Pious donations by the members of the royal family and other displays of their favour to the Church in 1310-1333(1335)
Abstract
The study deals with manifestations of favour towards the Church by members of the royal family in the lands of the Crown of Bohemia in 1310-1335. Among such manifestations there were acts of personal devotion and care for the posthumous memory of the ancestors, which at the same time became symbols of power and prestige.
Preserving the memory of one's ancestors was an important part of the legitimacy of the ruling monarch. The text focuses on activities of John the Blind, his wife Elizabeth, the queen-widow Elisabeth Richenza of Poland (Eliška Rejčka) and to a lesser extent also of the abbess Kunhuta.
As for the king, the study also describes his activities in the county of Luxembourg. The most typical example of a favourable approach to the Church were gifts, be it property or rights.
There were also confirmations of pre-existing rights, which however were often automatic and could not be unequivocally considered as manifestations of favour. As for John the Blind's donations, they were of both economic and political character, as well as memorial and representative.
Care for eternal memory and representation was also the chief motivation of the other royal members described.