Chronicle of Dalimil

The Chronicle of Dalimil (Czech: Dalimilova kronika; Kronika tak řečeného Dalimila) is the first chronicle written in the Old Czech language.[1] It was composed in verse by an unknown author at the beginning of the 14th century. The Chronicle compiles information from older Czech chronicles written in Latin and also the author's own experiences. The chronicle finishes before 1314, but it is usually published including the entries of later authors describing events up to 1319.[1]

Illustrated manuscript of a Latin translation of the Chronicle of Dalimil

The Chronicle alleged that all Slavs originated "in the south". It stated that "in the Serbian nation there is a land, known as Croatia; in this country there was a chieftain whose name was Čech." The validity of the events are nowadays rejected by some western historians as purely mythological folklore, an archetypal origin myth. The events in the chronicle seem to simply reinterpret the myth of Lech, Czech, and Rus that is repeated in various forms in many other historical records and national chronicles, like Primary Chronicle. It is also supported by recent geogenetics research.

The Dalimil was translated three times into Middle High German (including the recently identified translation by Merbort), and once into Latin.[1]