Biskup krakowski Jan Grotowic (ok. 1280–1347)

The book constitutes a biography of a 14th-century Polish bishop – one of the most intriguing and controversial representatives of the Polish episcopacy of that time. Born to an influential family, Jan Grotowic gradually developed his ecclesiastical career to finally become the second most important hierarch among Polish bishops, as well as a royal representative at the papal court in Avignon, thus becoming the most prominent member of the Rawicz family throughout the whole period of the Middle Ages. In this publication the author aimed at gathering all scattered pieces of information concerning Jan Grotowic, as well as at presenting possibly the most comprehensive picture of his life and career, but also at revisiting some widely accepted yet not verified data and beliefs concerning his biography. The source material of this book covers not only the hierarch’s lifetime, but also a few centuries after his death, following the growth and development of his posthumous cult, which flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries.