{"id":12702,"date":"2018-09-27T06:00:10","date_gmt":"2018-09-27T06:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jassa.org\/?p=12702"},"modified":"2018-09-28T03:08:13","modified_gmt":"2018-09-28T03:08:13","slug":"arnoldus-lubicensis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/?p=12702","title":{"rendered":"Arnoldus Lubicensis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here are some fragments from the Arnold of L\u00fcbeck’s Chronicle<\/strong> that discuss Suavic religion including the unknown Deity Gutdracco (probably the name of a local river). The chronicle itself is a continuation of Helmold’s Chronicle and covers the years 1179 to 1209. The green portions below correspond to the portions published by Karl Heinrich Meyer in his Fontes\u00a0historiae religionis Slavicae<\/em>. The first piece deals with the siege of L\u00fcbeck and may loosely suggest that the city stood where once a Slavic cultic center was found. The second piece either confirms Slavic worship of rivers or else is the only mention of a Slavic Deity by the name Gutdracco.<\/p>\n

\n

Book II, 21
\nConcerning the Siege of L\u00fcbeck by the Emperor<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The emperor crossed the river and arrived at Luebeck. An army of Slavs and Holsteiners hastened to meet him. Also King Waldemar of Denmark came with a great fleet to the mouth of the Trave and so the city came to be surrounded from land and sea. Trapped inside were Count Simon of Tekeneburg, Count Bernhard of Aldenburg, and Count Bernhard of Wilpe with Markrad the governor of Holstein and Emeco of Nemore [Holstein?] with several very brave Holsteiners and a countless throng of citizens. King Waldemar appeared with a great retinue and presented himself lavishly with great pageantry\u00a0in front of the emperor. Then he betrothed his daughter with the Duke of Swabia, the emperor’s son and then the wedding vows were solemnly consecrated and confirmed in the presence of the bishops. During the siege bishop Henry found himself in the city and it was to him that the citizens came saying: ‘<\/span>We beg your holiness, most revered father to go to the emperor and to say to him in our name: ‘Lord, we are your servants. We are ready to obey your imperial majesty. And what have we done so wrong that we should be visited by you with this great siege. We have had this city in our possession thanks to the generous grace of our lord, Duke Henry and we have erected it as a firm stronghold of Christianity on what was once a place of fright and an empty wasteland; on this place where, now, as we hope, there is a house of God but where before there was a seat of Satan on account of the pagan false belief. And so this city we shall not deliver into your hands<\/span> but we will instead persevere in defending its freedom with arms, as long as we are able to. But it is for this reason that we ask your eminence \u00a0to permit us the\u00a0grant of safety so that we can go to see our lord, the Duke,\u00a0so as to learn from him what to do and how we may best take care of ourselves and of our city in this hour of need. And if he should promise us relief then it would be proper that we should protect the city for him and if not then we will do what pleases you. If you should not permit this, then know that we would rather die honorably protecting our city than live in ignominy having broken our allegiance.’\u00a0And so the bishop went to the emperor and conveyed the same carefully…”<\/p>\n

De<\/i>\u00a0 obsidione<\/i>\u00a0civitatis<\/i>\u00a0ab<\/i>\u00a0imperatore<\/i><\/p>\n

Imperator autem transito flumine venit\u00a0Lubeke, et occurrit ei exercitus Sclavorum et Holtsatorum. Waldemarus quoque rex\u00a0Danorum cum multa classe venit ad ostium Travene, et obsessa est civitas terra marique.\u00a0In civitate vero erant Simon comes de Tekeneburg et Bernardus comes de Aldenburg\u00a0et equivocus eius comes de Wilepe cum Marcrado prefecto Holzatorum et Emecone de\u00a0Nemore cum quibusdam Holzatis strenuissimis et multitudine infinita civium. Rex vero\u00a0Waldemarus cum multo comitatu veniens in presentiam imperatoris, cum magna iactantia\u00a0glorie sue ei se exhibuit et filiam suam filio ipsius, duci videlicet Suevie, desponsavit, et\u00a0episcoporum iuramentis firmata sunt sacramenta coniugalia. In ipso autem tempore obsidionis domnus Heinricus episcopus in civitate constitutus erat, quem adierunt burgenses [scil. Lubicenses] dicentes:\u00a0<\/span>Rogamus<\/i>\u00a0 sanctitatem<\/i>\u00a0tuam<\/i>,\u00a0reverendissime<\/i>\u00a0 patrum<\/i>,\u00a0ut<\/i>\u00a0ad<\/i>\u00a0domnum<\/i>\u00a0imperatorem<\/i>\u00a0o\u00a0<\/i>exeatis<\/i>\u00a0et<\/i>\u00a0ei<\/i>\u00a0verbis<\/i>\u00a0nostris<\/i>\u00a0dicatis<\/i>: \u201eDomine<\/i>,\u00a0\u00a0servi<\/i>\u00a0vestri<\/i>\u00a0sumus<\/i>,\u00a0imperatorie<\/i>\u00a0maiestati<\/i>\u00a0vestre\u00a0<\/i>servire<\/i>\u00a0parati<\/i>\u00a0sumus<\/i>;\u00a0\u00a0sed<\/i>\u00a0quid<\/i>\u00a0commisimus<\/i>,\u00a0quod<\/i>\u00a0tanta<\/i>\u00a0obsidione<\/i>\u00a0a<\/i>\u00a0vobis<\/i>\u00a0conclusi<\/i>\u00a0sumus<\/i>?\u00a0Civitatem<\/i>\u00a0istam<\/i>\u00a0hactenus<\/i>\u00a0ex<\/i>\u00a0munificentia<\/i>\u00a0domini<\/i>\u00a0nostri<\/i>\u00a0Heinrici<\/i>\u00a0ducis<\/i>\u00a0possidemus<\/i>,\u00a0quam<\/i>\u00a0etiam\u00a0<\/i>ad<\/i>\u00a0honorem<\/i>\u00a0Dei<\/i>\u00a0et<\/i>\u00a0robur<\/i>\u00a0christianitatis\u00a0<\/i>in<\/i>\u00a0loco<\/i>\u00a0hoc<\/i>\u00a0horroris<\/i>\u00a0et<\/i>\u00a0vaste<\/i>\u00a0solitudinis<\/i>\u00a0edificavimus<\/i>,\u00a0in<\/i>\u00a0qua<\/i>\u00a0ut<\/i>\u00a0speramus<\/i>\u00a0nunc<\/i>\u00a0habitatio<\/i>\u00a0Dei<\/i>,\u00a0sed<\/i>\u00a0prius<\/i>\u00a0per<\/i>\u00a0errorem<\/i>\u00a0gentilitatis<\/i>\u00a0sedes<\/i>\u00a0Sathane<\/i>\u00a0fuit<\/i>.\u00a0Hanc<\/i>\u00a0igitur<\/i>\u00a0in<\/i>\u00a0manus<\/i>\u00a0vestras<\/i>\u00a0non<\/i>\u00a0trademus<\/i><\/span>,\u00a0sed<\/i>\u00a0eius<\/i>\u00a0libertatem<\/i>\u00a0viribus<\/i>\u00a0et<\/i>\u00a0armis<\/i>,\u00a0quantum\u00a0<\/i>possumus<\/i>,\u00a0constantissime<\/i>\u00a0tuebimur<\/i>.\u00a0Hoc<\/i>\u00a0tamen<\/i>\u00a0u<\/i>\u00a0rogamus<\/i>\u00a0apud<\/i>\u00a0magnificentiam<\/i>\u00a0vestram<\/i>,\u00a0ut\u00a0<\/i>data<\/i>\u00a0occasione<\/i>\u00a0pacis<\/i>,\u00a0eamus<\/i>\u00a0ad<\/i>\u00a0dominum<\/i>\u00a0nostrum<\/i>\u00a0ducem<\/i>,\u00a0percunctaturi<\/i>\u00a0ab<\/i>\u00a0eo<\/i>,\u00a0quid<\/i>\u00a0sit\u00a0<\/i>faciendum<\/i>,\u00a0qualiter<\/i>\u00a0vel<\/i>\u00a0nobis<\/i>\u00a0vel<\/i>\u00a0civitati<\/i>\u00a0nostre<\/i>\u00a0in<\/i>\u00a0presenti<\/i>\u00a0necessitate<\/i>\u00a0sit<\/i>\u00a0consulendum<\/i>.\u00a0Qui<\/i>\u00a0si\u00a0<\/i>liberationem<\/i>\u00a0nobis<\/i>\u00a0promiserit<\/i>,\u00a0iustum<\/i>\u00a0est<\/i>,\u00a0ut<\/i>\u00a0civitatem<\/i>\u00a0ei<\/i>\u00a0servemus<\/i>;\u00a0sin<\/i>\u00a0autem<\/i>,\u00a0quod<\/i>\u00a0placitum\u00a0<\/i>est<\/i>\u00a0in<\/i>\u00a0oculis<\/i>\u00a0vestris<\/i>\u00a0faciemus<\/i>.\u00a0Quod<\/i>\u00a0si<\/i>\u00a0facere<\/i>\u00a0nolueritis<\/i>,\u00a0sciatis<\/i>,\u00a0omnes<\/i>\u00a0nos<\/i>\u00a0pro<\/i>\u00a0defensione\u00a0<\/i>civitatis<\/i>\u00a0nostre<\/i>\u00a0magis<\/i>\u00a0optare<\/i>\u00a0honeste<\/i>\u00a0mori<\/i>,\u00a0quam<\/i>\u00a0fidei<\/i>\u00a0violatores\u00a0<\/i>inhoneste<\/i>\u00a0vivere<\/i>.” Episcopus\u00a0ergo veniens ad imperatorem hec diligentissime peroravit…<\/p>\n

\n

Book V, 24
\n<\/strong>Concerning the Death of Bishop Berno and Duke Henry<\/strong><\/p>\n

“At this time, Berno, bishop of Schwerin died. He had been the first bishop there. For the bishop of Schwerin was, in the days of the Ottonians, called the Mecklenburg bishop. \u00a0But the seat of the bishop was moved [from Mecklenburg to Schwerin] out of fear of the Slavs who frequently attacked that bishop. Bishop Berno who’d been installed by Duke Henry was the first Christian teacher whom these people received. He suffered being beaten and slapped and was mockingly forced to witness their\u00a0demonic sacrifices. Nevertheless, strengthened by his Christian faith, he eradicated the worship of demons, cut down the holy groves and made it so that they honored Bishop Gotthard* instead of\u00a0Gutdracco<\/em><\/strong>**<\/span> so that the Faithful were confident that he led his life well.”<\/p>\n

* Saint Gotthard of Hildesheim
\n** This is unexplained. It may be the name of a river worshipped by the Suavic Warnowi – probably the Warnow river. The reason for this hypothesis is that a similar name appears in the Kn\u00fdtlinga saga\u00a0<\/i>(chapter 119 has “Gu\u00f0akrs\u00e1<\/i>“) and in Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum<\/em>\u00a0(Book 14, chapter\u00a025, section 16 has “inde\u00a0<\/em>ad Gudacram amnem\u00a0nauigatione discessum” <\/i>– “From there they sailed off as far as the River Gudacra.”).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Heinrich Bangert edition<\/p><\/div>\n

De\u00a0Morte\u00a0Bernonis\u00a0Episcopi\u00a0et\u00a0Heinrici\u00a0Ducis<\/em><\/p>\n

Hoc dierum curriculo mortuus est\u00a0domnus Berno Zverinensis episcopus, primus eiusdem tituli antistes. Qui enim nunc\u00a0est Zverinensis, olim tempore Ottonum dicebatur Magnopolitanus. Unde eadem sedes\u00a0propter timorem Sclavorum translata est, a quibus idem antistes sepius contumeliatus.\u00a0Qui a duce Heinrico episcopus eis prefectus, primus nostris in temporibus doctor illis\u00a0exstitit catholicus, alapas, colaphos ab eis pertulit, ita ut frequenter ludibrio habitus ad\u00a0sacrificia demonum artaretur. Ille tamen per Christum confortatus, culturas demonum\u00a0eliminavit, lucos succidit et pro Gutdracco<\/strong> Godehardum episcopum venerari constituit<\/span>,\u00a0ideoque bono fine cursum certaminis terminasse fidelibus placuit.<\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a92018 jassa.org All Rights Reserved<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here are some fragments from the Arnold of L\u00fcbeck’s Chronicle that discuss Suavic religion including the unknown Deity Gutdracco (probably the name of a local river). The chronicle itself is a continuation of Helmold’s Chronicle and covers the years 1179 to 1209. The green portions below correspond to the portions published by Karl Heinrich Meyer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-polabians","category-religion"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12702"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12930,"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12702\/revisions\/12930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jassa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}