The Kidnapped Bishop: Coerced Ordinations in the Late Medieval Bohemian Province

In 1417, a bishop was kidnapped and forced to consecrate 100 candidates to the priesthood, belonging to the heretical movement of Hussite reformers. The coercion agents valued aspects of a faith they appeared to reject, believing a Roman prelate was necessary for legitimation. This episode is unique in medieval European history and presents an intellectual thriller.

Format: Hardback
Length: 276 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

In 1417, a bishop was abducted and held captive in a remote castle in Bohemia, where he was coerced into consecrating to the priesthood as many as 100 candidates belonging to the heretical movement of Hussite reformers. Despite its well-known status amongst specialists, this unprecedented episode has yet to receive a comprehensive examination to determine the legality of the coerced ordinations. The questions surrounding legitimacy evoke a multitude of inquiries, and the narrative finds itself at the captivating intersection of medieval heresy, theology, and canon law. The notion of kidnapping a bishop and compelling him to perform religious functions, aligned with the desires of his tormentors, is both intriguing and unsettling. What is even more perplexing is the fact that the agents of coercion continued to hold certain values within the faith they purportedly rejected. They had no intention of adhering to the Roman Church, its hierarchical structure, or its laws. It may come as a surprise to the modern reader that those responsible for the abduction believed that a Roman prelate was essential as an imprimatur of legitimacy if their own religious practices were to survive. This episode, singular in medieval European history, unfolds as an intellectual thriller, leaving scholars and historians to unravel the complex web of motivations and beliefs that drove this extraordinary event.

Weight: 572g
Dimension: 159 x 237 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666926637