Current state of knowledge about late medieval fortifications in the Broumov region. Benedictines as builders of defensive settlements

Pavel Drnovský, Petr Hejhal

doi:10.37190/arc240401

Summary

In the mid-13th century, the Broumov region (Czech Republic) came under the ownership of the Benedictine order (Břevnov monastery in Prague). Broumov became the center of the area, consisting of a town and a priory, later a monastery. The Benedictine order is associated with the colonization of the region in the late medieval period. During this time, a system of villages and regularly measured fields was established here. However, the order’s colonization activities also included the construction of several fortifications, which were relatively quickly destroyed. The aim of this article is to present the current state of research on local medieval fortifications. In addition to the analysis of written sources, the results of archaeological research and non-destructive surveys are presented.

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2024

4(80)

Pavel Drnovský*, Petr Hejhal**

Current state of knowledge

of high medieval fortifications in the Broumov region.

The Benedictine Order as a builder of fortified settlements

DOI: 10.37190/arc240401

Published in open access. CC BY NC ND license

Abstract

In the middle of the 13

century, the Broumov region (Bohemia) passed to the possession of the Benedictine Order (Břevnov Monastery in

Prague). The centre of the area became Broumov, consisting of a town and a provostry, later a monastery. The Benedictine Order is associated with

the high medieval colonization of the region. During the High Middle Ages, a system of villages and regularly measured-out elds was established

here. However, the colonization activity of the Order also included the construction of several fortications, which perished relatively soon. The aim

of the paper is to present the current state of research on the local medieval fortications. In addition to the well-known fortied provostry located

in Broumov, there is a castle near Božanov. During the archaeological survey, two more hitherto unknown medieval fortications were recently

discovered (near Šonov and Studená Voda).

Key words: Middle Ages, colonization, fortications, Benedictine Order

Introduction

The beginnings of formation of the high medieval settle-

ment network in the Broumov region can be associated with

the Benedictines from Břevnov (Fig. 1). Although we are

partly informed about this process by later copies of docu-

ments and partly also by forgeries (falsications of original

documents from a later period), it is possible, at least on

a basic information level using the available sources, to re-

construct the process of gradual formation of two monastic

settlement domains – Police and Broumov regions (Šrámek

2013). The Police estate is supposed to have been donat-

ed to the Benedictines by the King of Bohemia as early as

1213 (Friedrich 1912, 399–401). During the reign of King

Ottokar II of Bohemia, a letter from 1253 states for the rst

time that the Order also held the property extra Hemi, i.e.,

behind the Broumov Walls ridge (Broumovské stěny) in

the Broumov region (Šebánek, Dušková 1962, 483, 484).

Later, in 1256, Broumov itself is mentioned as a villa fo-

rensis held by Abbot Martin (Šebánek, Dušková 1974,

138, 258). Until the end of the reign of King Ottokar II,

the villages of Bohdašín, Božanov, Hynčice, Křinice and

Martínkovice are mentioned in the Police and Broumov re-

gions (Šebánek, Dušková 1974, 106, 107, 137, 138, 173).

In the period after the death of King Ottokar II in the

Battle on the Marchfeld (26 August 1278), the Břevnov

colonization enterprise was temporarily threatened. At

that time, the Police and Broumov regions passed to the

administration of the Duke of Silesia, Henry IV Probus.

However, on the basis of the duke’s will, after his death in

1290, these territorial possessions returned to the property

of the Order (Jurek 1994, 79–99; Musil 2016, 159). At that

time, the Břevnov convent was already led by Abbot Bavor

of Nečtiny. It can be rightly assumed that during the tenure

of the energetic abbot, further steps were taken to stabi-

lize the area and expand the settlement oikumene. In 1296,

a fortied place (municio) is mentioned directly in Brou-

mov and the local burgrave is also mentioned (Emler 1882,

* ORCID: 0000-0002-0097-8637. Department of Archaeology,

Univerzita Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, e-mail: pavel.drnovsky@

uhk.cz

** ORCID: 0000-0002-0277-6844. Department of Archaeology,

Univerzita Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.

4 Pavel Drnovský, Petr Hejhal

of both brothers, the territory should return to the hands of

the Order. The second brother, Wolfram, died in 1347 and

the domains thus passed to the possession of the Benedic-

tines again. Their claims to this territory were later con-

rmed by King Charles IV. In 1348, he endowed Broumov

with town rights (Haas 1954, 97, 98) and three years later,

the abbot had the king grant him a privilege that encom-

passed all older documents, including the already men-

tioned forgeries (Musil 2016, 163–165).

Overview of fortified sites

Castle and provostry in Broumov

In the north-eastern part of Broumov, a fortication was

built at the end of the 13

century. It is rst mentioned as

a municio in 1296, when the Abbot of Břevnov appoint-

ed Konrad of Sulz as a castellan who was to ensure the

protection of Broumov. Under the next burgrave Vyšemír

of Nečtiny (brother of Abbot Bavor), the fortication was

already mentioned as castrum. In 1300, the castle was

damaged during the uprising of reeves. From the years

1296–1306, accounts from the reconstruction of the site

have been preserved. The renewed castle also became the

seat of the Broumov Provostry. The location was signi-

cantly changed by later building modications. To learn

743, 744). His presence at the beginning of the 14

century

proved to be benecial, as in 1300 there was an uprising

of the Broumov reeves. The revolt was suppressed by the

abbot’s brother Vyšemír of Nečtiny. It is true that the only

source of information about the severity of the ghts is

a letter of complaint by Abbot Bavor, so we can only work

with his view of the matter, but the extent of the unrests

was evidently considerable (Emler 1882, 1207–1209). The

town of Broumov was attacked and burned down, the ab-

bot calculates the damage at a total of 200 talents of silver.

Within these events, the village of Šonov is mentioned for

the rst time, as it was completely destroyed by the reb-

els (incendio cremarent). The historian Rudolf Urbánek

(1948, 505, 506) saw the reason for the dispute between

the abbot and the reeves in the curtailment of their rights

and burdening them with other obligations. František Mu-

sil (2016, 159, 160) views this event in a similar way. After

the rebellion was suppressed, the situation has stabilized.

This state of aairs was only disrupted during the reign of

John of Luxembourg, who pledged the area to the Kłodz-

ko nobles, the brothers Wolfram and Maciej (Matthias) of

Pannwitz. Unfortunately, we again know this episode from

only one record, namely from the revocation of the orig-

inal pledge deed, which was issued by King John during

his stay in Italy in July 1331 at the request of Abbot Bavor

(Emler 1890, 690). The deed also states that after the death

Fig. 1. Broumov region

and the location of the sites

mentioned in the text:

1) castle, town and provostry

of Broumov,

2) fortification above Šonov,

3) stone tower in Martínkovice,

4) castle near Božanov,

5) fortification above Studená Voda.

The border of the Broumov

domain in 1406 is highlighted

(elaborated by P. Drnovský)

Il. 1. Region Broumova

i położenie miejsc wymienionych

w tekście:

1) zamek, miasto

i prepozytura Broumova,

2) fortyfikacje nad Šonovem,

3) kamienna wieża

w Martínkovicach,

4) zamek koło Božanova,

5) fortyfikacje nad Studeną Vodą.

Zaznaczono granicę domeny

Broumova w 1406 r.

(oprac. P. Drnovský)

Current state of knowledge of high medieval fortifications in the Broumov region 5

about the appearance of the monastic castle, depictions of

the area before the Baroque reconstruction and the results

of building-historical surveys are important (Slavík 2014;

2017). The rectangular layout of the castle was protected

on two sides by steep slopes falling to the Stěnava River.

A moat was built opposite the town. On the southern side,

there was a three-nave church with a tower added to the

western façade. Another tower was located on the north-

ern side of the presbytery. In the north-western part of the

complex, there was a third tower protruding from the pe-

rimeter wall. Part of the area was fortied with a zwinger

wall supplemented by a pair of bastions. Remnants of the

medieval walls of the castle are now incorporated into the

Baroque convent (Figs. 2, 3).

Fortification near Božanov (Raubschloss)

Božanov Castle was built on a narrow ridge, the slopes

of which are naturally and deliberately used as a defensive

element. Except for the northern side, the castle was sur-

rounded by a moat and a rampart. At the southern side of

the residence, the moat reaches its greatest depth of 3.5 m

and a maximum width of 8 m. The site is fortied with

a combination of an outer earthen embankment and a ditch

(Fig. 4). The layout of the residence was three-part. The

inner ward of the castle has an approximately oval shape

with the dimensions of 15 × 43 m. In 1991, Jiří Sigl (1991)

carried out archaeological research here. The main results

include the detected presence of wooden buildings with-

in the inner ward of the castle. Collapsed dry-stone struc-

tures were found. Further information was obtained during

surface collecting carried out in the 1990s (Drnovský,

Mazáčková and Šrámek 2019). The assemblage of nds

can be chronologically dated from the 2

half of the 13

century to the beginning of the 14

century. The compo-

Fig. 2. Broumov, ground plan of the provostry premises.

Black – medieval constructions, blue – the course of the town walls,

pink – the course of the moat

(after: Slavík 2017, 270, pic. 10, modified)

Il. 2. Broumov, plan terenu siedziby prepozytury.

Czarny – zabudowa średniowieczna,

niebieski – przebieg murów miejskich, różowy – przebieg fosy

(oprac. na podstawie: Slavík 2017, 270, pic. 10, zmodyfikowane)

Fig. 3. Broumov, view of the provostry premises

from the northeast, state as before 1660

(after: Slavík 2017, 265, pic. 3, modified)

Il. 3. Broumov, widok na siedzibę prepozytury

od północnego wschodu, stan sprzed 1660 r.

(oprac. na podstawie: Slavík 2017, 265, pic. 3, zmodyfikowane)

Fig. 4. Božanov, site plan.

Green – the inner ward and the baileys,

blue – the bottom of the ditch, yellow – the crown of the rampart,

brown – sandstone quarry (probably modern age).

The red dashed line indicates older roads,

the blue dashed line is a modern road (elaborated by P. Drnovský)

Il. 4. Božanov, plan sytuacyjny.

Zielony – wewnętrzny dziedziniec i mury obronne,

niebieski – dno fosy, żółty – korona wału,

brązowy – kamieniołom piaskowca (prawdopodobnie epoka nowożytna).

Czerwona linia przerywana oznacza starsze drogi,

niebieska linia przerywana oznacza drogę współczesną

(oprac. P. Drnovský)

6 Pavel Drnovský, Petr Hejhal

sition of the nds corresponds to the presence of a mili-

tary garrison (Fig. 5). They include militaria and objects

associated with horse stabling and rider’s equipment. A vi-

olent termination of the castle’s operation is evidenced in

particular by an extensive set of arrowheads and projectiles

from various contexts in the vicinity of the castle. Given

the extent of the site and especially its location outside

the settlement area, an administrative function cannot be

considered. From the site, it was possible to oversee the

entrance to the Broumov Basin from the east and, thanks

to its location, it was clearly visible from the neighbouring

estates at a considerable distance.

Fortification near Šonov

The site is located in the cadastral municipality of Šonov.

The character of the site is determined by its location on

the southern slope of the Šonov ridge, from the hilltops

of which it is less than 90 m away. In the sloping terrain,

a circular ditch was dug, which encloses the oval core of

the fortication. The central part of the site measures 36 m

in the north-south axis and 47 m in the west-east axis. The

width of the perimeter ditch uctuates. It is widest on the

northern side, where it is dug into the adjacent slope and

reaches a width of up to 11 m. No surface relics of building

structures were observed in the area of the oval inner ward

(Fig. 6). In the rst half of 2022, several surface collec-

tions were carried out at the site with the aim to obtain

archaeological nds that would help to clarify the opera-

tion period of the castle. The few metal nds can generally

be classied as high medieval or modern. The question of

why the fortication was established cannot be answered

with certainty in the current state of knowledge. The rst

option is that it was built within the scope of consolidating

the property structures of the Benedictines from Broumov.

The second possible reason of why the fortication above

Šonov was built can be related to prospecting eorts re-

Fig. 5. Božanov, selection

of metal finds, militaria

and rider’s equipment

(after: Drnovský, Mazáčková

and Šrámek 2019, modified)

Il. 5. Božanov, wybór znalezisk

metalowych, militariów

i wyposażenia jeźdźca

(oprac. na podstawie: Drnovský,

Mazáčková i Šrámek 2019,

zmodyfikowane)

Fig. 6. Fortification near Šonov, site plan.

Green – the inner ward and the baileys; blue – the bottom of the ditch;

yellow – the crown of the rampart (elaborated by P. Drnovský)

Il. 6. Fortyfikacja w pobliżu Šonova, plan sytuacyjny.

Zielony – wewnętrzny dziedziniec i mury obronne;

niebieski – dno fosy; żółty – korona wału (oprac. P. Drnovský)

Current state of knowledge of high medieval fortifications in the Broumov region 7

lated to gold mining. The presence of gold can be inferred

from old toponyms and it was also predicted by schlich

prospection. In both of the above options, it is likely that

the site was not fully completed (Drnovský 2023b).

Fortification near Božanov – Studená Voda

The site is located in the south-eastern corner of the

cadastral municipality of Božanov near the border with

Poland. The fortication consists of a ditch that partially

encloses the oval inner ward. The outer edge of the ditch

is connected to the rampart. The ditch does not encircle

the entire inner ward of the fortication. The dimensions

of the core are approximately 32 × 27 m. The width of the

ditch varies between 6 and 4 m, with the eastern part being

wider. The course of the ditch is disrupted by a ramp-like

entrance corridor that leads to the south-western part of

the inner ward (Fig. 7). Surface prospecting did not yield

any artefacts. The construction of the newly discovered

medieval fortication near the village of Božanov, or the

settlement of Studená Voda, was probably not completed.

This is indicated by the unnished perimeter ditch and the

existence of an unexcavated part of the ditch at the point

of entry. The theory of the incompleteness of the site is

also supported by the absence of ceramic and metal nds

(Drnovský, Hejhal 2024).

Stone tower – Martínkovice

The building was located in the village of Martínko-

vice. We learn about its construction from a description

by the Abbot of the Břevnov Monastery, Bavor of Nečtiny,

who had it built at the beginning of the 14

century (turri

lapidea in villa Martini). Its price is estimated in the doc-

ument at six talents of silver. Its location cannot be exact-

ly determined today, although at the beginning of the 20

century it is still stated that the hill opposite the church

would be called Turmwiese (Tower Meadow). In the doc-

ument, we can also nd a mention of the restoration of

the local farmyard in the same village (Cechner 1930, 218;

Emler 1882, 1202, 1203; Žemlička 2014, 141). The role

Fig. 7. Fortification near Studená Voda, site plan.

Green – the inner ward and the baileys, blue – the bottom of the ditch,

yellow – the crown of the rampart (elaborated by P. Drnovský)

Il. 7. Fortyfikacja w pobliżu miejscowości Studená Voda,

plan sytuacyjny. Zielony – wewnętrzny dziedziniec i mury obronne,

niebieski – dno fosy, żółty – korona wału (oprac. P. Drnovský)

Fig. 8. Church of St Martin

in Martínkovice:

a) photo of the site as after 1900,

b) ground plan of the Baroque

church with an older

incorporated tower,

marked with a dashed line

(after: Cechner 1930, 218–221,

pic. 273, 276, modified)

Il. 8. Kościół św. Marcina

w Martínkovicach:

a) zdjęcie wykonane po 1900 r.,

b) rzut przyziemia

kościoła barokowego

ze starszą wkomponowaną wieżą,

oznaczoną linią przerywaną

(na podstawie: Cechner 1930,

218–221, obr. 273, 276,

zmodyfikowane)

of the tower is unclear. It may have been a checkpoint at

the main road near the border between the Broumov and

Kłodzko regions. However, we cannot ignore the possibil-

ity that Abbot Bavor of Nečtiny just unclearly mentioned

the construction of the tower of the local church in the

record. Still, the form of the record is more indicative of

a separate free-standing tower than of a church tower. In

the case of the construction of a church, the abbot would

probably choose a dierent form of written record. The ex-

istence of the church in Martínkovice is rst documented

as late as 1384. However, it is possible that the abbot’s

tower was secondarily used and incorporated into the con-

struction of the Gothic phase of the church (Fig. 8).

Conclusion

If we summarize the testimony of written sources, it can

be stated that the continuous settlement and the formation

of a high medieval settlement network in the Broumov

8 Pavel Drnovský, Petr Hejhal

region can be associated with the colonization eorts of

the abbots from Břevnov based on the local centres in Po-

lice and Broumov. The origin of all the fortications de-

scribed above can probably be associated with the Bene-

dictine Order. We do not suppose that the pledge owners

(Duke Henry IV Probus and the brothers of Pannwitz)

would have built these residences during the temporary

possession. Of the fortied settlements presented, we have

contemporary written sources only for the castle, which

was located directly in Broumov. The report on the stone

tower in Martínkovice is unclear.

The development of the formation and stabilization of

the monastic domain was reected in the trends of found-

ing the individual sites (Drnovský 2023a). From the begin-

ning, Broumov was the central location – there was a town,

a provostry and since the 1290s also a fortied residence.

Probably at the beginning of the 2

half of the 13

cen-

tury, fortied sites were established to help stabilize the

newly colonized landscape and demarcate the borders with

the neighbouring Kłodzko region. These sites were located

near Šonov and Studená Voda. The fortication at Studená

Voda was not completed, probably due to the temporary

territorial loss of the Broumov region to the Duke of Sile-

sia, Henry IV Probus. Similarly, the fortication above

Šonov also was probably abandoned. In this case, how-

ever, the demise could be related to an unsuccessful pros-

pecting eort to mine gold. At the end, after regaining the

Broumov region, the Benedictines had a castle built above

Božanov. It is located only 820 m from the unnished for-

tication near Studená Voda. It was founded in a strategi-

cally more advantageous location. Unlike the previous two

locations, the castle near Božanov has a three-part layout:

in addition to the inner ward, it also has two baileys. Its

full completion and operation are evidenced by numerous

pottery and metal nds. Finds of militaria in its vicinity

testify to the violent demise of the castle. The position was

probably conquered during the uprising of the Broumov

reeves against their Benedictine manorial lords. During the

ghts, the castle and town of Broumov were burned down,

and we can nd a mention of burning down the village of

Šonov as well.

After the rebellion was suppressed, the Abbot of Břev-

nov Monastery, Bavor of Nečtiny, decided to fundamental-

ly rebuild the provostry, including the castle. Since the for-

tication above Božanov proved to be dicult to defend, it

was not renewed. The fact that after 1300 and the suppres-

sion of the rebellion the position of the Benedictines in the

Broumov region was so strong that it was not necessary to

keep this seat as a foothold of their domains may also have

played a role in this. The main portion of the investments

was spent on the construction of a fortied settlement in

Broumov. The castle and provostry, together with the forti-

ed town, created a suciently solid foothold. During the

Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period, no further for-

tications were built in the Broumov region.

Translated by

Jana Kličová

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Current state of knowledge of high medieval fortifications in the Broumov region 9

Streszczenie

Obecny stan wiedzy na temat późnośredniowiecznych umocnień w regionie Broumova.

Benedyktyni jako budowniczowie grodów obronnych

W połowie XIII w. region Broumova (Czechy) przeszedł w posiadanie zakonu benedyktynów (klasztor Břevnov w Pradze). Centrum obszaru stał

się Broumov, składający się z miasta i prepozytury, później klasztoru. Zakon benedyktynów jest związany z kolonizacją regionu w okresie późnego

średniowiecza. W tym czasie utworzono tu system wiosek i regularnie mierzonych pól. Jednak działalność kolonizacyjna zakonu obejmowała również

budowę kilku fortykacji, które stosunkowo szybko uległy zniszczeniu. Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie aktualnego stanu badań nad lokalnymi

średniowiecznymi fortykacjami. Oprócz znanej ufortykowanej prepozytury znajdującej się w Broumovie, w pobliżu Božanova znajduje się zamek.

Podczas badań archeologicznych niedawno odkryto dwie kolejne nieznane dotąd średniowieczne fortykacje (w pobliżu Šonova i miejscowości Stu-

dená Voda).

Słowa kluczowe: średniowiecze, kolonizacja, fortykacje, zakon benedyktynów