Az uralkodó emlékezete: IV. Károly császár önéletrajza és a történeti emlékezet alakítása
The Memory of the Ruler: The Autobiography of Charles IV and the Formation of Memory

Summary/Abstract: Autobiographies represent a special group among the sources we can use to study medieval memory, but researchers have to face the fact that very few autobiographies survive from the Middle Ages. Autobiographies by medieval rulers are even more sporadic. One of the most well-known examples of the genre is the Autobiography of Charles IV of Luxemburg (1316-1378). The paper discusses the representation of memory in the Autobiography and endeavors to distinguish three levels of memory: personal, dynastic and royal. The facts not told in the Autobiography are also key to understanding the functioning of memory. The paper discusses in detail the significance of changing the name of the young prince from Wenceslaus to Charles and, in general, the dynastic names as bearers of memory. We can also find examples of consciously constructed memories in the text, such as Charles' naming of important places after his own name (e.g. Monte Carlo, Italy, Karlštejn, Bohemia). The paper presents the process of memorization in a nascent state through the example of the Autobiography of Charles IV of Luxemburg.

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