Religious rituals of war and creation of Christian identity in East Central Europe in the 12th century Cover Image

Náboženské rituály vojny a vytváranie kresťanskej identity v stredovekej strednej Európe 12. storočia
Religious rituals of war and creation of Christian identity in East Central Europe in the 12th century

Author(s): Dušan Zupka
Subject(s): Political history, Middle Ages, 6th to 12th Centuries
Published by: Historický ústav SAV
Keywords: Religious Warfare; Holy War; Crusades; Rituals; Rulership; East Central Europe; High Middle Ages;

Summary/Abstract: Religious warfare was one of the various forms of rulership during the essential transformation of the High Middle Ages. The realms of East Central Europe witnessed augmented use of rituals of war, holy war rhetoric and crusading ideology in the course of their political, cultural and military integration into the sphere of the Latin Christendom. This article aims to provide several examples from the 12th century to illustrate the close connection between the exercise of power, ruling strategies and religious warfare in the Přemyslid, Árpad and Piast realms. These processes served to sacralize, legitimize and integrate the ruling dynasties and their rulers and to create a common Christian identity.

  • Issue Year: 68/2020
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 577-591
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Slovak