Bull of Gniezno
Encyclopedia
The Bull of Gniezno was a papal bull
issued on July 7, 1136 by Pope Innocent II
. The bull split Archbishop of Magdeburg from the rest of the Polish church. From a historical perspective, the bull is especially important as it contains the earliest written record of the Polish language
. Slavic language scholar Aleksander Brückner
called the document a "złotą bullą języka polskiego" (the golden bull
of the Polish language).
in 1130 prompted a schism
in the Roman Catholic Church
. The Polish church supported the appointment of the Antipope
Anacletus II
, while Saint Norbert of Xanten
, Archbishop of Magdeburg, remained faithful to Innocent. In Norbert's last years, he was chancellor
and adviser to Lothair II, the Holy Roman Emperor
, and persuaded him to lead an army to Rome to restore Innocent to the papacy in 1133.
Following Norbert's death, Lothair pressured Innocent to issue the an order rejecting the independence and authority of the Archbishop of Gniezno, and which affirmed the Archbishop of Magdeburg's authority over the Archdiocese of Gniezno and, by default, the entirety of the Polish church. As a result, the Polish prelate
s swear fealty to the Antipope.
In August 1135, in exchange for the independence of the Polish episcopate, Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland, declared himself a vassal of Emperor Lothair and agreed to pay tribute to the Holy Roman Empire. On July 7, 1136, Pope Innocent upheld the independence of the Polish church from the Archdiocese of Magdeburg in a papal bull
entitled Ex commisso nobis.
, the archdiocesan archives in Gniezno were plundered by the Nazis, and the bull, along with numerous other artefacts, were moved West towards Germany. The Nazis were intercepted by the Soviet army
, however, and the bull was taken to Moscow
. The document remained in the Russian capital for fifty years before being returned to Gniezno.
Upon the document's return, the National Library of Poland
performed a series of tests on the bull under the authority of Professor Andrzej Wyczański. The scientists discovered that when viewed under ultraviolet light, the document showed traces of different washed-out text. Due to the lack of adequate testing facilities, the Library abandoned further research efforts, which have not been resumed since.
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
issued on July 7, 1136 by Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II , born Gregorio Papareschi, was pope from 1130 to 1143, and was probably one of the clergy in personal attendance on the antipope Clement III .-Early years:...
. The bull split Archbishop of Magdeburg from the rest of the Polish church. From a historical perspective, the bull is especially important as it contains the earliest written record of the Polish language
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
. Slavic language scholar Aleksander Brückner
Aleksander Brückner
Aleksander Brückner was a Polish scholar of Slavic languages and literatures , philologist, lexicographer and historian of literature. He is among the most notable Slavicists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the first to prepare complete monographs on the history of Polish language...
called the document a "złotą bullą języka polskiego" (the golden bull
Golden Bull
A Golden Bull or chrysobull was a golden ornament representing a seal , attached to a decree issued by Byzantine Emperors and later by monarchs in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The term was originally coined for the golden seal itself but came to be applied to the entire decree...
of the Polish language).
Historical context
The election of Pope Innocent IIPope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II , born Gregorio Papareschi, was pope from 1130 to 1143, and was probably one of the clergy in personal attendance on the antipope Clement III .-Early years:...
in 1130 prompted a schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. The Polish church supported the appointment of the Antipope
Antipope
An antipope is a person who opposes a legitimately elected or sitting Pope and makes a significantly accepted competing claim to be the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church. At times between the 3rd and mid-15th century, antipopes were typically those supported by a...
Anacletus II
Antipope Anacletus II
Anacletus II , born Pietro Pierleoni, was an Antipope who ruled from 1130 to his death, in a schism against the contested, hasty election of Pope Innocent II....
, while Saint Norbert of Xanten
Norbert of Xanten
Saint Norbert of Xanten was a Christian saint and founder of the Norbertine or Premonstratensian order of canons regular.- Life and work :...
, Archbishop of Magdeburg, remained faithful to Innocent. In Norbert's last years, he was chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
and adviser to Lothair II, the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
, and persuaded him to lead an army to Rome to restore Innocent to the papacy in 1133.
Following Norbert's death, Lothair pressured Innocent to issue the an order rejecting the independence and authority of the Archbishop of Gniezno, and which affirmed the Archbishop of Magdeburg's authority over the Archdiocese of Gniezno and, by default, the entirety of the Polish church. As a result, the Polish prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
s swear fealty to the Antipope.
In August 1135, in exchange for the independence of the Polish episcopate, Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland, declared himself a vassal of Emperor Lothair and agreed to pay tribute to the Holy Roman Empire. On July 7, 1136, Pope Innocent upheld the independence of the Polish church from the Archdiocese of Magdeburg in a papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
entitled Ex commisso nobis.
In the Twentieth Century
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the archdiocesan archives in Gniezno were plundered by the Nazis, and the bull, along with numerous other artefacts, were moved West towards Germany. The Nazis were intercepted by the Soviet army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
, however, and the bull was taken to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. The document remained in the Russian capital for fifty years before being returned to Gniezno.
Upon the document's return, the National Library of Poland
National Library of Poland
The National Library of Poland is the central Polish library, subject directly to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland....
performed a series of tests on the bull under the authority of Professor Andrzej Wyczański. The scientists discovered that when viewed under ultraviolet light, the document showed traces of different washed-out text. Due to the lack of adequate testing facilities, the Library abandoned further research efforts, which have not been resumed since.
See also
- Saint Norbert of XantenNorbert of XantenSaint Norbert of Xanten was a Christian saint and founder of the Norbertine or Premonstratensian order of canons regular.- Life and work :...
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gniezno
- List of archbishops of Gniezno and primates of Poland