Oldřich, Duke of Bohemia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oldřich |
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Depiction in the Chronicle of Dalimil, 14th century
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| Duke of Bohemia | |
| Reign | 1012 – 1033 |
| Predecessor | Jaromír |
| Successor | Jaromír |
| Duke of Bohemia | |
| Reign | 1034 |
| Predecessor | Jaromír |
| Successor | Bretislaus I |
| Born | c. 989 |
| Died | 11 November 1034 |
| Spouse | Božena |
| Issue | Bretislaus I |
| Dynasty | Přemyslid |
| Father | Boleslaus II of Bohemia |
| Mother | Emma of Mělník |
Oldřich (born around 989, died November 9, 1034) was a powerful ruler of Bohemia. He was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty, a very important family in Bohemian history. Oldřich served as the Duke of Bohemia from 1012 to 1033, and then again briefly in 1034.
His time as duke brought a period of peace and stability to Bohemia. Before him, there had been many struggles within the ruling family. Oldřich also managed to take back the lands of Moravia from Polish control.
Contents
Oldřich: Duke of Bohemia
Early Life and Family
Oldřich was the fourth son of Duke Boleslaus II of Bohemia, who died in 999. He had two older brothers who survived childhood. Like his brothers, his mother was named Adiva.
After his father passed away, Oldřich's oldest brother, Boleslaus III, became duke. However, Boleslaus III soon had big arguments with his younger brothers, Oldřich and Jaromír. In 1001, Oldřich and Jaromír had to leave Bohemia and find safety in Bavaria.
The next year, Boleslaus III was removed from power by another powerful family. The Polish ruler, Bolesław I the Brave, then invaded Bohemia. This led to King Henry II of Germany stepping in. With Henry's help, Oldřich and Jaromír were able to return to Bohemia. In 1004, Jaromír was made the new Duke of Bohemia.
Becoming Duke
During a war between Germany and Poland (from 1002 to 1018), Duke Jaromír remained a loyal friend to the German king. However, this loyalty did not stop his brother Oldřich from taking over. On April 12, 1012, Oldřich removed Jaromír from power. Jaromír then fled to Poland.
Oldřich made sure to show his loyalty to the German king. He also made his rule secure by stopping any groups who tried to rebel against him.
Reclaiming Moravia
Oldřich and his son, Bretislaus, wanted to take back Moravia. This land had once been part of Bohemia, conquered by Oldřich's grandfather, Duke Boleslaus I. Bretislaus and his wife, Judith of Schweinfurt, even moved to Olomouc in Moravia.
In 1029, the Bohemian army, with support from Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II, finally pushed the Polish forces out of Moravia. Bretislaus then tried to take over more lands in what is now Slovakia. However, his efforts failed in 1030. This was partly because the emperor made a deal with King Stephen I of Hungary. The next year, the Bohemian army refused to fight for the emperor.
Challenges and Later Years
In 1032, Duke Oldřich was asked to attend an important meeting in Germany. But he did not show up. This made the emperor very angry. Emperor Conrad II was busy with other matters, so he sent his son, Henry III, to punish Oldřich.
Oldřich was arrested, removed from his position as duke, and sent away to Bavaria. His brother Jaromír was once again made duke. However, Oldřich was later pardoned. He returned to Bohemia the next year and had Jaromír captured and removed from power. Oldřich took control again and also drove Jaromír's son out of Moravia.
Oldřich died suddenly on November 9, 1034. Later studies of his bones showed that he had suffered a fatal blow to his head. After Oldřich's death, Jaromír gave up his claim to the throne. This allowed his nephew, Bretislaus, to become the new Duke of Bohemia.
Family Life
According to old stories, around the year 1002, Duke Oldřich married a woman named Božena. She was the daughter of a man named Křesina. The stories say that Oldřich had ended his first marriage because they did not have any children. Oldřich and Božena had one son:
- Bretislaus I (born between 1002 and 1005, died 1055). He became Duke of Bohemia in 1035 and ruled until his death.
