Kunhuta Haličská (of Halych) or Uherská (Hungarian), second wife of King Přemysl Otakar II, is chiefly remembered for her alleged love affair with Záviš of Falkenštejn, Otakar’s legendary traitor. Her bad reputation, based on medieval chronicles, has persisted until modern times. Despite recent scholarly efforts to rehabilitate her image, Queen Kunhuta’s cultural and political contributions have remained relatively overlooked in modern historiography. The significance of the queen’s legacy lies primarily in a letter collection—possibly compiled by Magister Bohuslav—that is preserved in a manuscript kept at her court in Opava (1279–1281). This epistolary source, along with the manuscript in which it is contained, showcases the engagement of Kunhuta’s notaries with ars dictaminis (art of written composition with elaborate instruction on letter writing) as it was practiced in the most relevant European royal chanceries of the time. Moreover, it sheds light on the queen’s multifaceted agency.

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Kunhuta, Queen of Bohemia

  • Francesca Battista

摘要

Kunhuta Haličská (of Halych) or Uherská (Hungarian), second wife of King Přemysl Otakar II, is chiefly remembered for her alleged love affair with Záviš of Falkenštejn, Otakar’s legendary traitor. Her bad reputation, based on medieval chronicles, has persisted until modern times. Despite recent scholarly efforts to rehabilitate her image, Queen Kunhuta’s cultural and political contributions have remained relatively overlooked in modern historiography. The significance of the queen’s legacy lies primarily in a letter collection—possibly compiled by Magister Bohuslav—that is preserved in a manuscript kept at her court in Opava (1279–1281). This epistolary source, along with the manuscript in which it is contained, showcases the engagement of Kunhuta’s notaries with ars dictaminis (art of written composition with elaborate instruction on letter writing) as it was practiced in the most relevant European royal chanceries of the time. Moreover, it sheds light on the queen’s multifaceted agency.