1/2024: Medieval Society in East Central Europe: Structure, Coexistence, Confrontation and Transformation of Social Classes (9th–13th centuries)

Medieval society in Europe was characterized by clearly defined social stratification, it is best viewed as consisting of more or less closed communities united by similar political and power structure, conditions of life, and hierarchies. The structure and evolution of medieval societies were influenced by a wide range of political, economic, social and cultural factors, often determined by rulers or other secular and ecclesiastical holders of power. The main goal of this issue is the examination of the structure of medieval societies in East Central European monarchies and dominions, and the investigation of coexistence, interaction, and confrontation between different categories of the population. These topics have research potential due to a lack of recent studies on medieval society, which would re-evaluate older nationally or in other way biased perspectives within the context of contemporary East Central European medieval studies. When researching the development, changes, disappearance, and emergence of new legal/social categories of people and communities in medieval society, it may also be beneficial to consider a broader historical scope, spanning from the 9th to the 13th century.

The preferred topics may include, but are not limited to:
• Forms of transformation processes in medieval society—coexistence, confrontation and change—within monarchies and dominions in the region of East Central Europe (comparative perspectives are welcomed)
• Emergence of social/legal categories (e. g. the formation of privileged communities of the population), nobility or local power elites
• The representations of society in the works of medieval chroniclers
• Comparison of terms denoting individual categories of people in medieval legal codes, narrative sources and charters (critical reflections on current historical terminology)
• Medieval legal codes and legislation concerning the status of individual social/legal categories and classes
• Forms and facets of categorical and personal freedom and servitude (e. g. slaves, servants, condicionarii etc.)
• The economic aspects of social stratification and creation of social and legal categories (e. g. medieval servant settlements)
• The rights and duties of serfs of secular and church lords (comparative analyses)
• The social/legal status of non-Christian religious groups and heretics and forms of coexistence and confrontation with Christians (institutions of the Christian Church)