Telč and Jesuits, Order and its Patrons

The project focused on studying the activities of the Jesuit order in the town of Telč. The aim was to gain a deeper understanding of this phenomenon within the microhistory of the region and, above all, to challenge the distorted perception of the Jesuits as an important spiritual and cultural influence on national identity formation. The project's primary contribution lies in its detailed analysis of the order's activities in Telč and its surroundings. This includes aspects related to missionary work and mapping the cultural heritage associated with the Jesuits of Telč. It also includes a thorough examination of how the probation house functioned, including reconstructing the careers of individual Jesuits. Additionally, it attempts to capture the economic background of the college and the third probation house.

Significant attention was paid to the college library in a way that was completely innovative within the Czech context. This included its four preserved catalogues, book acquisitions, the structure of the collection with regard to its use as formative reading in the third probation house, the activities of the librarians, and the fate of the books and furnishings after the order was dissolved. The literae annuae (annual reports), which are the most informative source for the history of the order, were examined in detail in terms of their form, language and content.

Four applied research outputs were created during the project: exhibitions with critical catalogues presented the activities of the Jesuits in Telč (Telč and the Jesuits, The Order and its Patrons — virtual version available here) and their library (The Library of the Jesuit College in Telč — see here). A specialised map illustrates the locations of the missionary and pastoral activities of the Tertiaries, as well as the preserved monuments of monumental and small-scale sacred architecture in the Telč area (Geographical Horizons of the Activities of the Jesuits of Telč, available online here). The methodology of preparing an electronic edition of the literae annuae provides a means of making narrative historical sources accessible and usable (see here).

Three monographs were prepared, two of which are critical exhibition catalogues. These include detailed catalogue entries for all exhibited items, as well as extensive introductory studies presenting the results of primary research. The collective monograph 'Telč and the Jesuits: The Order and Its Patrons' contextualises the Jesuits' activities in Telč within regional history, the history of the Czech Jesuit province, and the order as a whole. Three workshops and one international conference were organised; the latter explored one of the project's central themes: the relationship between patrons and religious orders during the Middle Ages and the early modern period in Central Europe. A total of 42 scholarly studies were published.

To ensure the sustainability of the project's results until 2025, reduced versions of the exhibitions were reinstalled, methodological support was provided for managing the library in Nová Říše, and the electronic edition of the literae annuae was further developed. Additionally, the project initiated smaller interdisciplinary research activities, including the experimental verification of Jesuit reports on the influence of weather on the course of urban fires (see here), the material analysis of library furniture to determine its age, and the use of 3D modelling as a verification method in historical research.

Project website