Victor, Duke of Münsterberg facts for kids

Victor, Duke of Münsterberg was an important historical figure. He was also known as Victor, Duke of Münsterberg and Opava. He was born on May 29, 1443, in Cieszyn and passed away on August 30, 1500, also in Cieszyn.

Victor became an Imperial Count in 1459 and a Count of Kladsko. From 1462 until his death, he was the Duke of Münsterberg. He was also the Duke of Opava from 1465 to 1485.

Victor's Family

Victor was the second son of the Bohemian king George of Poděbrady. His mother was Kunigunde of Sternberg.

Victor married three times during his life. His first wife was Margaret Ptáčková. She was the only daughter of Hynek Ptáček of Pirkstein. Margaret passed away in 1472.

Two years later, Victor married Sophie. She was the daughter of Duke Boleslaw II of Cieszyn. After Sophie's death in 1479, Victor married Helena-Margarete Palaiologa in 1480. She was the daughter of John IV, Marquess of Montferrat.

Victor had several children from these marriages:

• Johanna (1463–1496): She married Duke Casimir II of Cieszyn.
• Magdalena (died 1497): She became a Cistercian nun in Trzebnica.
• Anna (died 1498)
• Uršula (died after 1534): She was a nun in the Magdalene convent in Świebodzice until 1529.
• Apolonia (died 1534): She was first a Poor Clare nun in Strzelin. Later, she married Erhard of Queis.

He also had two sons:

• Lawrence (Vavřinec): He died in 1503.
• Bartholomew (around 1477–1515): He was a well-known diplomat. Bartholomew died in a shipwreck on the Danube River. With his death, Victor's family line through his sons ended.

Victor's Life and Role

Victor's older brother, Boček, had a mental disability. Because of this, Victor took on the important duties that usually went to the oldest son. This meant he had to help his father with political matters from a young age.

His father, King George, asked Emperor Frederick III to make Victor an imperial count. The emperor agreed in 1449. In 1462, this appointment was confirmed. At the same time, Victor's younger brothers, Henry the Elder and Henry the Younger, also became imperial counts.

A little earlier, King George had made Victor and both Henries Dukes of Münsterberg and Opava. He had bought Opava in 1464. They also became Counts of Kladsko. The three brothers ruled these areas together until their father, King George, passed away in 1471.

Capture and Release

In 1469, Victor was part of a military campaign against the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus. During this campaign, Victor was captured by the Hungarians in Moravia.

He was held for two years. To be released, he had to pay a large amount of money. He also secretly changed his religion to Catholicism. After he was set free, he supported King Corvinus for a while.

Dividing the Inheritance

After King George's death in 1471, his sons divided what they had inherited. They agreed on a plan in 1472. Victor received the Duchy of Opava.

Later, his brother Henry the Younger gave him the Pless. Victor then sold Pless to his brother-in-law, Duke Casimir II of Cieszyn.

In 1485, King Corvinus asked Victor to agree to a contract. Under this agreement, Victor had to give the Duchy of Opava to King Matthias Corvinus's son, John. In return, Victor received several castles in Slavonia.

When King Matthias died in 1490, Victor hoped that Opava would be returned to him. However, this did not happen.

The County of Kladsko

Even though the three brothers sold the County of Kladsko in 1501, they kept the title "Counts of Kladsko." They and their descendants used this title until their family line ended in 1647.