Bořivoj I, Duke of Bohemia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bořivoj I |
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Baptism of Duke Bořivoj, 19th-century painting
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| Duke of Bohemia | |
| Reign | c. 867 – c. 889 |
| Predecessor | unknown |
| Successor | Spytihněv I |
| Born | c. 852 |
| Died | c. 889 (aged c. 35–36) |
| Spouse | Ludmila |
| Issue | Spytihněv Vratislaus |
| Dynasty | Přemyslid |
| Father | Hostivít |
Bořivoj I (born around 852, died around 889) was a very important ruler in early Czech history. He was the first Duke of Bohemia that we know about from historical records. He also started the famous Přemyslid family, which ruled Bohemia for a long time.
Bořivoj became the leader of Bohemia around the year 870. At that time, Bohemia was part of a larger kingdom called Great Moravia. One of the oldest clues about when he became duke comes from a Frankish book called Annales Fuldenses. This book mentions a Slavic prince named Goriwei in 872, who many historians believe was Bořivoj.
Contents
Life of Bořivoj I
Early Life and Family
According to an old book from the 1100s called Chronica Boëmorum, Bořivoj was the son of a legendary Bohemian prince named Hostivít. This would mean he was a descendant of Queen Libuše and her husband Přemysl the Ploughman. However, historians are not completely sure about his family tree. Because he was connected to Great Moravia, he might have been related to the Mojmir family, who ruled there.
Bořivoj first lived at a place called Levý Hradec. This was a type of fortified settlement, like a small castle, located northwest of where Prague is today.
Becoming a Duke
As the leader of the Přemyslid family, Bořivoj declared himself a kníže around 867 AD. This word means "prince" in Czech. In Latin, it was called dux, which means a ruler who is in charge of their own land. Later, German scholars translated this title as "duke" (Herzog).
It's important to know that Bořivoj's title of "duke" was different from the German dukes of that time. German dukes usually worked for a higher ruler, like a king or emperor. But the Czech dux meant that Bořivoj was a ruler who was truly independent.
Around 872, King Svatopluk I of Moravia, who was Bořivoj's overlord, recognized him as a sovereign ruler. Svatopluk sent Bishop Methodius of Thessalonica to Bohemia. Methodius came to help spread Christianity in the region.
Spreading Christianity
In 872, Bořivoj helped King Svatopluk in a fight against the East Frankish king Louis the German. They won against the Frankish army in southern Bohemia.
Around 874, Bořivoj married Ludmila. She later became a saint, known as St. Ludmila of Bohemia. Bořivoj and Ludmila had two sons: Spytihněv and Vratislaus. Both of their sons later became dukes after him.
Ludmila and Bořivoj were baptized by Methodius, probably in 883. Bořivoj became very enthusiastic about Christianity. He tried to spread the new religion among his people. However, it took some time for Christianity to become widely accepted in Bohemia.
Later Years and Legacy
In 883 or 884, Bořivoj was temporarily removed from power by a revolt. This uprising supported another member of the Přemyslid family named Strojmír. But Bořivoj got his position back in 885 with the help of his powerful ally, King Svatopluk of Moravia.
After this, Bořivoj, or more likely his son Spytihněv, moved their main home to Hradčany mountain. This is where they started building what would become Prague Castle, a very famous landmark today.
Bořivoj died around 889. His sons were still young at the time. So, King Svatopluk of Moravia made an agreement with the East Frankish ruler Arnulf of Carinthia. Svatopluk then took over the rule of Bohemia himself for a short period.
Like many early rulers, we don't have all the exact details about Bořivoj's life. We don't know the exact dates of his birth or death. But many important castles and churches are believed to have been built during his time.
See also
In Spanish: Borivoj I de Bohemia para niños
