Рolish Knights and Bulgaria in the Context of the First Crusade (“Crusaders” of Zofia Kossak) Cover Image

Полското рицарство и България в контекста на първия кръстоносен поход („Кръстоносци“ на Зофия Косак)
Рolish Knights and Bulgaria in the Context of the First Crusade (“Crusaders” of Zofia Kossak)

Author(s): Ivan G. Raychev
Subject(s): History, Language and Literature Studies, Foreign languages learning, Diplomatic history, Middle Ages, 6th to 12th Centuries
Published by: Великотърновски университет „Св. св. Кирил и Методий”
Keywords: Kossak; Samuil; First Crusade; Suffering; Redemption.

Summary/Abstract: Тhis article comes in connection with the 60th anniversary of the death of Polish writer Zofia Kosak (1899–1968). Нer most famous novel, Krzyїowcy (Crusaders), is mainly related to the First Crusade (1095–1099), but here we focus on an episode of the novel, which is a little deviant from the theme of the First Crusade and refers to another historical context. Thе article deals with the interpretation of Zophia Kosak of an important event of Bulgarian history – the return to Bulgaria after the defeat at the Battle of Belasitsa (1014) of Bulgarian soldiers blinded by the Byzantine emperor Basil II. We try to find the answer to the following questions: How, according to the novel Krzyїowcy, this event blends into the context of the First Crusade; Is there anything in common with the fate of the Bulgarian and Polish warriors in the XI century? Is it possible that the author has created “her own” “Bulgarian folk song”?

  • Issue Year: 27/2018
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 188-192
  • Page Count: 5
  • Language: Bulgarian