The Conflict over Confession and Power at the University of Prague in the 1450s – 60s 171 I At first, the presence of foreign Catholics was not well received, especially by Prague’s urban milieu, despite the fact that its representatives had originally given their consent to the arrival of the Viennese. As early as 1444, a chronicler recorded the first incident: the rector complained to the town hall about laymen who attacked students, especially the newcomers (i.e. German-Catholics). The slow restoration of old conditions was therefore antagonistic to the Prague townspeople in the early period. The Bohemian masters were perhaps initially unaware of growing competition and the threat of re-Catholicization.15 These problems were blunted by political developments: when George of Poděbrady—one of the leading figures of late Utraquism, the future land administrator, and eventually the Bohemian king16—took control of Prague in early September 1448, foreign students and masters preferred to leave the city, or not to return from their vacations, fearing the return of a revolutionary Hussite wave. The university became once again an institution only for domestic candidates, although not yet confessionally distinct. The author of the Old Czech Annals welcomed this with satisfaction, and did not forget to add that, besides the Germans, some Czech masters who had compromised themselves by cooperating with the Catholic chapter had also left (Papoušek, Příbram, Prokop of Plzeň, but also Pavel Žídek).17 On the other hand, two foreigners chose to stay in Prague—the Polish masters Stanisław of Gniezno and Martin of Łęczyca, who had remained there since the Hussite wars, and apparently embraced Utraquism.18 They were later joined by two other Poles (in 1452 Paweł of Dobrzyn, Master of Cracow, and in 1460 Vincent of Karczów, admitted to the faculty council after studying in Prague from 1454–58)19 and one German master (Johannes of Lübeck, master of Rostock, active in Prague from 1467 to the 1490s).20 The presence of foreign teachers, including German masters, did not cause any internal conflicts at the university; the records of the dean’s book testify to the successful development of pedagogical activities, which temporarily acquired an international character, until 1456.21 After the departure of foreigners in 1448, about 15 masters remained at the faculty. Apart from the exceptions mentioned above, more masters were added from among the local students from 1450 onwards.22 Quite a large number of new candidates took the master’s examination or applied for admission to the faculty council. Some did not remain on the faculty, but nevertheless, 15 In addition to the dean’s book, we find reports on German academics in the Old Czech Annals (Staré letopisy české) referred to by Šmahel, “Počátky humanismu,” 57–60, including a report about the town’s protest. 16 Otakar Odložilík, The Hussite King. Bohemia in European Affairs 1440–1471 (New Brunswick, 1965). 17 The entry from the annals is quoted by Šmahel, “Počátky humanismu,” 60. The dean’s book does not explicitly record this departure, only the names of foreigners disappear from the records. 18 On both Holá and Holý, Profesoři pražské utrakvistické univerzity, 323–24 and 371–72 (by Ivan Hlaváček). 19 Cf. ibid., 304–5, 347 (by Mlada Holá). 20 Cf. ibid., 378–79 (by Mlada Holá). 21 “Liber decanorum”, vol. 2, does not record any incidents during the period. 22 The period between 1448–58 lacks a detailed prosopographical study. The earlier period is treated by Kotau, Mistři pražské artistické fakulty, and the later from 1457/8 by Holá and Holý, Profesoři pražské utrakvistické univerzity. The situation before 1458 is indicated here on page 35. My present glimpse is no substitute for a future, detailed treatment. The main, and practically only, source here is the “Liber decanorum”, vols. 1–2, and the name lists of Tomek, contained both in the text and in separate lists of his Dějepis města Prahy, vol. 9.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTMyNjA1