Bohemia History in the Middle Ages
The initial foundation of the city of Prague’s dates back to latter part of the 9th century, when Vyšehrad (”Castle on the Heights”) was built on the right bank of the Vltava. At the same time, Prague became a residence of the Bohemian Kings.
The Přemyslid dynasty, named after the legendary plougman Přemysl who was chosen by the princess Libuše as her husband, had ruled in Prague and its surrounding for hundreds of years. The state headed by Přemyslids fought continuously against their German neighbours, and finally merged into the Holy Roman Empire. After the merger, the Bohemian rulers turn out to be electors, whose duty was – among others – to elect the Roman Emperor.
The duke of Bohemia Václav (Wenceslas) was the son of Vratislav and Drahomíra, the daughter of a pagan tribal chief, who inclined to her father’s beliefs. Václav’s younger brother Boleslaus killed him in 929 (probably 935). A Controversy still clouds the reasons for this murder. According to the first version, the motive for the murder was religious; by killing his brother, Boleslaus who rose in the pagan tradition, tried to stop dissemination of Christianity, just like Drahomíra did by killing her mother-in-law Ludmila. According to the second version, Václav was murdered because of his contestable attempt to promote a peace treaty with the Germans. The murder could have simply been the consequance of the rule rivalry.
After his death, Václav was canonised as a saint together with his grandmother Ludmila, who was also announced as the patron saint of the Czech Nation and Bohemia.
By the end of the 10th century, Bohemia and its main city Prague turned into a rich and prosperous trading center. Merchants and travelers from all over Europe migrated to Prague, including many Jews. By the end of 11th century, the Jews who came to Prague with one of the migration waves had founded two settlements: the first was in Malá Strana below Prague’s Castle (Pražský Hrad); and the second was below Vysehrad(Vyšehrad).
In the 973, Prague became bishopric. The first Bishop of Prague was Thietmar, a Slavonic speaking monk from Magdeburg.
The second Bishop of Prague was Vojtěch (956 – 997), the well-educated nobleman who converted his name to Vojtěch Adalbert after the death of his mentor Saint Adalbert, who had teached Vojtěch for about ten years (970-80) in Magdeburg. In 980, Vojtěch Adalbert became a priest; In 982 he became the Bishop of Prague.
During hid Bishopry, Vojtěch Adalbert resented the slave trade, promoted zealous faith and charity activities, and was widely known for his austerity and modesty.
Vojtěch Adalbert was martyred due to his attempts to convert the Baltic Prussians, and after his death was buried in Hradčani and canonised as the patron saint of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, and Prussia.
Vladislav I , who was the duke of Bohemia from 1109, moved his official residence from Hradčani to Vyšehrad.
Vladislav II (1110–1174) became the Duke of Bohemia in 1140. In the 1142, some territorial dukes tried to attack and defeat him. During the siege, the Jewish settlement below Prague’s Castle was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt on the other side of Vltava. This was the origin of the Jewish ghetto.
In the 1158, Vladislav II and was coroneted as a King of Bohemia. During his reign, many important historical building were founded, including the Strahov monastery (1140) that was rebuilt after the 1258 and can be seen from the Petřín Hill; Church of Our Lady Beneath the Chain; and the first bridge on the Vltava, the Judith Bridge (1170), named after Vladislav’s wife Judith.
The younger son of King Vladislav II, Premysl Otakar I, ruled in Bohemia between the years 1198 – 1230. His reign was notable for the wave of German migration into Bohemia.
Saint Agnes of Bohemia, the daughter of Otakar I and his second wife, Constance of Hungary, was a well educated noble woman. She was engaged to Henry II, son of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, but broke her engagement – an event that caused Otakar’s attack against Frederick II.
Agnes devoted her life to religion and charity. In 1233, she founded the hospital of St. Francis using her own assets. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1989 and became the patron saint of Bohemia. Her portrait appears nowadays on the 50-koruna Czech banknote.
In 1234, the first of Prague’s five towns – the Old Town - was founded.
The second son of Václav I, Přemysl Otakar II, was the king of Bohemia between the years 1253–1278. Otakar II was known as the “King of Gold and Iron”, due to his wealth and military might. During his reign, “Malá Strana” was founded as a German district Quarter (1257).
Otakar II expanded the Bohemian territory by annex of the Alpine countries. Prague became one of the biggest cultural, educational and commercial centers in Europe. Otakar II had succeeded after his death by his son Václav II, who created during his reign, a confederation between Bohemia, Poland and Hungary.
By the end of the 13th century, Prague Jews had developed a new settlement in the territory of the modern Josefov. In 1270, they had founded the gothic style Staronová synagoga (Old New Synagogue), which is known nowadays as Europe’s oldest active synagogue.
The last ruler of Přemyslid dynasty was Václav III, the son of Václav’s II, who was murdered in 1306, when he was 17 years old. After his death the confederation founded by his father fell apart.
