Václav Šašek z Bířkova

Václav Šašek z Bířkova (2nd half of the 15th century) was a Bohemian junker and diplomat in the service of Jaroslav Lev von Rosental .

Life

Its exact name and origin are not known, but it is believed that it came from near Pilsen . From 1465 to 1467 he accompanied Lev von Rosental on his diplomatic journeys through Germany, Belgium, England, France, Spain to Portugal to Cape Finisterre and back via Italy and the Alpine countries. The purpose of the trip was diplomatic efforts by King Georg von Podiebrad and his wife Johanna von Rosental for a reconciliation with the European countries and the search for new allies against Pope Paul II , who proclaimed the Bohemian king a heretic. He wrote down his travelogues, impressions, and adventures in the Czech language. However, this work was lost. A Latin translation by the Olomouc bishop Stanislaus Pavlovský von Pavlovitz from 1577 has been preserved for posterity. František Augustin Slavík translated the work back into Czech.

For his merits Šašek z Bířkova was knighted .

Works

• Deník o jízdě a putování pana Lva z Rožmitálu az Blatné z Čech až na konec světa . (Diary about the journey and hike of Mr. Lev from Rosental and Blatna from Bohemia to the end of the world). The new title comes from the editors B. Mathesius, B. Ryba, J. Kolár, Prague 1974. The report describes the visit to Belgium, where the members of the 40-strong travel party saw ice skates for the first time. In France they came across the sea for the first time. During the trip they took part in several tournaments held in their honor, in which especially Mr. Kolovrat Žehrovský excelled. In Spain the group met pirates and lost Mr. Bořita z Martinic, who bought himself free. For the most part, however, the author described the landscapes of the countries visited, the habits of the population, but also the life of the nobles, individual cities, castles and monasteries. This work inspired Alois Jirásek to write his book Z Čech až na konec světa (From Bohemia to the End of the World).
• Jednota bratrská - traktát O trojím lidu

Literature and Sources

• Gabriel Tetzel from Nuremberg, Johann Andreas Schmeller, Václav Šašek z Bířkova: The Bohemian Lord Leo's from Rožmital knight, court and pilgrim journey through the West 1465-1467; Itineris a Leone de Rosmital nobili bohemo annis 1465-1467 per Germaniam, Angliam, Franciam, Hispaniam, Portugalliam atque Italiam confecti, commentarii coaevi duo. Printed at the expense of the Literary Society, 1843. - Edition of the Latin version by Václav Šašek z Bířkova and a German report by Gabriel Tetzel von Nürnberg, who was also traveling with him.

Web links

• Šašek z Bířkova, Václav in the repertory "Historical Sources of the German Middle Ages"
• Literature and other media by and about Václav Šašek z Bířkova in the catalog of the National Library of the Czech Republic
• Literature by and about Václav Šašek z Bířkova in the catalog of the German National Library