The manorial sources of the Reichenau abbey (ca. 1450-1500 a. d.)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Harald Derschka
• Subject Area: Medieval History
• Term: from 2017 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 358446120

At the core of this project is the professional edition and analysis of the manorial sources of the Reichenau abbey in the second half of the fifteenth century. The need to sort and order these documents was expressed in the compilation of a complete manorial book, finished in 1459. However this document was torn apart in the early modern period and is yet to be reconstructed. By doing this, the many and diverse complementary and additional sources produced in the fifteenth century will also be systematically taken into account to provide a more balanced notion. Focussing on the last century of the medieval Reichenau abbey will provide a thoroughly new perspective on the world-renowned religious community that has much more to offer in terms of economy and worldly interaction than the prosperity of the golden age in the early and high Middle Ages. The findings of this project will not only benefit and amend the research on the abbey and on medieval monasticism in general, but will also contribute to the strong growing micro- and regional studies between Switzerland and Germany and benefit the understanding of late medieval manorial and economic strategies and practices.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Michael Hohlstein; Professorin Dr. Gabriela Signori