The Language of Old Czech Manuscripts of The Coronation Order of Charles IV

The Coronation Order of Charles IV was first issued in Latin (Ordo ad coronandum regem Bohemorum) and translated into Old Czech after the mid-14th century. Only copies of both the Latin and Old Czech wordings have survived. The earliest remaining Old Czech manuscript of The Coronation Order of Charles IV dates from 1396. It is apt to view the text of The Coronation Order of Charles IV as a written fixation of the intended ideal form of the coronation ceremony. In fact, it is a mass liturgy text. Despite many translation pitfalls, the Old Czech translation of the coronation order is welll done. The individual variant manuscripts give evidence of the historical development of the Czech language, show respect towards the original, and singularly bring interesting individual adjustments to the wording. The language of the Old Czech translation of the coronation order undoubtedly enriched medieval Czech