John of Viktring (German:Johann von Viktring,Slovene:Janez Vetrinjski,Latin:Iohannis abbatis Victorensis;c. 1270 – 12 November 1347) was alate medieval chronicler and political advisor to DukeHenry of Carinthia.
Nothing is known of John's early life; of aristocratic birth, he possibly was ofLorraine descendance from the area ofMetz. Having received a thorough spiritual education, he was elected abbot of theCistercian monastery ofViktring inCarinthia on 15 February 1312. His high-mindedness and distinction opened him the doors to the Carinthian nobility and administration. John served as achaplain and confidential secretary to theMeinhardiner duke Henry of Carinthia; in 1330, he accompanied KingJohn of Bohemia on his campaign from TyroleanInnsbruck across theBrenner Pass toTrent, presumably at the behest of the Carinthian duke.
Upon the Henry's death in 1335, John journeyed to theAustrian city ofLinz at the request of Henry's daughter, CountessMargaret of Tyrol, in order to defend her claims to her father's estates before theWittelsbach emperorLouis IV. Though Margaret could rely on her marriage with PrinceJohn Henry of Luxembourg, the mission ultimately failed when the twoHabsburg dukes,Albert II of Austria and his brotherOtto the Merry, took possession of the contested Carinthian lands in her stead. The Austrian dukes thereby also became the lords of Viktring Abbey, they too learned to value the abbot's abilities and consulted him in all important government matters. John frequently stayed at their residence inVienna as a confidential secretary until 1341, when he withdrew to the quiet of his Carinthian monastery to write a history of his own time. He also appeared as chaplain of PatriarchBertram of Aquileia.
His chronicle, which he titledLiber certarum historiarum ("Book of certain histories"), has come down to us in various forms. In its original form, as preserved in a manuscript at theBavarian State Library inMunich, it is a history of the Austrian and Carinthian lands from the accession of the lastBabenberg dukeFrederick II the Warlike in 1230 until 1341, dedicated to the Habsburg duke Albert II. The information on the earlier period was based on the rhyming chronicle of the medieval historian Ottokar fromGaal and the works byMartin of Opava, while the rest was written from data which he himself had collected during his many travels.
In 1342, he enlarged the book into a chronicle of theHoly Roman Empire, which began with the year 1217. He rewrote it again in 1343, this time beginning with theCarolingian period. This revised work has only reached us through a later compilation, the so-calledChronicon Anonymi Leobiensis. John ranks among the most important chroniclers of the late Middle Ages. He was a very learned man and well acquainted with the Latin and Greek poets. His narrative is lucid, and his judgments on the events of his own time show great impartiality. He is influenced byOtto of Freising (d. 1158), and condemns in his chronicle the anti-Roman policy of Emperor Louis.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "John of Viktring".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.