Page:Lectures on The Historians of Bohemia by Count Lutzow (1905).djvu/33

 who took orders late in life, became rector of the parish of Chudenic, and died in 1380. Though Pulkava’s chronicle is certainly not a work of Charles, it is equally certain that that sovereign—to use a modern expression—‘inspired’ the book. As a proof of the intimacy between Pulkava and his sovereign, it should also be mentioned that he translated the king’s autobiography—to which I shall presently refer—immediately after it was written.

Pulkava’s chronicle, like those of most of his contemporaries, begins with the deluge; and he gives a very curious account, obviously founded on very ancient traditions, of the travels of the Slavs from the land of Senaar through Greece and Turkey to their European dwelling-places. The arrival of the Čechs at the Řip mountain is described in a manner similar to the account of Cosmas which I have already quoted.

I have already mentioned that Pulkava translated into Bohemian the Vita Caroli, the autobiography of Charles, Emperor of the Germans and King of Bohemia. I will now refer to this work, that is perhaps more interesting because of the personality of its author than because of its historical value. The book has been little noticed by historians. The strong Bohemian patriotism of Charles has always rendered him invidious to German writers, and the name of ‘Pfaffenkaiser’ (‘emperor of the priests’) which they have given him has been adopted by other historians also. The imputation insinuated by this name is but partly founded. It is true that the nature of Charles was superstitious, or rather mystical. He thoroughly believed in visions and apparitions, and constantly refers to them in his book. His devotion to relics was as great as that of