Jan Dlugosz
Encyclopedia
Jan Długosz was a Polish
priest, chronicler, diplomat
, soldier
, and secretary to Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki of Kraków
.
Jan Długosz is best known for his Annales seu cronici incliti regni Poloniae (The Annals of Jan Długosz), covering events in southeastern Europe, but also in Western Europe, from 965 to 1480, the year he died. His work was first printed in 1701-1703. Whenever he bothers to mention himself in the book, he writes of himself in the third person
. He belonged to the Wieniawa coat-of-arms
.
Długosz was a canon
at Kraków
, educated in the University of Krakow. He was sent by King Casimir IV Jagiellon
of Poland on diplomatic missions to the Papal
and Imperial
courts, and was involved in the King's negotiations with the Teutonic Knights
during the Thirteen Years' War (1454–66) and at the peace negotiations.
In 1434, Długosz's uncle, the first pastor at Klobuck, appointed him to take over his position as canon of St. Martin church at Klobuck. The town was in the Opole
territory of Silesia
, but had recently been conquered by Władysław II Jagiełło
. Długosz stayed until 1452 and while there, founded the canonical monastery.
In 1450, Długosz was sent by Queen Sophia of Halshany
and King Casimir to conduct peace negotiations between John Hunyadi
and the Bohemia
n noble Jan Jiskra of Brandys, and after six days' of talks convinced them to sign a truce.
In 1455 in Kraków
, a fire spread which destroyed much of the city and the castle, but which spared Długosz's house.
In 1461 a Polish delegation which included Długosz met with emissaries of George of Podebrady
in Beuthen (Bytom
), Silesia
. After six days of talks, they concluded an alliance between the two factions. In 1466 Długosz was sent to the legate of Breslau (Wrocław), Silesia in order to attempt to obtain assurance that the legate was not biased in favor of the Teutonic Knights
. He was successful, and was in 1467 entrusted with tutoring the king's son.
Długosz declined the offer of the Archbishopric of Prague, but shortly before his death was elected Archbishop of Lwów
.
His work Banderia Prutenorum of 1448 is his description of the 1410 Battle of Tannenberg, which took place in the Prussian villages Grünfelde near Tannenberg. Dlugosz described the town wrongly as Grunwald. (After the 1945 conquest by Soviet Union and Poland Grünfelde was renamed Grunwald
and Tannenberg was renamed Stębark
.)
At some point in his life Dlugosz loosely translated Wigand of Marburg
's Chronica nova Prutenica from Middle High German
into Latin
, however also with many mistakes and mixup of names and places.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
priest, chronicler, diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, and secretary to Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki of Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
.
Life
Grammatical person
Grammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event; such as the speaker, the addressee, or others. Grammatical person typically defines a language's set of personal pronouns...
. He belonged to the Wieniawa coat-of-arms
Polish heraldry
Polish heraldry is a branch of heraldry focused on studying the development of coats of arms in the lands of historical Poland , as well as specifically-Polish traits of heraldry. The term is also used to refer to Polish heraldic system, as opposed to systems used elsewhere, notably in Western Europe...
.
Długosz was a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
at Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, educated in the University of Krakow. He was sent by King Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV KG of the House of Jagiellon was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440, and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.Casimir was the second son of King Władysław II Jagiełło , and the younger brother of Władysław III of Varna....
of Poland on diplomatic missions to the Papal
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and Imperial
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
courts, and was involved in the King's negotiations with the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
during the Thirteen Years' War (1454–66) and at the peace negotiations.
In 1434, Długosz's uncle, the first pastor at Klobuck, appointed him to take over his position as canon of St. Martin church at Klobuck. The town was in the Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
territory of Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, but had recently been conquered by Władysław II Jagiełło
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
. Długosz stayed until 1452 and while there, founded the canonical monastery.
In 1450, Długosz was sent by Queen Sophia of Halshany
Sophia of Halshany
Sophia of Halshany , was a Lithuanian princess of Halshany, Queen of Poland from , and the last wife of Jogaila.-Biography:...
and King Casimir to conduct peace negotiations between John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: Ioannes Corvinus or Ioannes de Hunyad, Romanian: Iancu (Ioan) de Hunedoara, Croatian: Janko Hunjadi, Serbian: Сибињанин Јанко / Sibinjanin Janko, Slovak: Ján Huňady) John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: ...
and the Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n noble Jan Jiskra of Brandys, and after six days' of talks convinced them to sign a truce.
In 1455 in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, a fire spread which destroyed much of the city and the castle, but which spared Długosz's house.
In 1461 a Polish delegation which included Długosz met with emissaries of George of Podebrady
George of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
in Beuthen (Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
), Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
. After six days of talks, they concluded an alliance between the two factions. In 1466 Długosz was sent to the legate of Breslau (Wrocław), Silesia in order to attempt to obtain assurance that the legate was not biased in favor of the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
. He was successful, and was in 1467 entrusted with tutoring the king's son.
Długosz declined the offer of the Archbishopric of Prague, but shortly before his death was elected Archbishop of Lwów
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
.
His work Banderia Prutenorum of 1448 is his description of the 1410 Battle of Tannenberg, which took place in the Prussian villages Grünfelde near Tannenberg. Dlugosz described the town wrongly as Grunwald. (After the 1945 conquest by Soviet Union and Poland Grünfelde was renamed Grunwald
Grunwald, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship
Grunwald is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Grunwald, within Ostróda County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately south of Ostróda and south-west of the regional capital Olsztyn...
and Tannenberg was renamed Stębark
Stebark
Stębark is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Grunwald, within Ostróda County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Ostróda and south-west of the regional capital Olsztyn. The village has a population of 630...
.)
At some point in his life Dlugosz loosely translated Wigand of Marburg
Wigand of Marburg
Wigand of Marburg was a German herald of the Teutonic Knights in Prussia and one of the notable chroniclers of the Middle Ages.Wigand expanded upon the earlier work of Nikolaus von Jeroschin...
's Chronica nova Prutenica from Middle High German
Middle High German
Middle High German , abbreviated MHG , is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350. It is preceded by Old High German and followed by Early New High German...
into Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, however also with many mistakes and mixup of names and places.
Works
- Annales seu cronicae incliti Regni Poloniae (Annals or Chronicles of the Famous Kingdom of Poland)
- Roczniki, czyli kroniki sławnego Królestwa Polskiego (new Polish translation of the Annals, 1961–2006)
- The Annals of Jan Dlugosz (English translation of key sections of the work, ISBN 1901019004)
- Historiae Polonicae libri xii (Polish Histories, in Twelve Books; written 1455–80; first published 1711-12, in 2 volumes)
- Banderia PrutenorumBanderia PrutenorumThe Banderia Prutenorum is a manuscript of 48 parchment sheets, 18.6 by 29.3 cm , composed by Jan Długosz and illuminated by Stanisław Durink, listing 56 vexillae, or banners, of the Order of the Teutonic Knights. The title means Blazons of the Prussians...
, flag book, completed in or shortly after 1448, when Stanislaw Durink painted the illuminationIllumination (image)Processing of illumination is an important concept in computer vision and computer graphics....
s.
External links
- Liber beneficiorum ecclesiae Cracoviensis ("Book of the Benefices of the Bishopric of Krakow") At the National Digital Library of Poland