Abstract
The article is focused on the reconstruction of geographical horizons of burgesses coming from Olomouc (Olmütz) and Plzeň (Pilsen) in the period of 1350-1469 and is based on the analysis of topographical data mentioned in their testaments as well as on the comparison with geographical horizons of the burgesses of smaller provincial towns of Stříbro (Mieß) and Znojmo (Znaim). The first aim is to verify an idea of direct proportion between the geographical horizon size of late medieval burgesses and the economic and political importance of towns.
The second aim is to demonstrate usefulness of testaments as sources for detecting economic, social and kindred ties of late medieval burgesses. Study of testaments brought clear evidence of the fact that the geographical horizon of testators coming from Olomouc and Plzeň was wider in comparison with those from Stříbro and Znojmo and included great number of larger and economically more important localities.
Research acknowledged that testaments represent useful sources for detecting geographical horizons of late medieval burgesses and that they give a picture which is comparable with a reconstruction made from different types of sources.