Legitimization of Rulership in Three Narratives from Twelfth-Century Central Europe

This article attempts to reconstruct the ideas about legitimization of rulership from three narratives of the twelfth century: the Gesta principum Polonorum (traditionally assigned to an anonymous Gallus, ca. 1118), the Gesta Hungarorum of the anonymous notary from ca. 1200, and the early parts (probably written before ca. 1120) of the so-called Hungarian National Chronicle. While the Polish gesta underlines good lordship and acceptance of the rulers abroad, the notary emphasizes noble origin of the dynasty and the consent of the great men of the realm. The Chronicle is ambiguous on the matter: either legiti-mate descent or suitability (idoneitas) of the ruler is presented as essential, depending on when the relevant passages were written. Leadership and victory in war is a central element of legitimization in all three texts. Alone the Chronicle records ecclesiastical sanction virtually for every king, but divine support is presumed for all leaders, even the pagan ones by all the authors. In summary, it is being proposed that the various discourses of legitimization do not necessarily reflect different types of lordship, but rather demonstrate the wide palette of political ideas in twelfth century Central Europe.