Gladius, XII (1974), pp. 33-42 Marian Głosek and Leszek Kajzer ISSN 0435-029X

THE SWORD FOUND AT OSIECZNA IN GREAT

BY MARIAN GLOSEK and LESZEK KAJZER

FEW specimens of Polish swords were studied in separate papers. An exception is the PólishPolish kings' sword called «»,

1' A. NADOISKI:NADOLSKI: SzczerbiecSzczerbzec- - the PoltshPolish Coronation Coronatzon Sword, in «The<(The Journal of the Arms and Armour Society», Societya, vol.vo!'v01 VI, no. 6, June 1969, pp. 183-184; the same, SzczerbiecSzczerbzec (Epée(Epee(Epe'e de sacre polonatsepolonaise Szczerbiec), in NuNa gramcachgranicach archeologii:archeologti «Acta

33 Digitalizado por InterClassica Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://interclassica.um.es http://gladius.revistas.csic.es Gladius, XII (1974), pp. 33-42 Marian Głosek and Leszek Kajzer ISSN 0435-029X

,- ., T : ( : Irl~1 l~r , ~t Iv ¡ ~ \'-1 \~' ;xJ \~, tj 1 tj 8 1--,¡¿; 1 f­ ;..-/ I \ ~I Ii ~II l i V J.~_1. " U- -

.,"', -.:;

FlG.FIG.FIG.l.-TheI.-The l.-The swordsword /romfromfrom Osiec:zna,Osiecma, distr.distr. LesznoLeszno (des(des.. .T.J. Wieczorek).Wieczorek).

34 Digitalizado por InterClassica Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://interclassica.um.es http://gladius.revistas.csic.es Gladius, XII (1974), pp. 33-42 Marian Głosek and Leszek Kajzer ISSN 0435-029X

slightly contracted and curved towards the pommel. The pommel is nearly round, thick and faceted. The tang rivet of the hilt is invi-invi­ sible (?).

DECORATIONS AND INSCRIPTION

Both the blade faces are covered with the remains of nearly identical decorations and inscriptions made of yellow metal, set (probably ham-ham­ mered in) into the previously carvedcal"ved grooves. The metal has almost

FIG. 2.-Crowncd2.-Crowned hcadhead 011on the swotsword ,d (Photo: K. PieszyIÍska).Pieszyriska).

completely disappeared and thus the content of the images can be de­de- duced from the engraved grooves only. On the fuller, c. 13 cm. from the top of the blade, there is a crowned head, 3,5 cm. in lenght, with the top of the crown turned to\vardsto~rardsthe point (Fig. 2). On the gently curved neck, bearing the traces of three horizontal lines -maybe the remains of thethe gown- there is mounted an almond-shaped male face, framed with curly hair slightly tucked in and gently fal1ingfalling down to the level a littleHttle above thethe chin.chino The anatomic featuresfeatures of the face includeinelude

35 Digitalizado por InterClassica Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://interclassica.um.es http://gladius.revistas.csic.es Gladius, XII (1974), pp. 33-42 Marian Głosek and Leszek Kajzer ISSN 0435-029X

thethe mouthmouth markedmarked withwith two half-arches,half-arches, thethe eyeseyes composedcomposed ofof twotwo notnot conterminousconterminous horizontalhorizontal strokes, strokes, thethe lowerlower ofof whichwhich isis distinctlydistinctly curvedcurved down,down, andand thethe nose,nose, drawndrawn withwith doubledouble strokes strokes separatingseparating gentlygently intointo thethe eyebroweyebrow arches.arches. OnOn thethe head,head, onon thethe prolongationprolongation ofof thethe externalexternal lineline ofof thethe cuds,curls,curls, therethere isis aa high cone-shaped cone-shaped (?)(?) crown,crown, terminatingterminating in in threethree pointspoints crowned crowned withwith lozenges.lozenges. TheThe twotwo side-pointsside-points areare shorter,shorter, thethe centralcentral oneone surpassingsurpassing themthem byby thethe lengthlength ofof lozenge.Iozenge.lozenge. TheThe obliqueoblique strokesstrokes ofof thethe lozengeslozenges probablyprobably markmark the the additionaladditional decorationdecoration ofof thethe crowncrown tops. tops. Right Right behind behind thethe crowncrown there there isis aa ten-letterten-letter inscriptioninscription (height(height ofof thethe lettersletters c.C.c. 11-1211-12 mm.),mm.), writtenwritten inin thethe capital,capital, slightlyslightly similarsimilar toto thethe uncial,uncial, composedcomposed ofof thethe lettersletters NRUDICNUDI,NRUDICNUDI, endedended withwith aa crosscross withwith equalequal arms, arms, c.c. 66 mm.mm, long.long. (Fig.(Fig. 3).3). TheThe endend ofof thethe crosscross arm arm isis

FIG.FIG. 3.-Parl3.-Part3.-Part 01ofof thethe bladeblade withwilhwith figurefzgure andand inscription.inscription.

situatedsituated 3636 cm.cm. fromfrom thethe toptop ofof thethe blade.blade. OnOn thethe verticalvertical axisaxis ofof thethe sword,sword, 6464 cm.cm. fromfrom thethe toptop ofof thethe blade,blade, tberetherethere isis aa cirelecirclecircle ofof c.c. 88 mm.mm. inin diameter,diameter, containing containing horizontalhorizontal strokes strokes ofof 2-32-3 mm.mm. placedplaced sideside byby side,side, whichwhich probably probably are are fragments fragments ofof anan equal-armedequal-armed crosscross inscribedinscribed intointo thethe cirele.circle.circle. TheThe figuresfigures andand inscriptionsinscriptions ofof thethe secondsecond face face ofof thethe swordsword areare visiblevisible lessless elearly,clearly, clearly, thoughthough theythey areare situated situated analogicallyanalogically toto thosethose describeddescribed aboye.above. above. TheThe detailsdetails ofof thethe king'sking's head head areare indistinct. indistinct. OnlyOnly thethe rightright eye,eye, thethe externallinesexternalexternal lineslines ofof thethe cudscurlscurls andand thethe crowncrown terminalsterminals are are welJwellwell marked. marked. InIn spitespite ofof thethe fragmentaryfragmentary nature ofof thethe inscriptioninscription itit isis permissiblepermissible toto thinkthink that that itit consistedconsisted ofof differentdifferent lettersletters thanthan the the previousprevious one.one. TheseThese are: are: ?,?, U,U, ?,?, CC oror G,G, ?,?, N,N, D,D, I,I, C,C, 1.L. OnlyOnly aa smallsmall fragmentfragment ofof thethe armarm ofof thethe cross,cross, endingending thethe inscription,inscription, isis visible.visible. OnOn thethe otherother hand, hand, thethe circleclrelecircle intersectedintersected byby fourfour unconnectedunconnected arms arms ofof thethe crosscross is is moremore distinct.distinct.

36 Digitalizado por InterClassica Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://interclassica.um.es http://gladius.revistas.csic.es Gladius, XII (1974), pp. 33-42 Marian Głosek and Leszek Kajzer ISSN 0435-029X

MEASUREMENTS OF THE SWORD

Overall length 103 cm. (preserved); length of the blade 84,7 cm. (preserved); length of guard 15,2 cm.; breadth of blade 5,7 cm.; height of guard 0,8 cm.; height of pomme15pommel 5 cm.; breadth of pommel 5 cm.; length of tang 12,2 cm.; largest breadth of tang 3 cm. In the light of the typology of European swords as worked out by A. Bruhn Hoffmeyer 2 the sword from Osieczna can be assigned to group III,111, or -to be more exact- to group IIIc. According to Oak­Oak- eshott's typology 3 we can assign the blade of the sword to type XII. The guard is of an intermediary form between types 3 and 2, but the massive pommel corresponds with type I according to the same clas­ clas- sification system. Accordingly, the sword can be defined as follows: type XII, I, 3 to 2. Five swords of thisthís type are known from the Polish area and generalIygenerally dated as the 13th century 4. R. E. Oakeshott did not establish a precise chronology for European swords of type XII, dating them generally as from the second half of the 12th century to the first half of the 14th century, though they are most frequent in the 13th century s.'. We think that the sword from Osieczna should be as­as- signed to the 13th century, though by comparing it with other swords of this type a more exact date, i. e. the second half of the 13th century, can be suggested. The representation of the king's head on the sword, drawn with a soft line in spite of the considerable resistance of thethe material, is an undoubted work of art. The gentle curve of the neck, the light outline of the long cudscurls and thethe shape of the face, make us see in this image a fine example of a king's portrait of thethe classic . The general character of the representationrepresentatíon isis close tolO that of prince Henryk IV Probus on his tombstone, dating from the turn of the 13th/14th cen-cen­ turies 6.'j. We think that the dating of the representation on the Osieczna sword to the second haHhalf of the 13th century is very plausible, because

2 A. BRUHN-HoFFMEYER:BRUHN-HOFFMEYER:MiddelaldevensMiddelalderens tveaeggede svaerd, Kobenhavn,Kabenhavn, 1954, vol.vo1. 1, p. 44. 3 R. E. OAKESHOTT: The SwordSwovd in the Age 01of Chivalry,Chivalvy, New York/Washington,Yorklwashington, 1965,1965. p.D. 37. 4 'M.M. Gl.OSEKGLOSEKund A. NAOOLSKI:NADOLSKI:Miecze Svedniowecznesrednioweczne z ziem polskich (with English summary: Medieval Sword fromIroll1froll1 Polish Territories): «ActactActa Archaeologica Lodziensia),,Lodziensia», no. 19, Gdi,Lodz,Lódz, 1970, catalogue nos. 3, 4, 16, 25, 60. , R. E. OAKESHOTT: op. cit., pp. 37·40.37-40. , T. DOBRZENIECKI: WroclawskiWroctawski pomnik HenrykuHenryRa IV,IV, Warszawa, 1964; J. KE-KI::­KJ::­ Bl.OWSKI:BLOWSKI: Pomniki Piusto'wPiastówPiast6w Slqskich (with English summary:StllI1mary: MonztmentsMonuments of01 Silesian. Piasts in the ). Wrodaw-Warszawa-Kraków-Gdansk,Wrodaw.Warszawa-Krakow-Gdansk,Wrodaw-Warszawa-Krak6w-Gdansk, 1971, pp. 44-72, phot.photo 6-9.

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itit isis well placed inin the art of thisthis time. On thethe other hand, itit is difficult as well as riskyrisky to connect this representation with somesorne definite work-work­ shop or even with a country. In thisthis case we\Ve should confine ourselves to thethe statement that it represents thethe characteristic formform of thethe 13th centurycentllry Gothic art and thatthat itsits workmanship shows an artist not only sensitive butbllt also eagerly accepting and understanding thethe style of the time. The representation of thethe crowncrawn deserves attention. Its proportions are Gothic.Gothic, and within thethe comDasscompass of this stvlestyle one shouldshollld seek analo-analo­ gies. ~he'GothicThe Gothic crownscrawns fromLbeforeframfrom before the middle of thethe 14th century, known from iconography and a few preserved monuments 7 (when the characteristic high fleuronsfleurans became common) have typicaltypical fleur-de-lis terminals which should be expected toto occur in thethe representation under discussion. However we seem toto deal here with a schematic drawing. This statement is supported by the only representationrepresentatíon of the crowncrawn known fromfram the sword blade. It is presented twice on the swordswordwhich which dates fromfram the second halfhaH of the 13th century and is connected with the Bohemian king Przemysl Otakar I1II and his second crusade against the Prussians s. The círelescircles placed on both sides of the s\Vordsword beneath the fuller demand consideraríon.consideration. We think they are sword-marks, i. e. marks made on the blade bvby thethe artisan or worksho~.workshop, where the blade was finally polished, put toiethertogether and mounted. Though hough it is hard to reconstruct fully the original shape of the mark because of the poor state of its preservation, we can state that thethe combinations composed of crosses and cirelescircles are among the most popular sword-marks in whole medieval EurapeEurope 9. Let us proceed now to analyse the inscription on the Osieczna sword 10.l'. The letters on both sides are not equally preserved. In the inscription NRUDICNUDI, written mostly in capital, the first letter U ascillatesoscillates towards the uncial.uncia!' The inscri~tioninscriotiuIlinscriDtiuIl on the other sidesi de is alsoalso

7' P. E. SCHRAMM: HerrschaftszeichenHerrsehaftszeiehen und StaatssYl71bolik, Staatssymbolik, in SehriftenSchriften der Mo-Mo­ numenta Germaniae Histol'iea,Historica, Stuttgart, 1954, vol.vo!' 3. 8 H. SEGER: Ein Prunksehwel'tPrunkschwert aus der dev Zeit der Kreuzzüge,Kreuzziige,Kreurzuge, in «Schlesiensctschlesiens Vor­Vor- zeítzeit in Bild und Schrift NF.»,NF.n, Bd. 6, 1912, p. 79; P. BOHM: Konig Ouokt1rsOt/okarsOttokavs Sehwert,Schwert, in «SchlesiensctSchlesiens Vorzeit ...»,n, Bd. 8, 1924, p. 41; B. BRACKMANN und W. UN­UN- WERZAGT: Zantoeh,Zantoch, eine Burg in deutsehendeutschen Osten, Leipzig, 1936, pp. 137-138; A. BRuHN-HoFFMEYER:BRUHN-HoFFMEYER:BRUIIN-HOFFMEYER:op. cit., vol.vo!' 2, p. 21, no. 93; M. Gl:.OSEKGLOSEKund A. NADOLSKl:NADOLSKI: op. cit., catalogue no. 54. , M. Gl:.OSEK:GLOSEK:Znaki i napis)'napisy na mieezaehmieczach sredniowieezn)'ehsredniowieczn)'chiredniowiecznych 10zu PolseePolsce (Marks and inscriptions on sword from the Polish tel'ritories)territories),, type writing, Lodz,tód:i,Udi, 1971 (in press). JO'O We'd like to thank doc.doe. dr. R. Rosin of History Institute of University of Lodztód:iL6di for his help in the inscription analyzc.analyze.

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written in capital with an addition of uncial.unciaL The letter U is completely uncial, the next N is more uncial than capital. There remains the question of deciphering the letters in this inscription. The first letter -as follows from its distance to the next one- is the incomplete let­let- ter N with only one stroke preserved. Analogically, the third letter is only in fragment, as is suggested by the empty place before the next letter G. Its shape suggests that we dedeal al with the letter A. The last letter in this inscription is L, though it might be the fragment of letter D. Thus, in our opinion the inscription would read NUAGNNDICL. Most of the letters in each inscription are shaded and seem to be patterned after lapidary writting. The whole represents the Romanesque writting, except the letter D in the first inscription, which definitely refers to the Gothic writing. As mentioned aboye,above, the inscription on the sword from Osieczna belongs to the camparativelycomparatively numerous group of inscriptions, in which the group of three letters DIC (DIG?) runs. This group was discussed by R. Wegeli l',11, who analysed 9 swords with these inscriptions. Though only few specimens have been loca!ized,localized, it seems permissible to connect them with North . The recent finds also can confirm the thesis that they were used and perhaps produced in the area which included Mecklenburg, Brandenburg and North-West Poland 12. The Osieczna specimen differs from swords of the DIC group in having the king's head engraved on it, which has no analogies in the European material 13. The co-appearanceCO-appearanceof the inscription DIC with the figurative representation places our specimen among the most inter-inter­ esting European swords. The figurative images on medieval swords are generally very rare and that is why they should be discussed. As an example we\Ve ought to mention the sword of emperor Albrecht n,11,Il, made in Passau c.C. 1438, and kept until the Second World War in Berlin's Zeughaus 14. Both sides of its dics-shapeddies-shaped pommel are covered with coats of arms, with the figure of an eagle on the first, and a rampant !ionlion on the secandosecond. The most interesting swords for us are those with

11" R. WEGELI: InschriftenI nschriltennschriften aulauf mittelalterlichen Schwertklingen, ínin ctzeitschrift«2eítschríft«2eitschrift fiirfürfur HistorischeHístorísche Waffenkunde»,Waffenkunde),, Bd. 3, 1902-1905, pp. 177-183, 218-225, 261-268, 290-300. l212 U. SCHOKNECHT: Bemerkenswerte mittelalterliche NeufundeNeulunde aus dem Bezirk Neubrandenburg, ínin BodendenkmalpflegeBadendenkmalpflegeBodendenkmalpllege in Mecklembuvg,Mecklemburg, Jhb.,]hb., 1970, Berlin,Berlín, 1971, p.D. 284;284: the same,same. Ein Fund mittelalterlichermzttelalterltcher WallenWaffen vanvon Leuetzow.Levetzaw,Levetzow, kreis Wismer,Wismev. there,;here, Jhb.,]hb., 1967, p. 283. IJl3 The analogy is also unknown to dr. O.0. Gamber, the Keeper Waffensammlung ínin Viens.Víens. Letter of 5. 09. 1972 in the authors' possession. 14l4 M. J. BINDER: EillEin KontgschwertKonigschwert im Zeughaus, inín «2eitschriftctzeitschrift fürfUrfiir Historische Waffenkunde»,Waffenkunde,,, Bd. 6, 1912-1914, p. 25.

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figurativefigurative motifs motifs onon bladesblades similar similar toto thethe OsiecznaOsieczna specimen. specimen. WorthyWorthy ofof notenote isis thethe sword sword connectedconnected withwith thethe German German king,king, Rudolf Rudolf 1II Habs­Habs- burgburg thethe meritoricusmeritoricus creator creator ofof hishis house'shouse's powerpower 15.15. BothBoth sidessides ofof itsits bladeblade are are covered covered byby thirteen-lettersthirteen-Iettersthirteen-letters inscriptionsinscriptions withwith two two coatscoats ofof armsarms beneath:beneath: one one withwith thethe figurefigure ofof thethe eagle,eagle, thethe otherother \vithwithwith rampantrampant líon.lion.lion. AnAn interestinginteresting specimenspecimen is is thethe sword,sword, probablyprobably derivedderived fromfrom South South GermanGerman workshopsworkshops andand connected connected withwith PrzemyslPrzemysl OtakarOtakar nIlI116, 16, keptkept pre­ pre- sentlysently atat ViennaVienna (Waffensammlung(Waffensammlung A34W).A34W). ItItis is dateddated byby O.0.Gamber Gamber toto the the yearsyears betweenbetween 12531253and and 1278.1278. OnOn oneone ofof itsits facesfaces therethere isis thethe inscriptioninscription TEVDISTEVDIS andand anan obliquely obliquely placed placed heraldic heraldic shield, shield, crowned crowned withwith the the potpot helmethelmet withwith thethe crestcrest terminating terminating inin aa plume.plumeoplume. OnOn thethe otherother faceface therethere isis thethe inscriptioninscription RC RC oror GFBNA,GFBNA, andand the the crowned crowned rampantrampant lion. lion. Another Another swordsword connectedconnected withwith PrzemyslPrzemysl OtakarOtakar n,Il,11, andand mentioned mentioned above,above, '\Vaswaswas foundfound at at Santok Santok".17. OnOn bothboth itsits faces,faces, atat thethe toptop ofof thethe blade,blade, therethere areare twotwo coatscoats ofof arms,arms, oneone withwith the the Przemyslides'Przemyslides' crowned crowned lion, lion, thethe other other with with aa cross.crosS.cross. UnderUnder thethe latter, latter, onon the the faceface ofof thethe blade,blade, there there is is a a badlybadly preserved preserved reversed reversed drawing.drawing. ItIt presentspresents a a heavyheavy armouredarmoured knight knight on on horseback,horseback, withwith aa pot pot hel­hel- metmet overover whichwhich aa crown crown hashas ben ben placed. placed. Above, Above, therethere isis aa rampantrampant líonlionlion (?),(?), andand furtherfurther on,on, figuresfigures ofof threethree heavy-armedheavy-armed men men holding holding spears,spears, withwith headsheads covered covered withwith potpot helmetshelmets crownedcrowned with with gems.gems. ThereThere isis consensusconsensus ofof opinionopinion thatthat thisthis drawing drawing represents represents Przemysl Przemysl OtakarOtakar n,Il,11, leadingleading aa crusade. crusade. ItIt isis believed believed thatthat thisthis sword sw,ordwas was of­of- feredfeferedred toto thethe kingking ofof BohemiaBohemia by by thethe TeutonicTeutonic KnightsKnights duringduring hishis raidsraids againstagainst thethe Prussians.Prussians. TheThe datingdating ofof thethe swordsword isis controversia!.controversial.controversial. Re­Re- centlycently itit hashas been been connectedconnected withwith thethe secondsecond crusade crusade undertakenundertaken byby PrzemyslPrzemysl OtakarOtakar nIlI1 inin 1267126718. 18. AA closeclose analogy analogy isis representedrepresented by by the the swordsword (mentioned (mentioned byby R.R. Wegeli)Wegeli) ofof typetype xnXIIXI1 (?),(?), dateddated toto thethe secondsecond halfhalf ofof thethe 1313thth century,century, keptkept at at thethe turnturn ofof thethe 19th/20th19th/20th centuriescenturies inin the the SzczecinSzczecin MuseumMuseum and and probablyprobably foundfound in in thethe neighbourhoodneighbourhood ofof SzczecinSzczecin19. 19. BothBoth faces faces ofof itsits bladeblade borebore majuscularmajuscular inscriptions inscriptions reading reading DICNLACDICLADICNLACDICLA (one(oneof of thesethese had had anan additionalletteradditionaladditional letterletter EE atat thethe end).end). TheTheletter letter CC maymay bebe -as-as inin manymany casescases ofof thethe inscriptionsinscriptions ofof thethegroup group DIC--DIC- deciphereddeciphered asas G.G. OneOne ofof facesfaces bearsbears thethe representation representation ofof anan

"'' O.0.GAMBER: GAMBER:DieDie mittelalterlichen mittelalterltchen BlankwaffenBlankwaffender dev WienerWienev Waffensammlung,Waffensammlung, inin «Jahrbuch~(Jahrbuchderder KunsthistorischenKunsthistorischen Sammlungen Sammlungen in in Wien», Wienn, Bd.Bd. 57,57, 1961, 1961, N.N. F.,F, Bd.Bd. 21,21, p.p. 19.19. '6l6 [bid.,Ibid.,Ibid., p.p. 20.20. 17" CompareCompare annotationannotation no.no. 8.8. 18 RecentlyRecently M.M. GiosekGlosek has has been been proposing proposing this this date.date. MarksMarks and and inscriptions inscriptions... . TheThe otherother suggestionssuggestions connect connect thisthis swordsword withwith 1255.1255. 19l9 R.R. WEGELI:WEGELI:op.op. cit., cit, pp.pp. 265-267; 265-267; TheTheliteratureliteratllre ltterutzlre 0110/1on thisthzs s/Uordswordszuord ists collectedcollected byby M.M Glosek,Gtosek, ibíd.,ibid.,ibid., cataloguecatalogue no.no. 59.59.

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eagle, the other, a rampant lion, both engraved aboveaboye the inscription, near the top of the blade. It is clearcIear from the aboveaboye examination thatthat most of the swords provided with figurative representationsrepresenrations of symbolic cha-cha­ racter are connected with concrete historical persons placed at the top of the feudal hierarchy. Summing up the results of our considerations we think thatthat the sword from Osieczna can be connected with the representative of the top of the feudal hierarchy from thethe area of East Germany and West Poland in the second halfhaH of thethe 13th century. Having left the solid groundgrollnd of facts, we can now try to connect thethe Osieczna sword with a concrete historical person.persono As it seems, this should be a person distinguished by exorbitant ambitions and acting in the broad area of the Odra zone in the second halfhaH of the 13th century. 1IIt t is difficult to look for such a person among the representatives of the East German feudal lords, for in the so calledcaIled great interregnum period (1254-1275) and also during Rudolf Habsburg's (t(7 1291) reign the whole East Germany was controlledcontroIled by Magdeburg archbishops. On the other hand, on the territories on the opposite side of thethe Odra, therethere were in the second haHhalf of the 13th century two historic persons, who aimed at a royal crown. The first is the Piast prince, Henryk IV ProbusProbus (1257/8-1290)(125718-1290) of the SilesianSiIesian line who was brought up at the Bohemian king Przemysl Otakar's I1II court. From 1270 he was the prince of Wrodaw,Wroclaw, and from 1288, temporarily, the prince of Cracov, thus being the ruler of therhe town which in thetherhe 13th century mentalitymentaliry 'was\vaswas connected with the supreme power in Poland and with the royal crown. Hen­Hen- ryk IV Probus coronarioncoronation projects are known from the not very reliablereIiable chronicIechronicle of Ottokar of Styria ",20, and their most fuIlfull reflectionsref1ections can be found on the sarcophagus tombstone of the young prince, who was laid toro resrrest in St. Cross Church in WroclawWrodaw 21. The crowned «Cracovian»<(Cracovian)> eagle presentedpresenred on the tombsronetombstone is on the heraldic shield on the left toro therhe prince's head. So far it is the only representationrepresentarion of this kind in therhe whole rich iconography associated with thisrhis ruler.rulero We think that more attentionattenrion should be paid to the Piast Prince of the Great Polish 1ine,line, i. e. toro Przemysl I1II (1257-1296) who in 1295 crowned his efforts by coronationcoronarion as the Polish king. Many things indicaindicatete thatrhat he set store by a symbolic asserrionassertion of his royal aspirations. Of great importance is the fact that in 1290 he abandoned his father's coat of arms, i. e. therhe lion. On therhe two seals from therhe same year he is

*'20 O.0. OSTE.RRElCHlSCHEOSTE.RRElCHlSCHE.OSTEKREICHISCHEREIMCHRONIK:RElMCHRONIK: «M.4M. G. H. Deutsche Chronikem>,Chronikenn, vol.vo!. V, 1890. 11" Compare annotation no. 6.

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Digitalizado por InterClassica Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://interclassica.um.es http://gladius.revistas.csic.es Gladius, XII (1974), pp. 33-42 Marian Głosek and Leszek Kajzer ISSN 0435-029X

represented with the heraldic shield emblazoned with the crowned eagle, i. e. the so called «Cracovian» <(Cracovian)>eaglecngle 22. Of particular interest is the so called second seal, i. e. the seal, useduseJ. from October 1290 until1untill the coro­coro- nation of Przemysl n.H.11. The «Cracovian»Kracoviann crowned eagle on the shield of this seal is closelydosely connected with\Vith the prince's claimsdaims to Cracov which he had just lost. After his coronation, Przemysl nHI1 changed his sealseal into one of the majestic type, with visible attributes of royal authority. The obverse ofoi this seal shows the crowned eagle on the shield, surrounded by a legend reading + REDDIDIT . IPSE.IPSE .P. P/OTENSP jOTENS .V. V/ICTRICIAVjICTRICIA . SIGNA.SIGNA . POLONIS. In spite of the badly preserved copy of the seal and the controversy as to the middle words the words <(reddidit..«reddidit. ... signa Polonis»Polonis)>dearIyclearly underline the importance of the restoration of the Polish Kingdom and the aspirations of Przemysl nI1H 23. Janko of Czarnkaw,Czarnkow, the Polish chroniclerchronider living in the 14th century, left another interesting mention connected with PrzemyslPrzernysl n.H.11. Namely, when on March 31, 1371, a storm destroyed a part of the Poznan cathe­cathe- dral, a polichromy (?)( ? ) presenting this ruler was destroyed «G...... quod foramina per testudinem capellae regalis impetuimpew suo faciens imagines regis Przemislai et reginae in parietibus elevatas et depictas concus­concus- sisit...>>24.t. .. » 24. It should also be mentioned that probably during his stay at Cracow Przemysl n,H,IT, with the consent of the of Cracow, Pawel of Prze­Prze- mankaw,mankow, took the crown and other royal insignia, kept in the treasury since Boleslaw Smialy's coronation, which took place in Cracow in 1066, and deposited them in the Gniezno treasury, having used them on June 26, 1295, i. e. on the day of his coronation as the king of Poland 25. We think that the sword under discussion, deco­ deco- rated as it is by the image of a crowned monarch, may be regarded as an expression of the not yet fulfilled coronation ambitions of Przemysl nI1H from the years 1290-1295.1290-1295, Though the hypothesis is doubtless attractive we\Ve believe that it can be confirmed only by future researches and new finds.

22 F. PIEKOSINSKI: Pzecz~czePieez{!ciePiecz{!cie polskzepolskie wiekówwiek6w wzeko'w srednich,srednieh,irednzch, Kraków,Krakow,Krakbw, 1899, p.p 134, nos.nos 201, 205, fig. 152, 3; compare therhe seal of Przemysl of 1252, there, fig. 108. 108 "B Ibid,Ibid., p. 144, nos. 216, 217, figs. 160-161. ''24 Joannes de Czarnkow ChroniconChrontcon Polonorum, elaborated by J.J. Szlachrowski,Szlachtowski, in MonumentsMonumenta PolontaePoloniae Hisfovtca,Historiea,Historica, ed. A. Bielowski, VD!.vol.v01 II,JI,11, Warszawa, 1961, 1961. p. 651. 252' O.0 BALZER:BALZER.K~dlestwoKr6lestwoKrólestwo Polskze,Polskie, Lwbw,Lwów,Lwow, 1919, vol.vo!.v01 I, pp. 237-238;237-238, J.7. BASZKIE­BASZKIE- WICZ: PowstaniePowstanze zlednoczonegozjednoezonegozjednoczonego PahtwaPa!lS!wa PolskzegoPolskiego (na(nu przetomzeprzelomie XIII i XIV wieku),wzeku), Warszawa, 1964, p. 262; therhe same, Polska ezas6wczasów czasdw Eokzetka,Lokietka, Warszawa, 1968; K. JASINSKI: TragediaTragedza rogozinskarogozzliska 1296 r.r na nu tIetle rywaltzacprywalizacjirywalizaeji wielkopolsko-brandeburs­wzelkopolsko-brandeburs- kiejkzel o0 Pomorze Gda·iskie,Gda'hkie,Gda ;skze, in «ZapiskiaZapiskl Historyczne~,Hisroryczne»,Historyczne,>, vol.vo!.v01 XXVI, 1961.1961

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