The Sermons at the Council of Constance, 1414-1418

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Malte Prietzel
• Subject Area: Medieval History
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 433765738

The Council of Constance (1414-1418) is well known as one of the important ecumenical councils in the 15th century, but the sermons which were held there have attracted no particular interest. In fact, historical research generally did not pay much attention to sermons, although they were the only mass media before the introduction of printing.Above all, the sermons have never been treated as an integral part of late medieval political culture. Moreover, no larger study has yet been consecrated to the political culture of a 15th-century council. For these assemblies, sermons probably played a major role, for it was their specific task to offer to the audience normative – and this means, also spiritual – orientation, based on the Bible and the principles of Christian faith.In the last years, many publications have examined the political culture in the Middle Ages, but they almost all concern secular princes and powers. However, 15th-century councils, too, acted politically, as they provided a platform for the disputes among the secular powers in Europe, and, above all, they tried to determine politics within the Church. These two areas of politics influenced each other, and in fact, they cannot be separated from each other, just as religion and politics could not be separated in the Middle Ages.As a reaction to this research desideratum, this project will examine the role of sermons in the political culture and practical politics of the Council of Constance: the function of sermons in the political communication at the assembly, their role in political negotiations and their influence on the elaboration of discourses as well as the way in which they influenced the self-perception of the council and its members and as well as its image for the ensuing generations.This innovative approach will gain new, deep insight into the functioning of the Council of Constance as well as in politics and political culture in the late Middle Ages.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants