Chełmno i Toruń. Początki miast na ziemi chełmińskiej

Abstract

The starting point for a discussion on the origins of towns in Chelmno Land is the content of the incorporation document issued in 1233 for Chelmno and Torun – called the Chelmno privilege – which become the source of the law system for the towns. The origins of both centres, however, were different and resulted from different settlement, cultural and economic conditions. This paper discusses relations between newly incorporated towns (Chelmno and Torun) and pre-corporation forms of settlement of early medieval traditions (Kaldus – Starogrod and Stary Torun – Torun). An attempt was undertaken to answer the question as to whether the incorporation decisions made by the Teutonic Knights a few years after arriving at the Kuyavian-Chelmno border, took into account – both in the case of Chelmno and Torun – similar socio-economic, demographic and settlement conditions; or whether we are dealing here with different models for the creation of the aforementioned urban centres. Was the basis of incorporation in both cases a prior settlement structure, or were there substantial differences between them in this regard? Therefore, the results of previous archaeological excavations conducted in Chelmno and Torun were compared, including the available written sources. Taking into account the facts concerning the origins of these centres, especially their pre-incorporation stage, it was found that more favourable development conditions occurred near today’s Kaldus (pre-incorporation Chelmno). A castellany existed in Chelmno, the capital of the region, with the name recorded in written sources ( Culmen ). There was a well-developed settlement background too, as confirmed by discoveries of large craft and trade settlements and extensive cemeteries related to them. In contrast to Chelmno, the name of Torun was not recorded in written sources older than the time of the town’s incorporation. In this area, there are no developed settlement structures, except for several points. This indicates that the town incorporated by the Teutonic Knights was founded on a so-called greenfield sites, in the vicinity of an early medieval settlement located on the Vistula River crossing (Stary Torun), then translocated to the present site and situated at the back of a small border fortress (Postolsko – at pre-Teutonic Knights stronghold). The common elements of the first two incorporations are political and communication conditions; both Chelmno and Torun were located on Chelmno Land’s border, at major crossings, and along overland and water long-range trade routes at the entrance to Chelmno Land from the Kuyavia and Pomerania (theory of gateway centres). Both Teutonic Knights’ towns belonged to a network of centres later included to the Hanseatic League. Despite a common document, their hierarchy was strictly defined. Even in a document from 1251, the master one, the capital role of Chelmno was highlighted, which probably corresponded to the historical tradition and the special position of this centre, from which Chelmno Land took its name.