marie bláhová Shortly before her death, in 1132, Přibyslava, the nobleman Hroznata’s widow, invited her “elder and more respectable” relatives to orally articulate her last will, according to which, with the consent of her relatives, she donated two villages with all appurtenances and subjects to the Benedictine Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, along with the hospital in Sázava, where she died several days later. She guaranteed the donation through legal witnesses. An unknown monk of the Sázava Monastery recorded it in the monastic chronicle.14 Another testament, the last will of the Nobleman Oldřich, son of Držislav (made orally prior to his journey to the Holy Land) in favour of the Cistercian monastery in Plasy (in western Bohemia) in 1192, was additionally recorded by a scribe from the monastic scriptorium.15 The last will was formulated as a personal declaration of the testator. He donated one farmstead and appurtenances to the monastery, and he entrusted his friend Markvard with the execution of the last will. Oldřich made the will in the presence of Bishop Henry Břetislav and Duke Přemysl. They certified it before witnesses, and Přemysl attached his seal to the document. In 1197, a member of a powerful noble Czech family, Hroznata, decided to join a crusade and visit the Holy Sepulchre, after the death of his wife and son.16 Prior to his journey, he wanted to make provision for his estates in case he did not return. Hence, he made his last will in front of witnesses and had it written down for retention, and to prevent its falsification.17 In the last will, he passed along his estates to the friars of the Canonry of Premonstratensians of the Virgin Mary in Teplá (Western Bohemia), which he had founded. If he returned, the canons should give him back his estates, except those he permanently donated to the monastery, i.e. the Teplá estate itself with accessories. He donated other property to his relatives in the same way, some permanently, some in case he did not return from the journey. The last will included all of Hroznata’s 305 14 Emler 1874, p. 258. Cf. Bláhová 2008, pp. 61–62. 15 Friedrich 1904–1907, no. 336, p. 306. 16 These facts are stated in the Vita fratris Hroznate. Cf. Kubín 2017, p. 180 (De coniugio). Hroznata’s biography was written by Kubín 2000. 17 Friedrich 1904–1907, no. 357, p. 323. On the charter, cf. Kubín 2000, pp. 169–172; Štachová 2011, pp. 37–38.
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