Józef Ignacy Kraszewski a Kronika Thietmara (czyli źródła historyczne powieści Lubonie)

Abstract

The article presents the results of the research on the private book collection of J.I. Kraszewski whose historical novels were inseparably related to his gathering-antiquarian and scholarlyeditorial interests. The writer possessed a perfectly organized research workshop in the form of a rich and large library. It consisted of 10 233 items that included 14 389 volumes, 2 300 of which concerned the history of Poland. The analysis of historical novels allows for stating that while working on such books, Kraszewski used numerous sources and historical studies. He focused on sketching the background of the depicted epoch, presenting authentic characters and events. He paid less attention to purely romantic, fictitious elements that were the figments of imagination. His behaviour was in accordance with his theoretical views on historical novel. Kraszewski paid special attention to chronicles. The article presents the results of an analysis of one of the chronicles, namely the Chronicle written by a German prior, later a Merserburg bishop, Thietmar, which was written in the years 1012–1018 and a historical novel by Kraszewski Lubonie (1876). In the book, the author described the reign of Mieszko I, and focused on two important events: the attempts of concluding an alliance with Bolko and the issue of christianization of Poland. These events connect two dates: year 965 (arrival of Dubrawka to Poland) and 973 (the death of the Emperor Otto). It was established that the Chronicle by Thietmar provided Kraszewski with factual material that was used for presenting historical episodes, scenes and characters. Similarity of some fragments of the novel to the excerpts from the Thietmar’s chronicle (a few examples are provided) proves that Kraszewski used the chronicle while writing his book.