Bruno of Querfurt was an educated man of good breeding, monk, a scholar and a first-rate traveler around Eastern Europe. He was inspired by Adalbert (Vojtěch) of Prague and wrote Adalbert’s “Life” which was the second such “Life” regarding Vojtěch (as mentioned already, the first was written by John Canaparius and is the first written mention of Poles as “palanioru” – see here).
He really wanted to get people to be Christian and was saddened that the German and Polish Kings – Henry II and Boleslav Chrobry were at war. He wrote a letter to then King Henry II (later Holy Roman Emperor) Henry II urging the German King to put aside his war (fought in three pieces between 1002-1018 when Boleslav marked the end of the war by putting “steel” pylons as border posts in the River Saale, i.e., Solawa) with Boleslav the Brave of Poland and to fight instead against the pagans (i.e., among others, Henry’s allies the Leutici/Veleti/Wilzen) for their conversion. He was unsuccessful.
However, he had more luck following the footsteps of his idol, Saint Adalbert who achieved martyrdom by the Prussians in 997. Bruno was martyred by either the Prussians or the Lithuanians in early 1009.
Ironically, he is best known not for his peace efforts nor for his martyrdom but for his contribution to the preservation of knowledge regarding Slavic deities. In particular, in his letter to Henry II, Bruno mentions the Slavic God Zuarasiz [or Zuarasi] which may have been the God on the stanicas (standards) of the Leutizi marching as allies of Henry into Poland (though Thietmar mentions a Goddess – see here). Thus, Bruno, independent of Thietmar (and before Thietmar (who mentions a Zurasici here) since Bruno’s letter is dated to the year 1008) confirms the name of one of the chief Polabian Slavic deities. We offer the following extract from that letter. We also include a picture of a fresco of Bruno – again, ironically, the fresco is at the Holy Cross church – a former pagan site – see here).
Bruno in his martyrdom
Bruno of Querfurt’s Letter to King Henry II
“If someone has also said that I bear greater fidelity and friendship to this lord, this is true: clearly I love him as my own soul and more than my life. But as God, from whom nothing precious is hidden, is my public witness, I do not love him against your grace, because more than I am able, I want to convert him to you. But, if it is permitted to speak thus without losing the king’s grace: Is it good to persecute a Christian people and hold a pagan people in friendship? What concord hath Christ with Belial? What communion hath light with darkness? In what way can the devil Zuarasiz [or Zuarasi] and the duke of saints, your and our Maurice, concur? On what battle line do the sacred lance and the diabolic banners (vexilla), which are nourished with human blood, go forth together? Do you not think it a sin, O king, when a Christian head is sacrificed under the banner of the demons – a thing which is horrible even to say? Would it not be better to have such a person as your faithful man, with whose aid and counsel you could receive tribute and make a sacred and most Christian people from a pagan one? O how I would like to have lord Boleszlav, about whom I am speaking, as a faithful subject (fidelis), not an enemy. Perhaps you shall respond: I wish it, too.”
(Ut autem salva gratia regis ita loqui liceat: bonumne est persequi christianum et habere in amicitia populum paganum? ‘Quae conventio Christi ad Belial?’ quae comparatio luci ad tenebras? quomodo conveniunt Zuarasiz [or Zuarasi] diabolus, et dux sanctorum vester et noster Mauritius? qua fronte coeunt sacra lancea et, qui pascuntur humano sanguine, diabolica vexilla? Non credis peccatum, o rex, quando christianum caput, quod nefas est dictu, immolatursub daemonum vexillo? Nonne melius esset talem hominem habere fidelem, cuius auxilio et consilio tributum accipere et sacrum, christianissimum facere de populo pagano posses? O quam vellem non hostem, sed habere fidelem, de quo dico, seniorem BOLESZLAVUM! Respondebis forsitan: volo.)
The letter continues if interest continues (this is from the H. Karwasinska/W.L. North translation – the English (W.L. North) version of which may be found in full at this site):
“Then act mercifully, put aside cruelty; if you want to have him as a faithful subject (fidelis), cease from persecuting him; if you want to have him as a knight, act with goodness, in order that he may like you. Beware, O king, if you want to do everything with power and never with mercy, which the good man loves, lest by chance Jesus, who now helps you, should laugh at you in mockery. But let me not speak against the king, let it happen as God wills and you will. Would it not be better to fight with pagans for the sake of Christianity than to inflict violence on Christians for the sake of secular honor? Of course, man proposes, God disposes. Didn’t the king enter this land with pagans and Christians among the forces of his kingdom? What then do you expect? Didn’t Saint Peter, whose tributary he claimed he was, and the holy martyr Adalbert — didn’t they protect him? And if these saints had not wanted to help, the five holy martyrs killed in their land, who poured out their blood and do many miracles under the power of divine terror, would never have remained quiet. My hero, you will not be a soft king, which is harmful, but a just and active rector, which is pleasing, if this alone is added, namely that you also be merciful and not always reconcile a people and make them acceptable to yourself with power, but also do so with mercy. You will appear to acquire a people more by benefit than by war, and you, who now have a war in three regions, would then not even have it in one.”
All images courtesy of the university library at Kassel.
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