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Vol. 68 (1987): Our Past

Articles

Five Brothers - controversial issues

  • Tadeusz Dusza
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.1987.68.5-60  [Google Scholar]
Published: 1987-12-30

Abstract

The article presents divergent hypotheses existing in the historiography of the Five Brothers. They concern in particular the persons of the five brothers themselves, the date of their arrival in Poland and death, and finally their residence. The author's research (chapter I) shows that their names should be kept in the following order: Benedykt, Jan, Izaak, Mateusz, Krystyn. There is no reason to identify John the Hermit with John Grace the Venetian. As for the dates (chapter II), the author comes to the conclusion that the Five Brothers were not companions of Saint. Wojciech. Benedict and John arrived in Bolen only in January 1002, and the martyrdom of the five brothers took place on the night of November 10-11, 1003. The opinion established in scientific circles about the residence of the Five Brothers in Kazimierz Biskupi was questioned and replaced by two hypotheses (chapter III): according to some historians, this seat was located in Międzyrzecz, according to others - in Kazimierz Szamotulski. The author proves that both hypotheses should be rejected because they are based on false assumptions. One of the premises linked two very different events: the arrival of German troops at the hermitage of the Five Brothers in 1004 with the arrival of German troops in Poland in 1005. The second premise contained the error of anachronism in that it was claimed that the hermitage of the Brothers was located within the diocese Poznań, while in 1003 the boundaries of the diocese were not yet established. To check the common opinion that the five brothers had their headquarters in Kazimierz Biskupi (Chapter IV), the author used information from Vita Brunos. The information obtained was collated and compared with that provided by tradition. The author concluded that they are consistent in the most important points and therefore came to the conclusion that the common view should be rejected, according to which the first and only seat of the Five Brothers was Kazimierz Biskupi.

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