Maledykcja w dokumencie polskim do końca XIII wieku
Maledictions in Polish Documents Until the End of the 13th Century

Summary/Abstract: The following article constitutes an attempt at providing a comprehensive overview of the use of the malediction (a penal formula) in medieval Polish documents. Over 150 instances present in Polish diplomatic documents written before the end of the 13th century have been analyzed for the purpose of this study. The first part of the text summarizes the current state of research, while the second part is devoted to formal and ideological analysis of the malediction. The analyzed formula was a characteristic element of documents issued until the middle of the 13th century, included predominantly in documents which regulated the relationship between secular and Church authorities. The article discusses the punishments and religious content included in those documents. The most commonly used maledictions were the threats of God’s wrath and divine punishment (both by God as well as the saints). The formula was characterized by the strong presence of eschatological ideas, typical for the medieval mindset. The conducted analysis has shown that the formula of the malediction was often accompanied by apprecation (a positive sanction) — together, they were supposed to encourage both sides to honor the resolutions of the document. The source material has been contrasted with iconographic and literary sources. Additionally, the author has attempted a stylistic analysis of the formula.

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