Monumenta Vaticana res gestas Polonicas illustrantia

Aim:

To produce printed and digital editions of Poland-related documents held in the Vatican Archive and dating from the pontificates of Urban VI (1378-1389) and Boniface IX (1389-1404).

Description:

Considering the exceptional role of the Holy See in public and private life during the Middle Ages, papal records are among the most frequently used sources in medieval studies. The vast majority of this material is held in the Vatican Archive, which is the biggest collection of sources on Polish history abroad. There are more than 20 000 medieval ‘Polish’ documents. To this day our historical scholarship lacks a quality edition of papal sources, especially those covering the Late Middle Ages. Due to the manifold imperfections of available publications, an accurate edition of this material is an immediate academic necessity.

The Monumenta Vaticana res gestas Polonicas illustrantia project is planned to span many years. Its goal is to publish papal sources regarding Poland in the Late Middle Ages, focusing on the years 1378-1503. A direct aim, set out to be achieved within the next 5 years, is to publish a volume of sources from the pontificate of pope Urban VI (1378-1389) and also the first volume of material (at least 500 documents) from the pontificate of Boniface IX (1389-1404). All sources will be made available in a high-quality digital version, providing scholars with extensive possibilities for searching and analysis. This will be the first digital edition of sources on such a scale in Polish medieval studies.

The volume Acta Urbani papae VI (1378–1389) will be also issued in traditional printed form. An original method which has not yet been used in European publications will be employed. Its main feature is a joint release of all types of papal sources (supplications; bulls; treasury, consistorial, judicial and Apostolic Penitentiary records) from both the Vatican Archive and local archives of the recipients. Moreover, the organisation of the material will reflect the operations of the curial offices, which will facilitate accurate historical analysis of papal sources, which were the product of the most complicated bureaucratic machine in medieval Europe.