Peter Moraw
His volume on the late medieval period, From an Open Constitution to a Designed Consolidation of the Propylaea, History of Germany, became a key reference in the field.
[5] Initially taking a classical historical approach, Moraw later expanded his methodology to include individual history and prosopography, informed by his study of works by Helmut Berve and the Tellenbach school.
During this time, he explored university history, translated key sources on the life and canonization of Hedwig of Silesia,[8] and created a detailed map of monasteries and convents for the Palatinate Atlas.
From 1987, he served as a co-editor and advisor for the Lexikon des Mittelalters, writing numerous articles on topics such as Germany in the Late Middle Ages,[17] Charles IV,[18] and the Imperial Diet.
[19] Since the 1970s, historians Peter Moraw and Volker Press have identified a gap in historical scholarship related to the integration of imperial and regional history.
"[25] He defined the "open constitution" as a legacy of the defeat of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, where institutional participation was minimal, and only a select few engaged in the empire's power dynamics.
[27] In a 1987 essay, he questioned how a large empire could function with limited resources and personnel, suggesting that administrative history should incorporate methods of personal historical research.
[28] Moraw argued that at the end of the Middle Ages, the empire was not an abstract state but rather a polycentric structure of regions with varying levels of development and proximity to the king.
[47] He characterized the late medieval rulers during this time, from Rudolf of Habsburg to Henry VII, as "small kings" by European standards, noting their modest power and underdeveloped means of governance.
[50] He regarded Charles IV highly,[51] considering him the "greatest ruler of the German late Middle Ages"[52] and his reign as a peak of royal power.
[54] Peter Moraw utilized prosopography in his research to explore social dynamics such as clientelism, patronage, kinship, and friendship within late medieval chancelleries and courts.
Moraw's work suggested that the court had evolved from being the central political authority to an important aspect of the ruler's public life and influence.
[81] Peter Moraw's early research on collegiate churches began with his dissertation on St. Philipp Abbey in Zell, which examined its foundation, internal and external conditions, ownership, and eventual decline.
[82] In 1964 and 1965, he published two essays in the Archive for Middle Rhine Church History that stemmed from his dissertation, one focusing on the challenges faced by the small collegiate monastery of St. Fabian in Hornbach,[83] and the other addressing issues of patronage related to St. Philipp in Zell.
[86] He identified monasticism, episcopacy, and secular governance as key influences on collegiate church institutions and classified them into three types: monastic, episcopal, and lay foundations.
Together with Volker Press, he introduced a research program focused on the social and constitutional history of the Holy Roman Empire during the late Middle Ages and early modern period.
[104] Initiated by Hans Patze in the early 1980s, the residences project at the Göttingen Academy of Sciences included a critical review by Moraw in 1991, which questioned the commission's focus on topography and material culture.
[113] Peter Moraw's involvement with the Regesta Imperii was driven by his interest in personal historical questions and a desire to move beyond a strictly kingship-focused approach.
[114] Paul-Joachim Heinig notes Moraw's contributions to the establishment of registers for Friedrich III, which included initiating a cooperation project with Evamaria Engel at the Central Institute for History of the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin in 1988.
He played a key role in ensuring the project's continuation after the end of the GDR, integrating it into the newly founded Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW).
In medieval studies, the Late Middle Ages in Germany was previously viewed as a period marked by the decline of statehood at the imperial level.
[118] Moraw's students conducted significant studies on topics such as Sigmund's political system,[119] the court of Frederick III,[120] and university visitors in the late medieval empire, further advancing research into this period.
Fouquet's two-volume study, published in 1987, aimed to explore the social and political networks in Speyer, examining the influences on the election of bishops and prelates.
Borgolte argued for a historical approach that highlights the self-image and religious roles of the canons,[130] while Marchal depicted collegiate chapters as entrepreneurial institutions in their own right.
[135] Moraw's idea of a cultural divide in the empire and Europe is widely accepted, though Oliver Auge has revised this perspective for the Baltic region based on early urban centers, the monastic system, and Hanseatic trade.
[137] Heinz Thomas has questioned the characterization of Rudolph of Habsburg as a "small king",[138] while Auge has investigated "minor" princes, highlighting their significance in the history of the Holy Roman Empire.
[139][140] Moraw's work From Open Constitutions to Designed Compacts: The Empire in the Late Middle Ages 1250-1490 is regarded as a significant account of the period.
[141] Oliver Auge's study of the southern Baltic region confirmed Moraw's thesis about the consolidation of the late medieval German empire.
[142] Early modern historian Georg Schmidt suggested that Moraw's concept of "condensation" reflects a delayed yet distinct development in Germany compared to the West, concluding that this process culminated with the Peace of Augsburg in 1555, establishing a structure of multi-level statehood.
[146] Researchers like Gabriele Annas and Thomas Michael Martin have examined the imperial assemblies, emphasizing their role within the late medieval constitutional structure.
