in the Time from Charlemagne to 1168 .

Tribal area of ​​the Wagrians, Obotrites, Rugans and Pomorans around the year 1000

As sources, Helmold mainly used Adam von Bremen , the Viten Willehads and Ansgar , supplemented by oral tradition and his own experience. Helmold's Slavic Chronicle is considered the most important written source in Lower Germany in the 12th century. Arnold von Lübeck continued the chronicle ( Arnoldi Chronica Slavorum ) from 1171 to 1209. Ernst von Kirchberg translated it into high German rhyme form in 1378/79. The oldest edition was published by Schorkel (Frankfurt 1556).

literature

Editions and translations

  • Helmold: Slawenchronik = Helmoldi Presbyteri Bozoviensis Chronica Slavorum (= selected sources on German history of the Middle Ages. Vol. 19). Retransmitted and explained by Heinz Stoob . Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt 1963 (2nd, improved edition. Ibid 1973, ISBN 3-534-00175-3 ).
  • Helmolds Chronik der Slaven (= Geschichtschr. D. German prehistoric times 2. Gesammtausg. Vol. LVI ) Translation based on the edition of the Monumenta Germaniae , Leipzig 1894 books - google (PDF; 5.4 MB)

Secondary literature

Individual evidence

  1. Volker Scior: The own and the foreign. Identity and foreignness in the chronicles of Adam von Bremen, Helmolds von Bosau and Arnold von Lübeck (= Orbis Mediaevalis 4). Akademie-Verlag, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-05-003746-6 , p. 215.