Department of Medieval History

Areas of Focus

The Department of Medieval History has two basic areas of interest: medieval history with emphasis on the development of Czech and Central European history (ca. 10th–16th century); and historical geography with particular focus on the development of the rural landscape from its historical beginnings to modern times. Basic research tasks include publication of sources on medieval Czech history, namely comprehensive series of diplomatic monarchical documents and the publication of texts on ecclesiastical and religious history. Another key area of focus is transdisciplinary research on topics in a more general European context, such as the history of elites, social interactions, courts and residences, Jewish settlements, and the transformation of the rural landscape and the urban network. 

Main Research Projects

• A comparative study on the formation and development of states in Central and East-Central Europe
• Courts and residences in the Middle Ages in the Central European context 
• Ecclesiastical and religious history in the Middle Ages with emphasis on development in the Czech lands 
• The history of Jewish settlement in Bohemia and Moravia up to the middle of the 16th century
• Historical-geographical and historical-cartographical studies
• Historical Atlas of Towns of the Czech Republic

Department Publishing Projects

• Regesta diplomatica nec non epistolaria Bohemiae et Moraviae
• Regesta Bohemiae et Moraviae aetatis Venceslai IV (selected archives)
• Sources on ecclesiastical history and the history of religious thinking
• Series of historical maps and map data

Periodicals

• Mediaevalia Historica Bohemica
• Historical Geography

Catalogues and Collections

• The August Sedláček Estate
• Map Collection of Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences
• Photographic Collection of the Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Important Grants