by Dr. Monika von Walter

Digitized versions of all libri traditionum from Bavarian bishoprics and monasteries, the originals of which are kept in the Bavarian Main State Archives in Munich, were recently put online on “Bavarikon”, the internet portal of the Free State of Bavaria for the presentation of treasures of art, culture and knowledge, and are thus made available to an interested public worldwide. The libri traditionum are one of the oldest and undoubtedly also one of the most important types of written sources that are available in the Bavarian Main State Archives. They occur almost exclusively in Bavaria and Austria and were in use from the end of the 10th century to the middle of the 13th century in almost all monasteries and bishoprics in the area of the early and high medieval duchy of Bavaria, which consisted of the southern and eastern parts of present day Bavaria and large parts of modern Austria plus South Tyrol. In these times, when there were few sources, they contain the majority of private charters and are often the only source for names of people and places in a particular region. Many places are mentioned in writing for the first time ever there. Libri traditionum of Bavarian bishoprics and monasteries weiterlesen →