Carta sine litteris — The Use and Historiography of Documents in the Early Mediaeval Period

Abstract

In the work De Europa by Enea Silvio Piccolomini, book no 20, regarding the history of Carinthia, stands recorded the story of prince Ingo, who, according to the legend, contributed significantly by way of his wit to the spreading of Christianity. This study presents the circumstances in which the Conversio Bagoariorum et Carantanorum, which contains an earlier record of the legend, came into being, and it examines the possible existence in historical reality of prince Ingo and his princely title. In the following, the author analyses the possible meaning and the significance to legal history of the term carta sine litteris (a charter without letters), which appears in other sources of the legend but not in the one recounted by Enea Silvio Piccolomini. Finally, the author presents the literary precursors to the legend of prince Ingo and his role in the Conversio as well as the path the legend took until being recorded by Enea Silvio.