200px, ''Historia Polonica'', Vincenti Kadłubkonis Episcopi Cracoviensis, 1612
''Chronica seu originale regum et principum Poloniae'', short name ''Chronica Polonorum'', is a
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
history of Poland
The history of Poland spans over a thousand years, from medieval tribes, Christianization and monarchy; through Poland's Golden Age, expansionism and becoming one of the largest European powers; to its collapse and partitions, two world wars ...
written by
Wincenty Kadłubek between 1190 and 1208 CE. The work was probably commissioned by
Casimir II of Poland. Consisting of four books, it describes Polish history.
Kadłubek included in his work many legendary and anachronistic events in an attempt to connect Polish history to antiquity, for example battles against
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...
or events from early medieval Poland (for example the story of
Princess Wanda). Such practice was not uncommon among chronicles in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
.
The first, second, and third books are composed as a classical dialogue, where the author positions himself as a witness of a conversation. The Chronica's use of this style is unique in medieval literature but was frequently used in antiquity.
Bibliography
* Grodecki R., Mistrz Wincenty Kadłubek, biskup krakowski, „Rocznik Krakowski” 10 (1923), s. 30-61.
* Kozłowska –Budkowa Z., Rezygnacje biskupów krakowskich Wincentego i Iwona, „Nasza Przeszłość” 23 (1970), s. 35-44.
* Kürbis B., Wstęp,
:Mistrz Wincenty (tzw. Kadłubek), Kronika polska, przeł. i oprac. B. Kürbis, wyd. 2 przejrzane, Wrocław 1996, s. III-CXXXII.
* Kürbis B., Wstęp,
:Mistrza Wincentego Kronika Polska, tłum. K. Abgarowicz i B. Kürbis, wstęp i komentarze B. Kürbis, Warszawa 1974, s. 5-70.
* Plezia M., Kadłubek, dzieje imienia,
:Od Arystotelesa do Złotej Legendy, Warszawa 1958, s. 314-316.
* Plezia M., Mistrz Wincenty zwany Kadłubkiem,
:Pisarze staropolscy, sylwetki, Warszawa 1991, T. 1, s. 102-111.
* Plezia M., Wstęp,
:Magistri Vincentii Chronica Polonorum, edidit, praefatione notisque instruixit Marianus Plezia, Kraków 1994, s. V-XXXIV.
* Śliwiński K., W sprawie pochodzenia mistrza Wincentego, „Studia Źródłoznawcze” 24 (1979), s. 169-171.
* tzw. Kadłubek Wincenty, w: Bibliografia literatury polskiej Nowy Korbut, T. 2, Piśmiennictwo staropolskie, hasła osobowe A-M, Warszawa 1964, s. 299-302.
* Zeissberg H., Dziejopisarstwo polskie wieków średnich,
rzeł. A. PawińskiWarszawa 1877, T. 1, s. 89-96.
External links
Text of ''Chronica'' in Latin''The Chronicle of the Poles by Vincentius Bishop of Cracow'' first English critical edition.
''Constructing memory: holy war in the Chronicle of the Poles by Bishop Vincentius of Cracow''''Vincentius Bishop of Kraków''''Wincenty Kadlubek''
{{Polish Medieval chronicles
Polish chronicles
13th century in Poland
13th-century history books
13th-century Latin books
Latin-language literature
