Medieval Literature General

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Since we are in the period before the invention of the printing press, a specific feature of medieval literature is that it was practically entirely disseminated by handwritten copies, and many of its works have not survived in their entirety. The most common genres were chronicles and annals, legends of saints, sermons, or prayers. Later, learned treatises, novellas, and very popular chivalric romances were added. Additionally, there existed less frequently preserved humorous songs, couplets, or farces, which remained out of the main focus.
Literature was often written in verse and in Latin, with few works being created in national languages at that time. Books were expensive and contained rich decorations and illustrations. Since few people could read, the possession of books was primarily the domain of monasteries, educational institutions, or royal courts.
The most significant Czech literary works of our era include the verse epic Alexandreis, Cosmas’s Chronicle Boerorum, the Dalimil Chronicle, and the biography of Charles IV, Vita Caroli.
The player will surely notice that in Kingdom Come, we handle books and reading more freely. This was one of the concessions we made for the sake of entertainment and to be able to hide information in books that would otherwise not make it into the game.

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