„Konverze města“: Jihlava a přijetí luterství v roce 1562 ve světle městské kroniky
The “Conversion of a Town”: Jihlava and the Acceptance of Lutheranism in the Year 1562 in the Words of the Town Chronicle

Summary/Abstract: This contribution concerns the theological discussion which took place in the Moravian royal town of Jihlava at the beginning of November of the year 1562. This involved a meeting of Lutheran pastors with representatives of the town, where they made a shared declaration that the town was cancelling Catholic masses and accepting the Augsburg confession. The abbot of the Želiv Premonstratensians, who were the holders of the patronage rights to the Jihlava church of St. Jacob, also participated in the meeting. The entire occasion is captured in the chronicle of the town scribe Martin Leupold of Löwenthal (lived over the years 1556–1624), who described the meeting apparently on the basis of the notes of his father who personally participated. I was concerned on the first level of the contribution with a description of the events and the attitudes of the protagonists; of primary interest is the role of the Catholic Abbot. The question is placed foreword in the conclusion as to whether the chronicler’s description corresponds to the events themselves or more his approach to thinking. A clear answer to this question is complicated, however, by the absence of additional sources. It can be assumed, however, that the chronicler had an interest, in light of his faith, in the event being positively placed within the history of the town. The second question is whether similar theological meetings of burghers and clergy took place on a regular basis in towns in the Czech Lands or whether this only consisted of a rarity in the case of Jihlava. I am of the opinion that it could have taken place in those locales which had educated members of the town councils. The article can also encourage additional research in this area.

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