The Manuscript of Dvůr Králové surfaced on 16 September 1817, when Václav Hanka claimed to have discovered ancient Bohemian poems within a church tower. This find, along with later additions from Zelená Hora Castle, propelled Hanka into a central role within the Czech National Revival, despite subsequent scholarly consensus labeling these documents as sophisticated nineteenth-century forgeries.
Early Education and Linguistic Advocacy
Born in 1791 at Hořiněves, Hanka attended school in Hradec Králové starting in 1807. He later enrolled at the University of Prague, now Charles University, where he established a society dedicated to the cultivation of the Czech language. While pursuing legal studies in Vienna, he launched a Czech periodical and fostered a professional relationship with the prominent philologist Josef Dobrovský in 1813.
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Appointed librarian at the newly founded National Museum in Prague in 1818, Hanka presented his discovered manuscripts to the institution. Although these texts were translated into German by Swoboda in 1818 and into English by Albert Henry Wratislaw in 1852, their authenticity faced immediate scrutiny. Josef Dobrovský initially identified the Zelená Hora manuscript as a fraud, a conclusion supported by modern scholarship regarding the collection.
Academic and Political Engagement
Hanka was an active participant in the 1848 Prague Slavic Congress and founded the political society Slovanská lípa. Although elected to the Imperial Diet at Vienna, he declined his seat. He transitioned to a formal academic role at the University of Prague, becoming a lecturer in 1848 and a professor of Slavonic languages in 1849. His research included editions of the Reims Gospel and the Igor epic.
Literary Contributions and Decorations
His extensive bibliography spanned poetry, grammars, and historical editions, including the 1815 volume Hankowy Pjsne and the 1846 Počátky Posvátného Jazyka Slovanského. For his public release of the Reims Gospel, he received the Order of Saint Anna, 3rd class, from Tsar Nicholas I, alongside a brilliant ring granted by Emperor Ferdinand I. He died in Prague in 1861 at the age of 70 and is buried at the Vyšehrad cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1791, Hořiněves
- Died: 12 January 1861, Prague
- Education: Charles University
- Notable Works: Manuscript of Dvůr Králové
- Award: Order of Saint Anna, 3rd class
- Professional Titles: Librarian, professor, philologist
- Burial Site: Vyšehrad cemetery
Questions readers ask
Did Václav Hanka forge the Dvůr Králové Manuscript?
While Hanka claimed to have discovered the documents, modern Czech scholars regard them as forgeries.
What was Hanka's political affiliation?
He was an ardent pan-Slavist and the founder of the political society Slovanská lípa.
Achievements
- Order of Saint Anna, 3rd class
- Notable work: Manuscript of Dvůr Králové
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