Prague exhibition marks 900 years since the death of medieval chronicler Cosmas
A new exhibition on Cosmas opens tonight in the Mirror Chapel of Prague’s Klementinum, marking 900 years since the death of the country’s most famous chronicler and author of Chronica Boemorum (the Chronicle of the Bohemians), the first written account of Czech history.
"In Europe is situated Germania, in whose regions, across the northern plain, is a place spread very wide, girded everywhere by mountains in a circle. They are stretched in a marvelous way around the whole land, so that to the eye, it is as if one continuous mountain circles and protects all that land."
This is how Cosmas described the land of Bohemia in his Chronicle of the Bohemians, the foundational work of Czech historiography.
As dean of the St. Vitus Chapter at Prague Castle, and earlier a canon there, Cosmas was close to the princely court and often spoke with people who shaped the history of his time, says historian Tomáš Klimek, director of the historical and music collections of the National Library:
"At the same time, Cosmas was a priest and a supporter of the Prague bishopric, because this was one of the centres of power. He interpreted Czech history in a way that underscored the importance of the Church, of clerical learning, and also of the authority of the Prague bishop."
In the Mirror Chapel of Prague’s Klementinum, visitors can see nearly all preserved medieval manuscripts of Cosmas’s Chronicle. Among them is the rare Leipzig Manuscript, the oldest surviving copy, dated to the mid-12th century, which also contains the only known depiction of the author.
"This manuscript is especially significant because it contains a one-of-a-kind depiction of Canon Cosmas. While it’s possible the artist knew him, it is more likely a fictional portrait. We can tell this, for example, from the clothing, which does not match what he would probably have worn," adds Klimek.
Over the centuries, historians and writers have repeatedly turned to Cosmas as a primary source on early medieval history. Alois Jirásek drew on him in Old Czech Legends, and his influence extended into the 20th century as well. Michal Stehlík, director of the Museum of Czech Literature, explains:
"Anyone who wanted to popularize history had to turn to Cosmas. Even in Vladislav Vančura’s classic Images from the History of the Czech Nation, one finds the same root of this historical storytelling."
The Chronicle itself consists of three books. Cosmas completed the last volume in 1125, during the reign of Vladislav I, the last ruler of the Přemyslid Dynasty. He died that same year, and although his exact date of birth is unknown, he states the year of his birth in the text, says Klimek:
"It was the year 1045. If this is correct, then Cosmas, when he died in 1125, which we know for certain, would have been 80 years old. We really have little reason to doubt it."
The exhibition, titled Cosmas 900: The Chronicle in Time, was prepared by the National Library and Prague City Tourism. It opens to the public on Thursday and will run in the Mirror Chapel of Prague’s Klementinum until October 23.
