Castra Biblica: The New Davids and Solomons and Their Central European Castles – An Undervalued Paradigm in Castelology?

Abstract

In the study of the castles of Central Europe, interpretations of these structures through the lens of biblical topoi remain hesitant and underexplored. This is justified by many considerations, one being the frequent comparison of rulers to biblical archetypes in medieval literature, especially David and Solomon, as well as Judah Maccabee. The article presents an overview of such accounts concerning rulers of Bohemia, Hungary, and Poland. It should encourage scholars to critically examine the ideological content of the buildings in which the "new Davids" and "new Solomons" lived and exercised their power. Although space constraints limit the present discussion of the residences, two forthcoming installments are announced, which will focus specifically on their interpretation. The article, however, draws attention to a key issue: the significance of the biblical model of attitudes and ideals. The appreciation of this model has diminished across successive periods of modernization – namely, the Enlightenment, positivism, and modernism. As a result, biblical references in medieval chronicling are most often omitted or marginalized. Nonetheless, these references merit careful and nuanced interpretation.