The Kidnapped Bishop

Thomas Fudge

doi:10.5771/9781666926644

Summary

In 1417 a bishop was kidnapped and held in a remote castle in Bohemia where he was forced to consecrate to the priesthood as many as 100 candidates. These priests belonged to the heretical movement of Hussite reformers. Though well-known amongst specialists, this unprecedented episode has never been systematically examined with a view to understanding if the coerced ordinations were lawful. Issues around legitimacy raise numerous questions and the narrative is situated at the compelling intersection of medieval heresy, theology, and canon law. The notion of kidnapping a bishop and forcing him to perform religious functions, consonant with the will of his tormentors, is arresting. More puzzling, the agents of coercion continued to value aspects of a faith they appeared to reject. They had no intention of practicing obedience to the Roman Church, its hierarchy or laws. The modern reader may be perplexed to learn that those responsible for the abduction believed a Roman prelate was necessary as an imprimatur of legitimation if their own religious practices were to survive. The episode, unique in medieval European history, presents an intellectual thriller.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2023
ISBN-Print: 978-1-6669-2663-7
ISBN-Online: 978-1-6669-2664-4
Publisher: Lexington, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 252
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. List of Illustrations No access
3. Abbreviations No access
4. 1. Notes No access
5. 1. Notes No access
1. The Problem and the Question No access
2. 1. Laurence of Březová, Hussite Chronicle No access
  2. Old Czech Annals No access
  3. Chronicle of Prokop the Notary No access
  4. Anonymous Manuscript Notation No access
  5. Jakub Trch? Discourses to the Czechs No access
  6. Anonymous Song: Listen All of You, Old, Young, and Children No access
  7. Anonymous Anti-Hussite Verse No access
  8. Song Text: They All Obey, or, Everyone Listen No access
  9. Anonymous Old Czech Chronicler No access
  10. Jan Příbram, Lives of the Táborite Priests No access
  11. Trial Deposition of Johannes Drändorf No access
  12. Inquisitorial Trial Records of Bartholomew Rautenstock No access
  13. Archbishop Konrad of Vechta’s Rebuke No access
  14. Resolutions of the Council of Constance against the Hussites No access
  15. Pope Martin V’s Bull Inter Cunctus No access
3. 1. Dramatis Personae No access
  2. The Bishop No access
  3. The Baron No access
  4. The Archbishop No access
  5. The Ordinands No access
4. Notes No access
1. 1. Coercion No access
  2. Irregularities No access
  3. Apostolic Succession No access
2. Notes No access
1. 1. De Facto No access
  2. Faith No access
  3. Intention No access
  4. Reverential Fear No access
  5. Coactus Volui No access
  6. Indelible Character No access
2. The Case for Invalidity No access
3. Why No Canon or Gloss? No access
4. Notes No access
1. Notes No access
1. Section 1 No access
2. Section 2 No access
3. Section 3 No access
4. Section 4 No access
5. Section 5 No access
6. Section 6 No access
7. Section 7 No access
8. Section 8 No access
9. Section 9 No access
10. Section 10 No access
11. Section 11 No access
12. Section 12 verso No access
13. Section 13 No access
14. Section 14 No access
15. Section 15 No access
16. Section 16 No access
17. Section 17 No access
18. Section 18 No access
19. Section 19 No access
20. Section 20 No access
21. Section 21 No access
22. Section 22 No access
23. Section 23 No access
24. Section 24 No access
25. Section 25 No access
26. Section 26 No access
27. Section 27 No access
28. Section 28 No access
29. Section 29 No access
30. Section 30 No access
31. Notes No access
1. Primary Sources No access
2. Secondary Sources No access
Index No access Pages 239 - 250
About the Author No access Pages 251 - 252