Czy stare i nowe miasto były skazane na konflikt? Głos w dyskusji w świetle nowszych badań

Abstract

Were the old and new towns doomed to conflict? A voice in the discussion in the light of newer research The article consists of two parts. In the first one I present the causes and forms of conflict between municipalities in one urban centre in medieval Poland. It is a summary of and supplement to the material presented in my book about double and multiple cities in medieval Europe, limited here to Polish lands. In the second part, I engage in a debate with works published since then that question the existence of competition and conflict between municipalities: by Marcin Starzyński in relation to Kazimierz in Cracow and by Piotr Samól in the case of Jungstadt in Gdańsk. Direct proximity determined the intensity of contacts and mutual dependence, which led to tensions, and in some circumstances could lead to acts of violence and material destruction of weaker municipalities. The biggest area of tension was economic rights. Among them, the right to cut cloth, sell beer, rights to markets and fairs played a special role. The main centre usually aimed for a monopoly and sought to encompass the city’s broadly defined environs. However, the essence of the dispute was not the economic or craft activity, but its removal from the control of the old town authorities and the functioning of an independent municipality. The older and usually stronger commune looked down on its neighbour, while the younger one felt humiliated and wronged. In addition, direct proximity often caused military problems: weaker fortifications of the new town or their absence became a cause or pretext for restricting or partially or even completely eliminating construction. Open violence against a neighbouring centre was contrary to the interests of the superior of these municipalities, so it happened rarely, usually during a war in the area. At the same time, tension and rivalry between municipalities did not exclude cooperation in many areas or pragmatic benefits from mutual proximity. It probably constituted a potentially significant factor stimulating the development of such complex urban structures.