Mission or Pragmatism? The Migrating World of Cistercian Monks in the 12th and 13th Centuries: Some Observations

In the history of the Western European cultural sphere of medieval Europe, the period from the late 11th to the 13th century marks an era of profound transformation in various areas of spiritual, cultural, and social life. One of the religious Orders that emerged during this time, both influenced by and contributing to these changes, was the Cistercian Order. The territorial expansion of the Order clearly indicates that by no later than the mid-12th century, the Cistercians had become a pan-European Order with its center in Burgundy. This had a beneficial impact on the cultural landscape of medieval (and later) Europe, as Cistercian monasteries became sources of new inspiration in various aspects of contemporary life. They fulfilled a historical mission of monastic renewal while maintaining the necessary pragmatism in their foundation activities. This phenomenon was also evident in the Polish lands, where it became part of a historical, spiritual, and cultural process of monastic foundations – one of undeniable significance for the interpenetration of cultures and migration movements.