Soběslav I, Duke of Bohemia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Soběslav I
Duke of Bohemia
Reign	12 April 1125 – 14 February 1140
Predecessor	Vladislaus I
Successor	Vladislaus II
Born	c. 1075
Died	14 February 1140(1140-02-14) (aged 64–65)
Spouse	Adelaide of Hungary
Issue	Wenceslaus II Udalrich of Olomouc Maria of Bohemia Soběslav II Vladislaus
House	Přemyslid dynasty
Father	Vratislaus II
Mother	Świętosława of Poland

Soběslav I (also called Sobeslaus) was a powerful leader who served as the Duke of Bohemia from 1125 until his death in 1140. He was born around 1075 and belonged to the important Přemyslid dynasty. Soběslav was the youngest son of Vratislaus II, who was a Duke himself, and his third wife, Świętosława of Poland.

Early Life and Challenges

Soběslav first appears in historical records around 1107. At that time, he and his older brother, Duke Bořivoj II, faced a tough challenge. A relative from their own family, Svatopluk of Olomouc, forced them out of Bohemia. They found safety at the court of their cousin, Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth in Poland.

After Svatopluk was killed in 1109, Bořivoj tried to get his throne back, but he didn't succeed. A difficult family conflict followed. Bořivoj's younger brother, Vladislaus I, became the new Duke with help from King Henry V of Germany.

Later, Soběslav and Vladislaus made peace. From 1115 to 1123, Soběslav was given control over the regions of Brno and Znojmo in Moravia. However, problems between the brothers started again, and Soběslav was forced to leave once more.

Becoming Duke of Bohemia

In 1125, Duke Vladislaus died. Soběslav was the last living son of Vratislaus II, so he became the new Duke of Bohemia. But his rule was immediately challenged by Otto II the Black. Otto was Svatopluk's younger brother and wanted the throne for himself.

Otto got support from Vladislaus's widow, Richeza of Berg, and even from King Lothair III of Germany. This meant Soběslav had to stand strong against the German monarchy throughout his time as Duke. He used the disagreements during the 1125 German King election to help Bohemia become more independent.

The Battle of Chlumec

Soběslav decided to remove Otto II from power in Olomouc. Otto then asked the German king for help. King Lothair III declared that no one could become Duke of Bohemia without his approval. He then invaded Bohemia to support Otto II.

However, the local nobles in Bohemia didn't like this interference. They all united to support Soběslav. On February 18, 1126, the German and Moravian armies, led by King Lothair, met the Bohemian forces. This happened at the Battle of Chlumec, a fortress near the border with the March of Meissen.

Soběslav's army won a great victory! They defeated King Lothair's forces and even captured the King himself. Otto II was killed during the battle. After this, the relationship between Bohemia and Germany went back to how it was before. King Lothair was released, but only after he officially recognized Soběslav as the Duke of Bohemia.

Challenges and Achievements

Soběslav continued to control the Olomouc region. But his rule in Bohemia was again threatened by his nephew, Bretislaus. Bretislaus was the son of Soběslav's oldest brother, Duke Bretislaus II. Young Bretislaus believed he should be Duke because of a rule called agnatic seniority, which meant the oldest male in the family should inherit.

Bretislaus had support from other Moravian dukes and even from some church leaders. In June 1130, a plan against Soběslav was discovered and stopped. While the dukes who supported Bretislaus kept their power, Bretislaus himself was blinded.

In 1131, Soběslav became involved in a conflict with Duke Bolesław III of Poland. This happened because Soběslav's brother-in-law, King Bela II of Hungary, became king, and Bolesław supported someone else who wanted to be king of Hungary.

In 1138, Conrad III of Hohenstaufen became the new King of the Romans. He tried to improve relations between Bohemia and Germany. At a big meeting in Bamberg that year, Conrad III gave Soběslav a special honor: the hereditary dignity of the archcupbearer of the Holy Roman Empire. This meant his family would always hold this important position. Conrad also promised that Soběslav's oldest son, Vladislaus, would become Duke of Bohemia after Soběslav died.

During Soběslav's reign, many new German settlements were founded in the Czech lands. This was part of a movement called Ostsiedlung, which means German people moving eastward.

Soběslav died on February 14, 1140, at Hostinné Castle. Even though Conrad III had promised the throne to Soběslav's son, the Bohemian nobles chose Soběslav's nephew, Vladislaus II, to be the next Duke. Vladislaus II was the son of Soběslav's older brother and predecessor, Duke Vladislaus. Conrad III approved this choice.

Family Life

Around 1123, Soběslav married Adelaide, who was the daughter of Prince Álmos of Hungary. They had at least five children together:

• Vladislaus (died 1165), who became Duke at Olomouc. He married a daughter of Albert the Bear.
• Maria (born 1124 or 1125, died 1172)
• Soběslav II (born around 1128, died 1180), who also became Duke of Bohemia later.
• Udalrich II (born 1134, died 1177), who was Duke at Olomouc.
• Wenceslaus II (born 1137, died 1192), another future Duke of Bohemia.

Sources

• Petr Sommer; Třeštík, Dušan; Žemlička, Josef, et al.: Přemyslovci. Budování českého státu. Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, Praha 2009, ISBN: 978-80-7106-352-0, besonders S. 198–200.