Person details

Václav Hanka

Hanka, Václav (1791-1861). Czech poet, philologist and patriot. ‘Discoverer’ of the Rukopis královédvorský (1817) and Rukopis zelenohorský, forged manuscripts of epic and lyric poems of Czech history, supposedly dating from around the year 1300. The works were almost certainly by Hanka himself and were set to music by countless native composers of the later nineteenth century. He also wrote poetry under his own name, as well as several libretti.