Gall Anonym - origin, biography, manuscripts, interesting facts

 The Polish chronicle is the oldest Polish chronicle written in Latin, most probably in the years 1113 - 1116. The author of the chronicle and his biography are unknown. Anonymous, called Gall, wrote his work during his stay at the court of Bolesław III the Wrymouth. The chronicler described the deeds of the Polish prince and introduced the readers to the history of Poland and the profiles of its rulers from the earliest times. The information contained in the Chronicle, despite the lack of dates, is considered reliable. They were used by later chroniclers, including master Wincenty Kadłubek and Jan Długosz, a Polish chronicler who not only knew the Chronicles of Gall Anonymus but was also their first researcher. Three medieval manuscripts of an anonymous author have survived to our times.

Information about the author of the oldest Polish chronicle is extremely scarce. The name of the chronicler has not been preserved. Gallus hanc historiam scripsit - Gallus wrote this story - said the sixteenth-century historian Marcin Kromer, analyzing the work of a medieval historian. The nickname Gall - French- has become a term for a mysterious writer. [Starnawski, p. 12] Reading the letters of Gallus Anonymus, which are an introduction to subsequent books of the Polish Chronicle, allows us to make assumptions about the author's life. Some expressions directly point to the chronicler's foreign origin:

... we will ascribe the honor resulting from this work to the princes of this land (...) [Anonymous Gallica I, p. 5]

... a little work, gracious fathers, written for the part of princes and your country (...) [Gall Anonymous, priest II, p. 59]

... I am a foreign pilgrim among you (...)

... I took up this job (...) so as not to eat Polish bread for free. [Gall Anonim ks.III, p. 115]

Who was Gall Anonymous and where did he come to Poland from? Historians studying the chronicler's biography point to his ties with Hungary. He himself admitted that he was a monk who wanted his work ... to take with him to the place of my religious vows. [Gall Anonim ks.III, p. 115] Medievalist, professor Marian Plezia noticed that the place of taking monastic vows was probably a Benedictine monastery. According to the rule of the order locus professionis, monks leaving the monastery for a certain period of time were obliged to return after completing their task. Gallus Anonymus probably came to Poland from the Hungarian abbey of St. Giles in Somogyvar, as well as other religions, brought there from France, from St. Gilles, the resting place of the saint [Introduction to Polish Chronicle, pp. VI - IX] The validity of prof. Plezia is confirmed by the words of the author of the Chronicle, praising the patron saint of the Benedictines:

Bolesław, the famous prince,

Born out of God's gift,

Prayers of Saint Giles

The cause of his birth. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. I, p. 6]

A clue that allows recognizing Hungary as the place from which Gall Anonymous came to Poland is a good knowledge of this country, neighboring countries, and Hungarian history. Medieval researcher, prof. Plezia pointed out that the author of the Chronicle flawlessly mentions successive Hungarian rulers, Prince Almus, and that Saint Ladislaus, the founder of the Benedictine monastery in Somogyvar, has exceptional respect. Additionally, prince Bolesław III, the Wrymouth is called the northern prince. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. III, [17], p. 139]

Gallus Anonymus came to Poland in 1112 or 1113. It is believed that he could have joined the court of Boleslaw III the Wrymouth when the prince returned from his pilgrimage to Somogyvar in 1113, where he repented after blinding his brother Zbigniew. The chronicler witnessed these events: We have seen with our own eyes such an outstanding husband as for the first time in forty days he fasted in public (...) [Gall Anonymous, Fr. III, [25] p.154] - confessed the history, describing in detail the course of penance. At the court of prince Bolesław III, when writing his work, he used the help of chancellor Michał Awdaniec and the bishop of Poznań, Paweł, whom he mentions in the first letter of the Polish Chronicle: to weave their husbands into the narrative. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. I, s.4] At the end of the letter, the writer suggests that he is counting on a worthy reward for his work. This remark suggests that Gall Anonymous was contracting.

The author of the Chronicle was a foreigner who did not know the history of Poland, so it was obvious that he used the help of people who provided him with the information he needed. In the letter preceding Book II, he mentions Bishop Paul and Chancellor Michael as the great fathers of the chronicle. Chancellor Michał Awdaniec is referred to as a collaborator. In the same letter, Gall Anonym diminishes his own contribution to the creation of the work, calling it a little piece and himself a steward of thin embellishment. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. II, pp. 57-59]

The biography of the historian, after a careful study of the text, provides the reader with more information about the author's writing abilities. Probably the Benedictine dealt with writing letters and composing the content of documents, in accordance with the medieval art of ars dictandi, as evidenced by his words: I did not take up this job in order to allegedly be above others (...) but to avoid idleness and retain skill in dictating ... [Gall Anonymous, Fr. III, p.115] At the same time, it seems that Gallus anonymous was aware of his own abilities, although modestly denied them, as befits a monk. Reading the letters allows one to guess that the Polish circle of the chronicler was not always favorable to him, hence such comments as at the end of the letter to Book III:

Moreover, for the sake of God and Poland, let your honesty prudently make sure that the receipt of the reward for so much work is not hindered by someone's hatred or my accidental timidity, for if wise people consider my work to be good and useful for the fame of the motherland, then unworthy and it would be inappropriate for the creator to receive the award for his work on someone's prompting. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. III, p. 11]

Unfortunately, it is not known whose whispers hurt the writer. We also do not know if he was paid for his work. Not all people around Bolesław III the Wrymouth liked the work of a historian who drew attention to more difficult moments in history. The religious who came "from the world" was certainly distinguished by a different way of being and perceiving reality. In response to unfavorable remarks, he wrote:

… No one will find it inappropriate if black is added to a painting alongside brilliant colors for variety. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. II, p. 58]

If by any chance, you say that a man such and alive as me is unworthy of such topics, I will answer you that I wrote wars of kings and princes, and not the gospel. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. III, p. 116]

This is how the oldest surviving copy of the Polish Chronicle looks like - the beginning of the work of Gallus Anonymus, in a 14th-century manuscript (the Zamoyski manuscript, kept in the National Library of Warsaw)

The horse of Gallus Anonymus is modeled on the Western European court-chivalrous epic. The author began his work this way: The chronicle and history of Polish princes and rulers begin. In this way, he referred to the French genre of chansons de geste, i.e. songs that celebrate the heroic deeds of knights. The Polish chronicle is devoted to the deeds of Bolesław III the Wrymouth - created as an exemplary ruler. The work of Gallus Anonymus is distinguished by an interesting regular composition. The entire work of the mysterious historian is divided into three books. Each part contains a letter - a dedication and a verse introduction. The introductory events, included in the stanzas, are repeated in the final descriptions. Such a framework composition of the content appears in books I and in book III. Inside the books, the author placed songs - Song of the death of Bolesław [Anonymous Gall, Fr. I, [16] p.36], a song sung by Polish knights near Kołobrzeg [Anonymous Gall, Fr. II, [28] p. 91] and a song of the German guard about the honor of Bolesław [Gall Anonim, Fr. III, [11] p. 134]

Book I goes back to the old Wielkopolska legends and the most ancient history of the Piast family. The book ends with information about the miraculous birth of Bolesław the Wrymouth through the intercession of St. Idzi: The monks in Provence had not finished fasting yet, and the mother in Poland was happy to conceive a son! [Gall Anonymous, Fr. I, [31] p. 56] Book II covers the events from 1086 to 1108. The chronicler describes the teenage years of prince Bolesław the Wrymouth and ends this part with the capture of brother Zbigniew and his knights. Book III, which has not been completed, deals with the victory of prince Bolesław the Wrymouth over Germany and shows the battles with the Czechs and the triumphant recovery of the town of Nakło after defeating the Pomeranians. In the 25th chapter of book III, Gallus Anonim presented the course of the tragic conflict with Zbigniew and a description of the penance of Prince Bolesław the Wrymouth. The last part of the Polish Chronicle was brought down to 1113. [Polish Literature, pp. 283-284] [Introduction to Polish Chronicle, pp. LVI]

The first impressive monument of Polish literature belongs to both historical and belles-lettres. The literary style of the Chronicle is an example of the use of ars dictandi in a historical work. The piece was written in Latin. What draws attention is the elaborate rhythmic and rhyming prose, in some places deserving the name of poetry. The heroes of the story give speeches - three speeches are recorded in each book. The events are described chronologically, in the form of short episodes, which are held together by the figure of the protagonist. Gall Anonymous avoids expressing his judgment on people or situations - we find only a few such places throughout the work. The chronicler most often uses the opinions of other people, indirectly revealing his own opinion. [Introduction to Polish Chronicle, pp. LVI - LVIII]

When starting work, the chronicler gathers the necessary materials, which include written sources, oral reports, and sometimes personal experiences. Gall Anonymous did not have many written sources. The researchers of the Gallium Chronicle point to the Life of St. Wojciech, probably the Yearbook of the Krakow Chapter, and some unspecified inscriptions with daily dates. Gall Anonymous drew the most from oral traditions. He drew information about the beginnings of the dynasty from the stories of senior antique - old people who passed their knowledge to the next generation, from the stories of Polish clergymen and people staying at the court of Bolesław III the Wrymouth. He observed some events personally. Chronicle researchers believe that he knew from his autopsy the events related to the penitential pilgrimage of Prince Bolesław, as evidenced by the use of the expression we have seen - only once in the entire work. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. III, [25] p. 154]

The events described by Gall Anonymus, in the opinion of historians, are considered credible. The chronicler often colored the presented situations, especially in depicting the most ancient history, about which he had little knowledge. An example of such coloration of history is the description of the meeting between Emperor Otto III and Prince Bolesław the Brave in Iława. The Polish prince, according to the description of the historian, prepared simply strange miracles (...) For in his day gold was in the common possession of everyone, like silver today, and silver was as cheap as straw. [Gall Anonymous, Fr. I, [6] p.19] The presented events, showing the Gniezno Congress, were created on the basis of a legend still alive in the 12th century and using the life of St. Wojciech. The events of 1000 are confirmed by the German historian, Thietmar. [Barański, pp. 67-68]

Professor Marian Plezia pointed to the great historical value of the Chronicle of Gallus Anonymus as a valuable source for the events of the 11th and 12th centuries. As required by medieval historiography, writers could add fictional details to their descriptions that supplemented and enriched their accounts. This is what the creator of the first Polish chronicle did. The characters' speeches, the description of some events, and the addition of details are among the few created by the chronicler for the purposes of the work. [Introduction to Polish Chronicle, pp. XLVII-XLVIII] The historical value of the Chronicle is confirmed by archaeologists examining the remains of legendary events and people that are present in the legends, eg a dynastic list prepared by the chronicler allows to determine the dates of Siemowit's reign. [Barański, p. 22] It is worth noting that Gall Anonim kept silent about some inconvenient or less known facts, concerning, for example, the conflict between prince Bolesław the Wrymouth and his brother Zbigniew. Reading the Polish Chronicle is an interesting book not only for historians. The contemporary reader, interested in the history of Poland, will find in the work of Gallus Anonymus a picture of the life of our ancestors, methods of warfare, and the way of perceiving reality.

Bibliography:

1. M. K. Barański, The Piast Dynasty in Poland, PWN, Warsaw 2006.
2. J. Wyrozumski, The Great History of Poland. The history of Piast Poland (VIII century - 1370), FOGRA Oficyna Wydawnicza, Krakow 1999.
3. P. Jasienica, Poland Piastów, PWN, Warsaw 1983.
4. J. Krzyżanowski, Gall Anonymous in: Polish Literature. Encyclopedic Guide, Volume I, PWN, Warsaw 1984.
5. History of European Literature, Volume I, edited by W. Floryan, PWN, Warsaw 1977.
6. J. Starnawski, Middle Ages, School and Pedagogical Publishers, Warsaw 1989.
7. T. Skubalanka, Historical Stylistics of the Polish Language. cross-sections, Ossolineum, Wrocław 1984.
8. M. Plezia, Introduction to Anonymous, so-called Gall, Polish Chronicle, BN, Ossolineum, Wrocław 1982.
9. Anonymous Gall, Polish chronicle, ed. R. Grodecki, BN, Ossolineum, Wrocław 1982.