Conrad II, Duke of Bohemia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conrad II Otto |
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Seal of Conrad II Otto
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| Duke of Bohemia | |
| Reign | March 1189 – 9 September 1191 |
| Predecessor | Frederick |
| Successor | Wenceslaus II |
| Born | c. 1136/1140 |
| Died | 9 September 1191 (aged c. 51–55) near Naples, Kingdom of Sicily |
| Spouse | Hellicha of Wittelsbach |
| Dynasty | Přemyslid |
| Father | Conrad II of Znojmo |
| Mother | Marija of Rascia |
Conrad II Otto was an important ruler from the Přemyslid dynasty. He was born around 1136 or 1140. He became the first margrave of Moravia in 1182. Later, he ruled as the Duke of Bohemia from 1189 until he died in 1191.
Contents
Who Was Conrad II Otto?
His Family Background
Conrad's father was Conrad II of Znojmo. His mother was Maria, whose father was a powerful prince from Serbia. Conrad's grandfather, Luitpold, was the first ruler of the Znojmo region in southern Moravia. Conrad also had a sister named Helen of Znojmo. She became a Polish duchess when she married Duke Casimir II the Just.
Ruling Znojmo
After his father passed away in 1161, Conrad took over the Znojmo principality. In 1173, he also took control of the Brno lands. This meant he ruled over half of Moravia at that time.
In 1176, Conrad invaded lands belonging to Duke Soběslav II of Bohemia. This caused problems between Conrad and the duke's nephew, Frederick. Conrad even attacked churches and monasteries. Because of this, the church leader, Pope Alexander III, had issues with him.
Frederick later got help from Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Conrad and Duke Leopold V of Austria joined Frederick. They went on a campaign into Moravia and took over Prague in 1178. Frederick was made Duke of Bohemia again. Conrad hoped to be rewarded with the Olomouc region, but his hopes were not met.
Becoming Margrave of Moravia
Conrad saw a chance to get back at Frederick in 1182. Frederick was not very popular at the time. The duke had to flee from Prague. He was only able to keep his throne with the emperor's permission.
Emperor Frederick Barbarossa wanted to weaken the duke's power. He called a meeting at Regensburg. There, he made Conrad the ruler of Znojmo, Brno, and Olomouc. These areas were then combined into the Margraviate of Moravia. This decision, whether on purpose or not, made the family arguments even worse.
The fight between the Bohemian and Moravian branches of the family became very intense. It led to a bloody battle at Loděnice in 1185. After the battle, both sides decided to talk peace. Conrad and Frederick met at Knín. Conrad agreed that Frederick was his overlord. In return, Frederick recognized Conrad as the ruler of Moravia. He also agreed that Conrad would be his successor as duke.
Conrad as Duke of Bohemia
When Frederick died in 1189, Conrad became Duke of Bohemia. The Bohemian nobles all supported him. He gave up his title as margrave. This helped to unite the lands of Bohemia and Moravia under his rule. In May of that year, the emperor officially approved his new role. Conrad also played an active part in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire. He helped settle a disagreement about who should rule Meissen.
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During his short time as duke, Conrad had to listen to the nobles. He was forced to give them many special rights. These rights were written down in a document called the iura Conradi. This was the first set of laws for Bohemia, created at Sadská in 1189. Some of the important things it said were:
- Free people were protected from unfair actions by the duke or local courts.
- Daughters and brothers of lords could now inherit property.
- Property could only be taken away after a long legal process. This had to follow local customs.
In 1190, Conrad and his mother Maria started a new monastery. It was called Louka Abbey and was located in Znojmo.
Conrad did not have to go on the Third Crusade. Instead, he joined Henry VI, the emperor's son. They went to Southern Italy. Henry VI wanted to conquer the Kingdom of Sicily. On this trip, Conrad became sick with the plague. He died in an army camp near Naples, which was under attack. He was first buried in Monte Cassino Abbey. Later, his body was moved to Prague.
Conrad was married to Hellicha of Wittelsbach. They did not have any children. After Conrad died, Wenceslaus II became the new duke. Wenceslaus was the younger brother of the earlier Duke Soběslav II.
