GLOSSARY

Black Linburg  Quedlinburg fortress and abbey in Saxony Anhalt, Germany: In the 11^th century, Imperial Princess-Abbess Adelheid, sister of Heinrich IV presided over Quedlinburg, a renowned ‘school’ for elite young woman (adolescentula). The abbey houses the tomb of Ottonian King Heinrich 1^st and his wife Queen (Saint) Matilda. In the mid-20^th century this became the site for an SS Nazi cult.

La Biblioteca Capitolare Library of the Chapter of Benedictine Canons in Verona, famed for the illumination of manuscripts under Sigimboldo, Bishop of Verona, in the 11th Century. 

Bylina epic Slavic poetry, traditionally sung.

Concubine (Latin concubare – to lie together,) a kept woman. In the pagan middle ages the secondary or hand-fasted wives of elite married men were recognised in law and custom (More-Danico). With the coming of Christianity the terms concubine (popularly always a ‘beautiful’ high-status woman), mistress and cubilaria (bed-wife) outside legitimated marriage became tarnished with adultery even prostitution. [Note Parasia’s dismay.]

Consors thori Consors regni, (beloved) consort of bedchamber and kingdom. Formal appellation of the Ottonian and Salian Empress, seen as indices of her political power, sharing the royal marriage bed; it also, implicitly, emphasised her duty to bear throne-worthy children.

Dumb-folk: Germans, arising from the shared proto-Slavic root німий (nimii) meaning mute or dumb and Німці (Nimtsi) meaning German people, possibly from the early Slavs’ inability to comprehend German? Still current.

Excommunication: In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian faiths, a person cursed by ecclesiastical authority is Anathema or assigned to damnation.  Pope Gregory VII. excommunicated Heinrich IV in 1076 and 1080 and absolved his followers from their oaths of loyalty. Many princes and bishops refused to obey him, and two alternate ‘anti-kings’ were established. Even his own sons rebelled against him. Heinrich appointed his own ‘anti-Pope’ Clement. He was excommunicated a third time by Pope Urban II after the Synod of Piacenza in 1095.

Investiture Conflict: A political and armed power struggle between the Pope and the German Emperor in the 11^th century over the right to appoint bishops. In time the Holy See prevailed.

Jacinth: The now-lost red gem (a ruby hyacinth) possibly belonged to Princess Anna Iaroslavna (c.1020) – later, Queen of France. Its ownership came erroneously to be identified with Emperor Charlemagne.

Ladin: An ethnically distinct people still resident in the alpine region of northern Italy known as Ladinia. (pop. 750,000) This include the valleys of Badia and Val Gherdëina in South Tyrol, Fassa, in the Trentino, Livinallongo, and Ampezzo. Their native tongue is Ladin, a Rhaeto-Romance language derived from Latin.

Lombardia/Langobardia Major/Langbardland: The medieval (Germanic) Kingdom in Northern Italy. It comprised Lombardy proper with its capital Pavia, the Duchies of Friuli and Trento, as well as Tuscany.

March/Mark A border or common frontier. Used for countries, regions, estates, and for rulers, owners, or inhabitants. eg Denmark, Marquis (Germ. Markgraf), see also Welsh Marches.

Ministerial A non-noble retainer originally of unfree status with obligations of household and military service, hereditary possessor of important functions and rights. They rose from serfdom to positions of power and influence in the Imperial German Empire (High Middle Ages).

Moor: Used during the Middle Ages by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim (Arab and Berber) people of the Maghreb (North-west Africa), al-Andalus (Iberian Peninsula), Sicily, and Malta.

Nicolaitan Heresy: A biblical metaphor for sexual practices regarded as immoral or wanton. Term used in condemnation of Yevpraksia’s husband Emperor Heinrich IV at the Synod of Piacenza in 1095.

Nicolaitans: Followers of Nicholas, possibly an early Christian deacon in Antioch, who allegedly ‘lived lives of unrestrained indulgence, practiced adultery and ate things sacrificed to idols.’ It is said that Nicholas abandoned his wife because of her beauty so that whoever wanted to might enjoy her; the practice turned into debauchery, with partners being exchanged in turn. 

‘Perdicause’ (the lost cause), a nick-name given to the Emperor Henry IV by the pro-Papal forces after his imperial standard was torn down and captured by Matilda’s army in 1092.

Quadrivium: The study of grammar, rhetoric, arithmetic, music, geography, astronomy, and theology (Liberal arts). (See Quedlinburg)

Radhan Jew: Also Rādhānite – medieval traders who travelled throughout Europe.

Ruthenia: Also known as Kyivan Rus, a western exonym for the vast Eastern-Slavic orthodox-Christian realm said to be founded by the (Varangian) Viking Rurik (862AD) centred on Kyiv, comprising modern Belarus, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and Western Russia until devastated by the Mongols c.1240. The Grand Princes were deemed to have infinita pecunia (untold riches). Ruzarii: A term for Ruthenians. Place names in Lombardy hint at travellers from Ruthenia in this period, e.g. Via Rudena in Padua.

Sachsen (Saxon/Saxony): A Germanic people and language group who, along with the Franks and Thuringians, dominated northern and eastern Germany from the fall of the Roman empire. Saxons also settled Britain.

Saracen: Medieval European term for all Moslems, from the Atlantic eastwards to the Levant including Berbers, Arabs and Turks.

Salian or Salic (German. Salier): Monarchy – Imperial German dynasty (1024-1125), the pre-eminent European power in the High Middle Ages.

Scotian Monks from the Benedictine monastery at Regensburg, established in 1070 by Irish missionaries, (the Latin word Scotti meaning Gaels) and still known as Die Schottenkirche.

Synod: senior Church assembly or council convened (by the Pope) to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. Synod of Piacenza (March 1095): Pope Urban II hears appeals from the wife of Emperor Heinrich IV and for crusade to the Holy Land (First Crusade)

Tourney: Joust or tournament, Tourney Field, Tourney Queen, Turnier – ‘Forty-eight Turniers, dress'd after the ancient German manner, in yellow Liveries, trim'd with black Velvet, and small Gold Lace.’

Unfree knight: (also see Ministerial) tied in the service to a Lord by seignorial ordinance. A non-noble retainer of unfree status, with obligations of household and military service. Some great German noble families trace their heritage to unfree ancestors. Free nobles (like the celibate and silent Count Zallm) were termed Edel-Frei.

Vassal of St Peter: Follower or ally of the Pope (Gregory VII, then Urban II), enemy of the emperor.

Venusta! Venus-like, ineffable grace, ideal perfection, charming, beautiful.

Wend: Slavonic people, incl. Sorbs, Lusatians, and Wends now in the east of Saxony (Dresden) but formerly extending over Northern Germany; also used to mean all Slavic peoples (Derogatory).

‘Нехай станеться, Господи, в Ім'я Твоє’ (Ukrainian), ‘Let it be done, Lord, in your name.’ frequently used Medieval Eastern Christian (Orthodox) affirmation. It functions both as Amen and a petition for divine intercession. (Latin: Fiat domine, in nomine tuo.)