The article lays out Jonathan Israel’s central ideas on the European Enlightenment, as they have been developed in his Radical Enlightenment (2001), Enlightenment Contested (2006) and A Revolution of the Mind (2009). I explain his ‘controversialist method’ of intellectual history and point out the advantages and faults of this approach. Israel’s model of the heterogeneous Enlightenment is shown as a response to A. MacIntyre’s postmodern criticism, and to the older models of a ‘single Enlightenment’, as presented by P. Gay, or older models of multiple enlightenments, as presented by J. G. Pocock. However, Israel’s heterogeneous Enlightenment recognizes just one progenitor of the positive ‘modern values’, which is identified with the Radical wing. The article reviews Israel’ s narrative of the development and spread of the Radical Enlightenment in Europe and the struggles with the Enlightenment mainstream and within the Enlightenment mainstream. However, I also show some faults in Israel’s argument, mainly his view of the ‘secular morality’, which should have been the outcome of the Radical Enlightenment’s campaign. In conclusion, I point at the inconsistency of Israel’s reconstruction of the Enlightenment morals and the differences between his view and J. Schneewind’s interpretation., Ivo Cerman., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Despite the state borders, and the different socioeconomical and cultural contexts, productions of Italian opera in Prague and Dresden become considerably interconnected due the activity of the impresario Giuseppe Bustelli. During his directorship (1764-1777 in Prague, 1765-1777 in Dresden) and even in the next decade, more than 50% of the repertoire was shared. Furthermore, some of the artists performed in both cities, and the same or similar adaptations of operas were used. The main difference in repertoire consisted in opera seria productions in Prague until 1777, whereas in Dresden only opera buffa was staged since 1765. Analyses of selected works reveal some of both similar and different performing strategies and their aesthetical, practical as well as political connections., Marc Niubo., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
On March 12, 1781, the lodge "Zur wahren Eintracht" ("True Concord"), which was originally a secession of the lodge "Zur gekrönten Hoffnung" ("Crowned Hope"), was initiated - a lodge that would show itself to be paramount for the further development of Freemasonry in Austria. It supported the establishment of new masons’ guilds in the provinces of the Habsburg monarchy and actively contributed there. The deputized Grand Master and ducal Saxe‐Weimar resident at the Viennese Court, Christian Bernhard von Isenflamm, envisaged the construction of an elite lodge, which could indeed be built. While at first, aulic surgeon Ignaz Fisher assumed the titular administration of the lodge - Isenflamm had refused a function due to his public status - later privy councilor Ignaz Edler von Born, who as Master of the Chair would soon advance the lodge to an elite association with a literary‐scientific inclination, joined with his circle. Born did not publicly support the establishment of an imperial academy in Vienna, because he wanted to realize the academic thought within Freemasonry. The lodge "Zur wahren Eintracht" especially lent itself to the achievement of this goal, because it had been headed from the beginning by men of the sciences. Under Joseph II, the Freemasons used the press well in order to gain a broader base of influence. However, because the Freemasons were not willing to be politically instrumented by Joseph II, Joseph II issued an imperial hand billet which reduced the number of lodges and with which the emperor hoped to bring the Freemasons under his control. The imperial hand billet resulted in a veritable flood of brochures which had already started in 1781 and now received fresh impetus. The disappointment of the Freemasons was immense and the imperial decree led to the demise of the lodges in Austria., Helmut Reinalter., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
The paper analyses the everyday life of Křivoklát vassals in the late seventeenth and at the beginning of the eighteenth century. As the primary source the author uses mainly the records of examination of sexual offenders. Tree particular cases are analysed in details with the help of other primary sources in order to discover the patterns of everyday life behavior in the period. The importance of role of honor in the everyday life of early modern people and individuality of decisionmaking of their authorities are the main conclusions of this paper., Josef Vacek., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
This paper examines the personal interventions of the empress in the reform process. Maria Theresa intervened in this process in various ways. First of all, she was able to supervise it directly through her signing of official documents, to which she would add instructions for their enactment to the court authorities or to particular countries of her realm. She also tried to make sure that competent individuals were appointed to the administrative apparatus responsible for implementing and supervising the reforms, irrespective of their social estate - though in this she was only partly successful. In addition, she kept her civil servants in check by requiring them to file regular reports. Finally, by calling for fiscal economies she had a hand in controlling public expenditure., Zbyněk Sviták., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
This paper analyses the so-called Chapbooks that were being written or translated on the dawn of the 19th century. The authors tried to educate the ignorant peasants, the targeted readers, through their fetching stories. The work shows facts and deeds that were presented as "right" and "wise". First of all it presents the factual public enlightenment, more specifically the altering appreciation of time. Next, there is an analysis of the way the authors were maintaining the cogency of their work; the paper discusses whether the narrative style of writing is compatible with the didactic intention, and the characteristics of the "rational order of explanation"., Barbora Matiášová., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy