Religious and daily life at the end of the sixteenth century Krakow in light of the “Diary” of Giovanni Paolo Mucante

Abstract

The article is based on The Diary of the journey undertaken to Poland in the years 1596-1597 by the papal legate, Cardinal Enrico Caetani. This hitherto unpublished material is a valuable source of information for the early modern Polish history. Its author, the secretary of Cardinal Giovanni Paolo Mucante, was a keen observer of the life of people from all social classes. He also had a sharp eye for the religious ceremonies and the spiritual makeup of the country, both of which he describes with meticulous accuracy. By doing it, he shed a new light on the spiritual and material culture of the inhabitants of the Polish‑Lithunian Commonwealth. The author of the article focuses on that part of The Diary which relates directly to Krakow. This fascinating reading shows the former capital of the Kingdom of Poland as a place less developed in terms of culture and social amenities then contemporary Italian cities, but nonetheless equally original, appealing and beautiful.

Author Biography

Janusz Smołucha, Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow

A historian and cultural studies expert, is a professor at the Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow. He is the author of a number of papers related to the papal diplomacy and Poland’s relations with the Holy See in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period. His research interests focus on the cultural changes in Central European countries and on their joint defense against the threat of Islam.

Published
2018-10-20
How to Cite
[1]
Smołucha, J. 2018. Religious and daily life at the end of the sixteenth century Krakow in light of the “Diary” of Giovanni Paolo Mucante. Perspectives on Culture. 23, 4 (Oct. 2018), 29-42.
Section
Images of Religion