Dvory a rezidence ve středověku I, ed. Dana Dvořáčková-Malá, Praha 2006 (= Mediaevalia historica Bohemica, Supplementum 1), s. 145-161
As part of the establishment of the medieval division of power between the ruler and the “land no... more As part of the establishment of the medieval division of power between the ruler and the “land nobility” (“zemská šlechta”, nobles who primarily exercised their political ambitions apart from the court), unique power structures were created around each. This article explores the relationship between these structures, their different principles of operation and their different social structures. Many conflicts arose between the two groups; their causes, their courses and the way in which they were resolved is analyzed in detail here. Of the places in which these conflicts took place, most attention is given to the royal council and the “extended” court.
The competition between the court and “land nobility” for power was also reflected in various strategies that both sides tried to use to strengthen their positions. Most of the activity was on the side of the court. Rulers tried to form new court institutions that would limit the power of the “land nobility”, who, however, were successful in eliminating these institutions or turning them to their own benefit. The reasons for this were that the court was unstable and that there was a high degree of change in the ruling houses. The failure of this strategy led to efforts in the opposite direction; keeping important executive organs at an informal level, which would then prevent penetration from the landed nobility. If powers were only vaguely defined, the nobility’s demands would not have a foundation. However, even in this case the “land nobility” was able to gain an advantage. Advantageous conditions for building a court hierarchy over the long term only arrived after the first quarter of the 16th century during the rule of the Habsburgs.
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The competition between the court and “land nobility” for power was also reflected in various strategies that both sides tried to use to strengthen their positions. Most of the activity was on the side of the court. Rulers tried to form new court institutions that would limit the power of the “land nobility”, who, however, were successful in eliminating these institutions or turning them to their own benefit. The reasons for this were that the court was unstable and that there was a high degree of change in the ruling houses. The failure of this strategy led to efforts in the opposite direction; keeping important executive organs at an informal level, which would then prevent penetration from the landed nobility. If powers were only vaguely defined, the nobility’s demands would not have a foundation. However, even in this case the “land nobility” was able to gain an advantage. Advantageous conditions for building a court hierarchy over the long term only arrived after the first quarter of the 16th century during the rule of the Habsburgs.
The competition between the court and “land nobility” for power was also reflected in various strategies that both sides tried to use to strengthen their positions. Most of the activity was on the side of the court. Rulers tried to form new court institutions that would limit the power of the “land nobility”, who, however, were successful in eliminating these institutions or turning them to their own benefit. The reasons for this were that the court was unstable and that there was a high degree of change in the ruling houses. The failure of this strategy led to efforts in the opposite direction; keeping important executive organs at an informal level, which would then prevent penetration from the landed nobility. If powers were only vaguely defined, the nobility’s demands would not have a foundation. However, even in this case the “land nobility” was able to gain an advantage. Advantageous conditions for building a court hierarchy over the long term only arrived after the first quarter of the 16th century during the rule of the Habsburgs.