Since the second half of the 18th century, generations of intellectuals and sponsors have laid foundations of the contemporary Moravian historiography. Although the founders came from various material and social conditions, they pursued one common objective: the economic, cultural and scientific advancement of Moravia. An excellent knowledge of the Moravian history was the device and key for these people to discover their own capabilities. Beside the well-known founders of the Moravian historiography, many small researchers, fallen into oblivion today, worked hard in different regions for the common idea. František Vilém Horký was one of such renowned regional historians. His life and work is a telling example of an intellectual who arose from the poorest social stratum. He was able to free himself from gloomy situation, and to guarantee a reasonable material standard to his family by his diligence and tenacity. In addition to that, he started copying historically valuable documents and he drew and described various memorabilities. Thus, he created a vast family collection which was later on used by his talented son for publishing historical works. Manuscripts conserved until today are documenting the width of interest of this small intellectual living between 1764 and 1825.
This paper attempts to answer the question concerning the degree to which the position of serfs changed after the abolition of serfdom in Austria. Were the people in fact free as has been stated time and again in the history books and textbooks? Research into two Liechtenstein estates – the South Moravian domain of Břeclav/Lundenburg and the Lower Austrian estate of Wilfersdorf was used to analyse the factors behind personal freedom of movement after the abolition of serfdom. Could former serfs travel freely to other estates or abroad? This narrow study showed that this was not the case until the end of the pre-March period, i.e. after the end of patrimonial administration. These findings go against traditional interpretations. The abolition of serfdom was undoubtedly a step towards a modern society, but its implementation did not result in the end of control mechanisms, as they were replaced by others, and not only in the developing legal system. A lesser-known new factor from the period was the restriction of demesnial jurisdiction, which was placed under the control of the regional authorities. However, the period of reform did usher in a new phenomenon: the legal right of former serfs to protection against seignorial powers.