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The main topic of the article is the founding of a general study of the Polish Dominicans. The lengthy and complex research conducted by Krzysztof Kaczmarek and Maciej Zdanek established that the first source-based evidence confirming the activity of Krakow’s studium generale comes from 1404/1405–1410. However, the above dates are just terminus ante quem of the origins of this educational centre. The author focused on an event from 1304–1316, which professional literature on the subject tends to describe as ‘an unsuccesful attempt to create a general study in Krakow.’ A new analysis of the Dominican chapter house documents, the internal dynamic of the order in the early 14th century, as well as the history of the Polish Dominican province, allowed to put forth or re-introduce a previously-abandoned hypothesis into the academic discussion; the hypothesis suggests that, most likely, the general study of the Polish Dominicans was founded in the 14th century already, perhaps soon after the 1304 announcement of changes in the chapter De studentibus .

Tractatus contra beghardos written by a Chech Dominican Henryk Harrer is a masterpiece of exceptional value for both historians of the medieval heterodox movements as well as for scholars interested in the history of theology and law in the 14th century. The treaty was commissioned by Cracow Dominicans in the years 1328 to 1334. Commissioning the treaty to Henryk Harrer, a stranger expert from the Prague monastery of St. Clemens was dictated by a series of controversies among Cracow clergy around the judgement of conduct of a certain group of people whose religious practices and a way of life stood out from the rest of the congregation. Undertaking the task of writing the treaty Henryk Harrer based his work around three charges pressed against the suspected of heresy: breaking off the Church and establishing an illegal organization (singularitas vite); corrupted attitude towards recognized religious practices (contemptibilitas sacramenti eucharistiae); numerous flaws and perverse disposition (pertinax voluntas). Not only did Harrer decide to comment on all aspects of life of central figures of Contra beghardos but he also honestly mentioned all arguments he was not able to undermine. Despite these objective difficulties, the Czech Dominican was certain that the expertise he came up with was sufficient to link the lay movement with the sect of Beghard Heretics.The author of this study proved that, contrary to Harrer’s keen intention, his Tractatus contra beghardos does not unambiguously show heresy in the Cracow diocese. What is more, the reader, instead of indictment against the conduct of a group of laymen paradoxically received a confirmation of their innocence and orthodoxy. In the light of analysis of the text Contra beghardos, the claim that Beghard Heretics from Harrer’s work turn out to be pious layman, living in communion with the Church, seems to be fully substantiated. Of course their way of life and the practice of asceticism made them stand out from the other members of the congregation but were completely in line with the Church legislation. In this context, Harrer’s work is an original testimony of numerous misunderstandings about the Beghard movement and stormy times of forming a new kind of piety among lay members of Church.

Mikolaj Duthorow and his error condemnatus ab Ecclesia . Polish Dominicans, Heresy, and New Piety Currents in the First Half of the Fourteenth Century The purpose of this study is to analyse a fragment of the documents of a provincial chapter of the Polish Domicans from 1338, containing a poenitentia imposed on the Polish Dominican Mikolaj Duthorow and an ordinatio addressed to local representatives of the Inquisition. Mikolaj Duthorow was probably a member of the Dominican monastery in Gryfia (German: Greifswald), where as a preacher he voiced views regarded by his co-brethren as error condemnatus ab Ecclesia . A theological-historical analysis enabled Tomasz Galuszka to show that the doctrine proclaimed by Mikolaj contains distinct references to the thoughts and activity of two German Dominicans: Master Eckhart of Hochheim and Heinrich Seuse. The case of Mikolaj Duthorow inclined the Polish chapter (1338) to take a closer look at the orthodoxy of the remaining members of the province. It thus transferred to papal inquisitors the right to trace and try those brethren whose lifestyle, religious practices, and views were evidently at odds with universally accepted monastic customs. The provincial chapter from 1338 addressed its edict to papal inquisitors, probably: Mikolaj, Jan Schwenkenfeld and Stanislaw of Cracow. The process of entrusting them with potestas libera incarcerandi and inclusion into the Dominican penitentiary system was an important stage in the history of the papal Inquisition in Poland. From that time, the range of the activity of local inquisitors was almost un limited – they could deal not only with heretics sensu stricto but also with errantes within the province. The case of Mikolaj Duthorow comprises original evidence of the reaction of Polish Dominicans to new devotion currents appearing in the first half of the fourteenth century and accentuating mystical experiences, individualism, and emotional life.