Abstract
The canonry founded in 1333 in Roudnice nad Labem (Raudnitz, ca. 60 km north of Prague) has mainly been studied for three of its associations: first, it was a rich and influential foundation linked to important church authorities. The canonry is thought to have become a model of spiritual life for other canonries and played a crucial role in the spread of the movement devotio moderna.
Second, it was unique foundation exclusively for Czechs, because according to the foundation charter of John IV of Dražice, no one was permitted to join unless he was Czech, born of Czech-speaking parents. Finally, among the codices preserved from the library of the canonry, a substantial number contain high quality illuminations and thus the interest of the scholars was often concentrated on the art-historical features of its manuscripts.
Each of these three aspects is, at the same time, problematic: the role of Roudnice in religious history and in the spread of devotio moderna has become the generally accepted and rarely questioned hypothesis, but is supported by little concrete evidence. The "Czech" character of Roudnice is also ambiguous, because the original rule was abolished after sixteen years.
Finally, it is disputed whether there was an illuminators' workshop in Roudnice, or whether the canons had their codices illuminated elsewhere. Since the canonry was destroyed by the Hussites in 1421 and never fully renewed, the evidence of its history is fragmentary and many questions remain unanswered.