Łukasz Włodarski

Delegates of the Gniezno Archbishops to Prussia in the 15^th century: Contribution to the study of the inner circle of Polish Primates in the late Middle Ages 

This article presents the people who delivered messages to Prussia on behalf of the Gniezno Archbishops in the 15^th century. In this respect, the period of Mikołaj Trąba’s and Wojciech Jastrzębc’s pontificates (i.e., the years 1419–1436) is of most interest, as only two such delegates can be identified in the second half of the 15^th century. This state of affairs was probably influenced by the regulations of the so-called Second Peace of Thorn from 1466, which mandated that Royal Prussia shall become a dominion of the Crown. When individual metropolitans of Gniezno required delegates, they turned to representatives of their own families (Mikołaj from Baruchów and Tłuchów, Maciej from Służew), courtiers (Piotr from Mniszków), lower-rank church and business officials (Kamieński Bernard and Szymon from Staw, non-judicial Poviate Governor of Uniejów [tenutariusz uniejowski] Franciszek from Sąspow) or the clergy of the secular archdiocese of Gniezno (the prelates of the Cathedral Chapter in Gniezno, the canon of Łęczyca Adam from Drzewców, Mikołaj the priest in Pieran). In the light of the presented source material, Szymon Maciejowic from Staw definitely stands out in terms of the number of completed missions, which may indicate his high position in the Archbishop’s inner circle. 

* Praca naukowa finansowana ze środków budżetowych na naukę w latach 2014–2018 jako projekt badawczy w ramach programu pod nazwą „Diamentowy Grant”.

The Judgement of the Bishop of Płock, Paweł Giżycki, on the Dispute between Ninogniew Kryski and Bogusław, Parson in Drobin

The unpublished judgement from the books of the activities of the bishops of Płock is one of few medieval sources on the history of the Drobin parish. It was issued in Płock on February 5, 1449, by the bishop Paweł Giżycki, in the case of the dispute between the heir of Drobin, Ninogniew Kryski, and its parson, Bogusław. On its  basis, Ninogniew was to present the church in Drobin with one volok free from labour and rent, located among the peasant voloks, as well as to give Bogusław an inn for life. In return, the parson was to pay him the same rent as other innkeepers in Drobin or a fixed sum from the sales of beer. Moreover, having been given the volok, Bogusław was obliged by the bishop who settled the dispute to perform personally or through another priest three masses a week (two for the dead and one for the sins of Ninogniew and his loved ones).