Wikipedia / List of Bohemian monarchs
Wikipedia / List of Bohemian monarchs
The Duchy of Bohemia was established in 870 and raised to the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198. Several Bohemian monarchs ruled as non-hereditary kings and first gained the title in 1085. From 1004 to 1806, Bohemia was part of the Holy Roman Empire, and its ruler was an elector. From 1526 to 1804, the Kingdom of Bohemia, together with the other lands of the Bohemian Crown, was ruled under a personal union as part of the Habsburg monarchy. From 1804 to 1918, Bohemia was part of the Austrian Empire, which itself was part of the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918. Following the dissolution of the monarchy, the Bohemian lands, now also referred to as Czech lands, became part of Czechoslovakia, and they have formed today's Czech Republic since the 1993 dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
Legendary rulers of Bohemia
Libuše, female ruler
Přemysl the Ploughman, husband of Libuše
Dukes and Kings of Bohemia from and after Přemyslid dynasty (c. 870–1306)
Přemyslid dynasty
Feuds of Bohemia and Moravia under Premyslid rule
Part of Great Moravia(until 907) | ||
Duchy ofBohemia(870–1198)Raised to:Kingdom ofBohemia(1198–1306) | Part of Poland(999–1019) | |
Duchy of Moravia(1019–1055) | ||
Duchy ofBrno(1st creation)(1055–1056) | Duchy ofZnojmo(1st creation)(1055–1056) | Duchy ofOlomouc(1st creation)(1055–1056) |
Duchy ofOlomouc(1061–1178) | ||
Duchy ofBrno(2nd creation)(1061–1182) | Duchy ofZnojmo(2nd creation)(1092–1182) | |
Duchy of Moravia(Znojmo line)(1182–1191) | ||
Duchy of Moravia(1197–1222) |
Table of rulers
Ruler | Born | Reign | Ruling part | Consort | Death | Notes |
852Son of Hostivít (?) | 870–883885–889 | Ludmila of Bohemia873six children | 889aged 35/6 | First documented ruler of the dynasty. | ||
Strojmir, Duke of Bohemia | ? | c. 883–885 | ? | ? | Apparently a usurper. | |
Bohemia annexed to Great Moravia (889–894) | ||||||
882First son of Bořivoj I and Ludmila of Bohemia | 894–915 | Duchy of Bohemia(with Moravia since 907) | Unmarried | 915aged 32/3 | His reign restored Bohemian sovereignty. | |
Vratislaus I(Vratislav) | 888Second son of Bořivoj I and Ludmila of Bohemia | 915 – 13 February 921 | Drahomírathree children | 13 February 921aged 32/3 | ||
Regencies of Ludmila of Bohemia (921) and Drahomíra (921–925) | Known as St. Wenceslaus ("Good King Wenceslas" for English-speaking people), the patron saint of the Czech lands. | |||||
St.Wenceslaus(Svatý Václav) | 907StochovFirst son of Vratislaus I and Drahomíra | 13 February 921- 28 September 929/35 | Unmarried | 28 September 929/35Stará Boleslavaged 21/2 or 27/8 | ||
Boleslaus I the Cruel(Boleslav I. Ukrutný) | 915Prague (?)Second son of Vratislaus I and Drahomíra | 28 September 929/35 – July 972 | Biagotafour children | July 972aged 56/7 | Assassinated his brother to ascend to the ducal throne. | |
Boleslaus II the Pious(Boleslav II. Pobožný) | 940Prague (?)Son of Boleslaus I and Biagota | July 972 – 7 February 999 | Adiva (of England?)four childrenEmma of Mělník(Emma of Italy (?))989no children | 7 February 999aged 58/9 | Moravia is again lost, this time, to Poland, in 999. | |
Boleslaus III the Red(Boleslav III. Ryšavý) | 965First son of Boleslaus II and Adiva | 7 February 999 – May 1002February – March 1003 | Unknown | 1037aged 56/7 | In 1002–04, Bohemia was invaded twice by Poland. | |
Bohemia was annexed to Poland (1002-04):
| ||||||
c. 970Second son of Boleslaus II and Adiva | 1004 – 12 April 10129 November 1034–1035 | Unknown | 4 November 1038Lysá nad Labemaged 60/70 | In 1004, Jaromir occupied Prague with a German army and proclaimed himself Bohemian duke, restoring the family's domain, albeit reduced. As brothers of Boleslaus III, Jaromir and Ulrich had a fight for the throne that lasted until 1034, when Ulrich died and Jaromir retired (and then murdered). Nevertheless, more land was at stake, as Moravia was reintegrated into Bohemia in 1019, after being reconquered from Poland, and given to Ulrich's son. | ||
Ulrich I(Oldřich) | c. 975Third son of Boleslaus II and Adiva | 12 April 1012 – 9 November 1034 | Boženac. 1002one child | 9 November 1034 or 1042aged 59/60 or 66/7 | ||
1033 – 9 November 1034 | Duchy of Moravia | |||||
Bretislaus I the Bohemian Achilles(Břetislav I. český Achilles) | 1019/29 – 10339 November 1034 – 10 January 1055 | Duchy of Moravia | Judith of Schweinfurt1020four children | 10 January 1055aged 50/3 | First separation of Moravia from Bohemia. His father usurped his place for a year. After his own death, his sons shared the inheritance. | |
1035 – 10 January 1055 | ||||||
1031First son of Bretislaus I and Judith of Schweinfurt | 10 January 1055 – 28 January 1061 | Duchy of Bohemia(also in Moravia from 1056) | Ida of Wettin1054one child | 28 January 1061aged 29/30 | Children of Bretislav I, divided their inheritance: |
Spytihnev kept Bohemia; the others divided Moravia:
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The division was made ineffective by Spytihnev (1055), who extended his rule to Moravia, uniting the whole Premyslid domain under his control. However, after his death (1061), the landless brothers recovered the inheritance and divided it differently, as Vratislav inherited Bohemia:
Conrad recovered Brno but also received Otto's share in Znojmo;
Otto received Vratislav's part in Olomouc.
Vratislaus II(Vratislav II) | c. 1035Second son of Bretislaus I and Judith of Schweinfurt | 10 January 1055–1056 | Mariabefore 1057no childrenAdelaide of Hungary (I)1057four childrenŚwiętosława of Poland1062five children | 14 January 1092aged 59/60 | ||
28 January 1061 – June 1085(as Duke)June 1085 – 14 January 1092(as King) | ||||||
Conrad I(Konrád I) | c. 1035Third son of Bretislaus I and Judith of Schweinfurt | 10 January 1055–105628 January 1061 – 6 September 1092 | Duchy of Brno(with Znojmo since 1061) | Wirpirk of Tengling1054two children | 6 September 1092aged 56/57 | |
14 January – 6 September 1092 | ||||||
Otto I the Fair(Ota Sličný) | 1045Fifth son of Bretislaus I and Judith of Schweinfurt | 10 January 1055–1056 | Euphemia of Hungarybefore 1073two children | 9 June 1087aged 41/2 | ||
28 January 1061 – 9 June 1087 | ||||||
Boleslaus(Boleslav) | 1062First son of Vratislaus II and Świętosława of Poland | 9 June 1087 – 11 August 1091 | Unmarried | 11 August 1091aged 28/9 | ||
Bretislaus II(Břetislav II) | c. 1060Son of Vratislaus II and Adelaide of Hungary (I) | 6 September 1092 – 22 December 1100 | Lukarta of Bogen1094one child | 22 December 1100aged 39/40 | ||
Ulrich (II)(Oldřich) | c. 1070/80?First son of Conrad I and Wirpirk of Tengling | 6 September 1092 – 5 January 1113 | Duchy of Brno(with Znojmo since 1112) | Adelaidetwo children | 5 January 1113aged c. 33/43? | Children of Conrad I, divided the inheritance:
|
Despite having heirs, Luitpold's land came to Ulrich's possession after his death. Conrad II, Luitpold's heir, would come to power in 1123.
Luitpold (I)(Litold znojemský) | c. 1070/80?Second son of Conrad I and Wirpirk of Tengling | 6 September 1092 – 15 March 1112 | one child | 15 March 1112aged c. 32/42? | ||
c. 1064PragueSecond son of Vratislaus II and Świętosława of Poland | 25 December 1100 – May 1107December 1117 – 16 August 1120 | Helbirga of AustriaOctober 1100Znojmono children | 2 February 1124aged 39/40 | Ruled twice. Retired in 1120. | ||
Svatopluk (I)(Svatopluk Olomoucký) | 1075First son of Otto I and Euphemia of Hungary | 11 August 1091 – 21 September 1109 | Unknownone child | 21 September 1109aged 33/4 | ||
May 1107 – 21 September 1109 | ||||||
Vladislaus I(Vladislav I) | c. 1065Third son of Vratislaus II and Świętosława of Poland | 21 September 1109 – December 111716 August 1120 – 12 April 1125 | Richeza of Berg1110/11four children | 12 April 1125Pragueaged 59/60 | Ruled twice. | |
c. 1075Fourth son of Vratislaus II and Świętosława of Poland | 5 January 1113–1123 | Duchy of Brno(with Znojmo) | Adelaide of Hungary (II)1123five children | 14 February 1140aged 64/5 | Ruled Brno and Znojmo, which split after his resign:
| |
12 April 1125 – 14 February 1140 | ||||||
Otto II the Black(Ota II. Černý) | 1085Second son of Otto I and Euphemia of Hungary | 21 September 1109 – 18 February 1126 | Duchy of Olomouc(with Brno) | 1113three children | 18 February 1126aged 40/1 | Ruled in Olomouc, since 1091 with his brother Svatopluk. Acquired Brno in 1123. |
Conrad II(Konrád II) | c. 1100/10?Son of Luitpold I and | 1123–1161 | Maria of Serbia1132four children | 1161aged c. 50/51 or c. 60/61? | Received his heritage in 1123. | |
Wenceslaus Henry(Václav Jindřich) | 1107Son of Svatopluk (I) | 18 February 1126 – 1 March 1130 | Unmarried | 1 March 1130aged 22/3 | Heirs of previous rulers of their portions, after Otto II's death inherited their respective inheritances. | |
Vratislaus (II)(Vratislav) | c. 1100/11BrnoSon of Ulrich (II) and Adelaide | 18 February 1126 – 6 August 1156 | A Russian princess1132three children | 6 August 1156Brnoaged 45/6 | ||
Luitpold (II)(Lupolt Olomoucký) | 1102Son of Bořivoj II and Helbirga of Austria | 1 March 1130–1137 | Unmarried | 1143aged 40/1 | Appointed and deposed by Sobeslaus, then the senior duke in Bohemia, who replaced him in Olomouc with his own son. | |
(Vladislav) | c.1100?First son of Sobeslaus I and Adelaide of Hungary (II) | 1137–1140 | Daughter of Albert the Bearno children | 1165aged 64/5? | Probably resigned, expecting to succeed in Bohemia; however it was another Vladislaus who ended up ascending the seniority position in Bohemia. | |
Vladislaus II & I(Vladislav II & I) | c. 1110Son of Vladislaus I and Richeza of Berg | 14 February 1140 – 11 January 1158(as Duke)11 January 1158–1172(as King) | Gertrude of Austria1140six childrenJudith of Thuringia1155three children | 18 January 1174Meeraneaged 63/4 | Resigned in 1172. | |
Otto III(Ota III) | 1122Son of Otto II and | 1140 – 12 May 1160 | Duranciafive children | 12 May 1160aged 37/8 | ||
c.1130?Son of Vratislaus (II) | 6 August 1156–1182 | Umarried | 1199aged 68/9? | In 1182, abdicated for Conrad Otto of Znojmo | ||
Brno annexed to Znojmo | ||||||
Frederick(Bedřich) | 1142Son of Vladislaus II and Gertrude of Austria | 12 May 1160–1173 | Elizabeth of Hungary1157six children | 25 March 1189aged 46/7 | ||
1172–11731178 – 25 March 1189 | ||||||
1134Second son of Sobeslaus I and Adelaide of Hungary (II) | 1173 – 18 October 1177 | Cecilia of Thuringiano childrenSophia of Meissenno children | 18 October 1177aged 42/3 | |||
Sobeslaus II the Prince of the Peasants(Soběslav II. kníže sedláků) | 1128Third son of Sobeslaus I and Adelaide of Hungary (II) | 1173–1178 | Elisabeth of Greater Polandno children | 29 January 1180aged 51/2 | ||
1137Fourth son of Sobeslaus I and Adelaide of Hungary (II) | 18 October 1177–1178 | Unmarried | c.1192aged 54/5 | Abdicated for Conrad III. | ||
9 September 1191–1192 | ||||||
Olomouc annexed to Znojmo | ||||||
Conrad III Otto(Konrád III. Ota) | c. 1136Son of Conrad II and Maria of Serbia | 1161–1182 | Hellicha of Wittelsbachbefore 1176no children | 9 September 1191aged 54/5 | United Znojmo and Olomouc. Brno joined in 1182, when he also became the first Margrave of Moravia. | |
1182 – 9 September 1191 | ||||||
1189 – 9 September 1191 | ||||||
Bretislaus III Henry(Břetislav III. Jindřich) | 1137Son of and Margaret (?) | 1193 – 15/19 June 1197 | Unmarried | 15/19 June 1197aged 59/60 | Son of Henry, brother of King Vladislaus II. Also Bishop of Prague (1182–97). | |
Vladislaus III Henry(Vladislav III. Jindřich) | 1137Second son of Vladislaus II and Judith of Thuringia | 22 June – 6 December 1197 | Heilwidano children | 12 August 1222 | Left no descendants. After his death, Moravia became an appanage of Bohemian princes. | |
December 1197 – 12 August 1222 | ||||||
Premislaus Ottokar I(Přemysl Otakar I) | 1155First son of Vladislaus II and Judith of Thuringia | 1192–11936 December 1197 – 15 December 1230 | Duchy of Bohemia(until 1198)Kingdom of Bohemia(from 1198) | Adelaide of Meissen1178(annulled 1199)one childConstance of Hungary1199nine children | 15 December 1230Pragueaged 74/5 | First king of hereditary royal title, confirmed by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor in 1212 by issuing the Golden Bull of Sicily. |
Wenceslaus I the One-Eyed(Václav I. Jednooký) | 1205Son of Premislaus Ottokar I and Constance of Hungary | 15 December 1230 – 23 September 1253 | Kunigunde of Hohenstaufen1224five children | 23 December 1253Králův Dvůraged 47/8 | ||
Premislaus Ottokar II The Iron and Golden King(Přemysl Otakar II. král železný a zlatý) | 1233Městec KrálovéSon of Wenceslaus I and Kunigunde of Hohenstaufen | 23 December 1253 – 26 August 1278 | Margaret of Austria11 February 1252Hainburg an der Donau(annulled 1261)no childrenKunigunda Rostislavna of Halych25 October 1261Pressburgthree children | 26 August 1278Dürnkrutaged 44/5 | Also Duke of Austria, Styria, Carinthia and Friuli and margrave of Carniola. | |
Regencies of Kunigunda Rostislavna of Halych (1278–1285) and Otto V, Margrave of Brandenburg (1278–1283) | Also Duke of Cracow (from 1291) and King of Poland (1300–1305). | |||||
Wenceslaus II(Václav II) | 27 September 1271PragueSon of Premislaus Ottokar II and Kunigunda Rostislavna of Halych | 26 August 1278 – 21 June 1305 | Judith of AustriaJanuary 1285Chebten childrenElizabeth Richeza of Poland26 May 1303Pragueone child | 21 June 1305Pragueaged 33 | ||
Wenceslaus III(Václav III) | 6 October 1289Son of Wenceslaus II and Judith of Austria | 21 June 1305 – 4 August 1306 | Viola of Cieszyn5 October 1305Brnono children | 4 August 1306Olomoucaged 16 | Uncrowned (as Bohemian king). Also King of Hungary (1301–1305) and King of Poland. | |
Anna(Anna Přemyslovna) | 10 October 1290Daughter of Wenceslaus II and Judith of Austria | 4 August 1306 – 1306 3/4 July 1307 – 3 December 1310 | Henry1306no children | 3 September 1313Olomoucaged 16 | Heiresses of Bohemia, they were the true inheritors of the power claimed by their husbands during the succession crisis. Of the three, Rudolf had the weakest claim, and also the lowest popularity. The conflict was settled when, in 1310, Elizabeth and John invaded Prague, and defeated their opponents, Anna and Henry. | |
Henry of Carinthia(Jindřich Korutanský) | 1265Son of Meinhard, Duke of Carinthia and Elisabeth of Bavaria | Anna1306no childrenAdelaide of Brunswick-Lüneburg1313two childrenBeatrice of Savoy1327no children | 2 April 1335Tirolaged 69/70 | |||
Elisabeth Richeza of Poland(Eliška-Rejčka) | 1 September 1288PoznańDaughter of Przemysł II of Poland and Richeza of Sweden | 1306 – 3/4 July 1307 | Wenceslaus II26 May 1303Pragueone childRudolf16 October 1306Pragueno children | 19 October 1335Brnoaged 47 | ||
Rudolf of Habsburg the Good(Rudolf Habsburský, Rudolf Dobrý) | c. 1281ViennaEldest son of Albert I of Germany and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol | Blanche of France25 May 1300one child Elisabeth Richeza16 October 1306Pragueno children | 3/4 July 1307Horažďoviceaged 26 | |||
Elisabeth(Eliška Přemyslovna) | 20 January 1292PragueDaughter of Wenceslaus II and Judith of Austria | 3 December 1310 – 28 September 1330 | 28 September 1330Pragueaged 38 | |||
John of Luxembourg the Blind(Jan Lucemburský, Jan Slepý) | 10 August 1296LuxembourgSon of Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor and Margaret of Brabant | 3 December 1310 – 26 August 1346 | Elisabeth1 September 1310Pragueseven childrenBeatrice of BourbonDecember 1334Vincennesone child | 26 August 1346Crécy-en-Ponthieuaged 50 |
The Late Kingdom of Bohemia: from the House of Luxembourg to Austria-Hungary (1310–1918)
John the Blind(Jan Lucemburský) | 1310–1346 | Son-in-law of Wenceslaus II. |
Charles I(Karel I.) | 1346–1378 | Son of John. Also Holy Roman Emperor as Charles IV. |
Wenceslaus IV(Václav IV.) | 1378–1419 | Son of Charles I. Also King of the Romans until 1400. |
Sigismund(Zikmund) | 1419–1437 | Brother of Wenceslaus IV. Ruled effective 1436–1437 only (because of the Hussite Revolution). Also Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary. |
Albert(Albrecht Habsburský) | 1437–1439 | Son-in-law of Sigismund. Also King of the Romans and of Hungary. |
1440–1453 | The succession of Albert's son was not recognized by the Czech nobility for most of this era; the land was administered by the Landfrieden (provincial and territorial). | |
Ladislaus the Posthumous(Ladislav Pohrobek) | 1453–1457 | Son of Albert born after his father's death. Also King of Hungary. |
Non-Dynastic | ||
George of Podebrady(Jiří z Poděbrad) | 1458–1471 | Elected king from the Czech noble family House of Kunštát. Although he had descendants, the succession devolved to the prince from Polish kingdom. |
Matthias I(Matyáš I. Korvín) | 1469–1490 | King of Hungary, elected by the insurgent Catholic Czech aristocrats as anti-king in 1469, but never crowned. In 1479, he agreed to limit his rule to Moravia, Silesia, and Lusatia, while retaining his title. |
Vladislaus II the Jagiellonian(Vladislav II. Jagellonský) | 1471–1516 | Nephew of Ladislaus the Posthumous; elected on request of his predecessor George. Also King of Hungary after 1490. |
Louis the Jagiellonian(Ludvík Jagellonský) | 1516–1526 | Son of Vladislaus II. Also King of Hungary. |
1526–1564 | Brother-in-law of Louis; elected king. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor-elect from 1558. | |
Maximilian I(Maxmilián I.) | 1564–1576 | Son of Ferdinand I, grandson of Vladislaus II. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. |
Rudolph II(Rudolf II.) | 1576–1612 | Son of Maximilian I. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. |
Matthias II(Matyáš II.) | 1612–1615 | Brother of Rudolph II. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. |
1615–16191620–1637 | Cousin of Matthias. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. | |
Frederick I(Fridrich I.) | 1619–1620 | Elected by the Crown's Estates at the beginning of the Thirty Years' War, but after losing the Battle of White Mountain, he fled the country. |
1637–1657 | Son of Ferdinand II. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. From this time on, Bohemia no longer had an elective monarchy, with the Habsburgs having imposed their exclusive rule at the Battle of the White Mountain. | |
1646–1654 | Son of Ferdinand III. Junior co-monarch during his father's reign. Also King of Hungary and King of the Romans. | |
1657–1705 | Brother of Ferdinand IV. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. | |
Joseph I(Josef I.) | 1705–1711 | Son of Leopold I. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. |
Charles II(Karel II.) | 1711–1740 | Brother of Joseph I. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor as Charles VI. |
Maria Theresa(Marie Terezie) | 1740–17411743–1780 | Daughter of Charles II. Also Queen of Hungary. |
Charles Albert(Karel Albrecht) | 1741–1743 | Son-in-law of Joseph I. Anti-king to Maria Theresa during the War of the Austrian Succession. Also Holy Roman Emperor as Charles VII. |
Joseph II(Josef II.) | 1780–1790 | Son of Maria Theresa. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. |
1790–1792 | Brother of Joseph II. Also King of Hungary and Holy Roman Emperor. | |
Francis I(František I.) | 1792–1835 | Son of Leopold II. Also King of Hungary, Holy Roman Emperor to 1806, Emperor of Austria from 1804. |
1835–1848 | Son of Francis I. Also Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. Last crowned King of Bohemia. Forced to abdicate during the Revolution of 1848. | |
Franz Joseph I(František Josef I.) | 1848–1916 | Nephew of Ferdinand V. Also Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. |
Charles III(Karel III.) | 1916–1918 | Grandnephew of Francis Joseph I. Also Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. Ruled briefly during World War I; in November 1918 renounced participation in state affairs but did not abdicate. |
Kings of Bohemia
See also
Notes
References