K počátkům vinařství v Čechách / To the beginnings of viticulture in Bohemia

• Main Author: Jiří Sláma
• Format: Article
• Language: ces
• Published: Kulturní studia 2020-05-01
• Series: Kulturní Studia
• Subjects: viticulture; paleobotany; premyslid dynasty; princely economy
• Online Access: http://kulturnistudia.cz/k-pocatkum-vinarstvi-v-cechach/

The expansion of the Roman Empire into Western and Central Europe from the 1st century helped to substantially expand viticulture. Bohemia and Moravia, which lie beyond the former Roman border, only became acquainted with viticulture from the 9th century. We can read the first mentions of vineyards and drinking wine in Bohemia in the legends of St. Wenceslas. The vineyards at that time formed part of the Premyslid princely economy. From the 11th century onwards, princely donations also resulted in vineyards being owned by ecclesiastical institutions (monasteries and chapters), who needed the wine for liturgical purposes. Bretislav’s decrees from 1039 indicate that the consumption of wine at that time ceased to be tied to the environment of the power elites, as a result of which wine became a drink consumed even by the non-privileged strata of society.