Vratislaus I of Bohemia (between 882 and 891 - February 13, 921) was son of first ever duke of Bohemia Borivoj I and his wife Saint Saint Ludmila and husband of Drahomira of Stodor. He was according to legends and chronicles good ruler. In 916 he buillt St. George's Basilica on Prague Castle. With his wife he married in 906 and they had 6 childern out of which 5 are listed as: Spytihnev (born 902), Pribislava (born 904), Saint Wenceslaus, Boleslaus I an d Strezislava. According to chronicles of Gesta Hungarorum he died in 921. After his death rivaly started between his mother and wives ending in murder of Ludmila on September 15, 921.
Life
He was a son of Duke Bořivoj I of Bohemia by his wife Saint Ludmila of Bohemia and the younger brother of Duke Spytihněv I. Around 906 he married Drahomíra, a Hevellian princess, establishing close ties with the Polabian Slavs. Vratislaus had at least two sons, Wenceslaus and Boleslaus, both of whom succeeded him as Bohemian dukes. Some historians considered that Střezislava, the wife of the Bohemian nobleman Slavník, founder of the Slavník dynasty, was also the daughter of Vratislaus.[1]
Upon the death of his elder brother Spytihněv in 915, Vratislaus became duke at a time when the Bohemian lands around Prague Castle had already distanced itself from the political and cultural sphere of Great Moravia and fallen under East Frankish influence, especially of Duke Arnulf of Bavaria. The contemporary Annales Fuldenses report that already in 900 the Bavarian forces had attacked Prince Mojmir II of Moravia in alliance with the Bohemians. On the other hand, Duke Vratislaus offered the Hungarian invaders free passage and supported their 915 campaign against the Saxon duke Henry the Fowler.
Vratislaus is credited with the establishment of St. George's Basilica at Prague Castle and also with the foundation of the Silesian city of Wrocław (Vratislavia). He died in battle against the Hungarians, possibly in 919, although 921 is more often conjectured.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Boleslaus I of Bohemia (c913-c967) | |||
Footnotes (including sources)
| ‡ General |
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| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Spytihnev I |
Duke of Bohemia 915–921 |
Succeeded by Saint Wenceslaus |
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- ^ Loserth, Johann (2008). "Propast hrvatske kneževske obitelji Slavnikovića". In Nosić, Milan (in Croatian). Bijeli Hrvati II. Maveda. pp. 168–169. ISBN 978-953-7029-12-8.
