History of Towns and Heraldry

 

Course taught by: doc. PhDr. Frederik Federmayer, PhD.

ECTS: 4

Form of instruction: Lecture

Course objective:

In the lectures, students will gain information about the importance of auxiliary historical sciences, especially heraldry, for historical research of our towns. They will become familiar with the wealth of sources on this subject preserved in archives and museums, as well as the methods of how to find and use them. The course introduces the wide presence of heraldry in urban environments in the Kingdom of Hungary. Students will learn about the origin and development of coats of arms of towns and boroughs, the spread of guild heraldry and its symbolism, as well as the meaning and symbolism of heraldic emblems of burghers, urban scholars, and other prominent town residents. Lectures will also focus in particular on the presence of nobility in towns and the ennoblement of urban elites.

Course syllabus:

• Introduction to heraldry, the subject of study of this discipline
• Sources for research of the topic (focused on urban environments)
• Municipal heraldry in Hungary (royal and noble-owned towns, Middle Ages, early modern period)
• City coat of arms and city seal as historical sources
• Description, interpretation, and symbolism of city coats of arms and seals
• Burgher heraldry in Hungary (development, typology)
• Ennoblement of burghers from the heraldic perspective, nobility in towns
• Family coats of arms as a source for understanding urban elites
• Guild heraldry (development, symbolism)
• Heraldic symbolism of crafts, professions, and official positions in towns (masters’ emblems)

Requirements for completion:

• Regular attendance (maximum 3 absences)
• Writing a seminar paper (30% of the grade)
• Successful completion of the final exam (during the exam period, 70% of the grade)

Recommended literature:

• FEDERMAYER, F. Meštianska heraldika na Slovensku. In: Občianska heraldika, SHGS, Martin 2002, s.13-47.
• VRTEĽ, Ladislav. Osem storočí slovenskej heraldiky. Martin, MS 1999 (resp. ďalšie vydania).
• NOVÁK, J. Pečate miest a obcí na Slovensku. I.-II., Bratislava 2008.
• FEDERMAYER, F. Zbierka erbových pečatí, I. – II. FiF UK, Bratislava, 2019, 2022.
• MAJERECH-MRZÚCH, Jozef. Remeselnícke cechové organizácie na Slovensku. Bratislava Academic Electronic Press, 2000.