Slavník (died 981) was a Bohemian nobleman, and the founder of the Slavník dynasty .
23-464: Slavník rose to power during the reign of Boleslaus II of the Přemyslid dynasty . Slavník controlled significant estates within central Bohemia , and was overlord of the site of Libice nad Cidlinou . Slavník was possibly of White Croatian origin. He had several children by his wife Střezislava . Six of his sons are known by name: He had also a son named Radim Gaudentius by another woman (probably
46-449: A concubine). According to Chronica Boemorum , Slavník was a happy man all his lifetime. This biographical article of a European noble is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia Boleslaus II the Pious ( Czech : Boleslav II. Pobožný Polish : Bolesław II. Pobożny ; c. 932 – 7 February 999), a member of the Přemyslid dynasty ,
69-585: A daughter of the English king Edward the Elder (the daughter known to English historians as "Ælfgifu" who married a prince "near the Alps "), though the evidence for this is weak. His second wife was Emma of Mělník . It is certain that Boleslaus's oldest son was born by Adiva, but the mother of the others cannot be established with certainty: Soon after his father's death, Boleslaus III entered into conflict with his brothers and
92-457: Is known about the Slavnik family, is from the works by John Canaparius , Bruno of Querfurt , and Cosmas of Prague . Prince (dux) Slavník (†981), is generally considered as the founder of the dynasty, as there is no certain older relevant personality (possibly duke Witizla from 895 ). He therefore also gave the name to the whole family. According to Bruno of Querfurt, Slavník was the grandson of
115-510: The Saxon duke Henry I , by maternal line most probably of an unknown Slavic woman, with whom Otto I had an illegitimate son William . This connection explains the friendly relationship between Slavnik's son Vojtěch, Saint Adalbert of Prague , with Otto III , and the Otto's efforts ( Congress of Gniezno ) around St. Adalbert's canonization, and the installation of Adalbert's brother Radim Gaudentius as
138-706: The Bohemian diocese was placed at that time within the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Mainz , and Emperor Otto II enforced the appointment of the Saxon monk Thietmar ( Dětmar ) as first bishop. Meanwhile, the struggle with the rival Slavník dynasty flared up again from 981 onwards, when Prince Soběslav of the Slavník dynasty began to forge alliances with the Polish and Saxons . Upon Bishop Dětmar's death in 982, Soběslav's brother Adalbert (later known as Saint Adalbert of Prague)
161-671: The Czech archaeologist E. Šimek (1930), who researched the note by Cosmas of Prague, the center of the Slavnik's principality was Libice , a castrum located at the confluence of the rivers Cidlina and Elbe , and fort Stara Kouřim . It included castrum Litomyšl , and their border in the East went as far as castrum Kłodzko on the Nisa river in now South-Western Poland. In the North their land went as far Charvatce , probably previous or newly founded settlement by
184-547: The Diocese, only to return in 991 or 992 when a truce was signed. Although he managed to found the Břevnov Monastery , as he was from another principality's noble family, he did not have enough authority and support by Boleslaus II in the Diocese, and in late 994 offered his episcopal see to Strachkvas , Boleslaus II's brother, who nevertheless refused it. In 995 Adalbert again temporarily left for Rome. In these conflicts lies
207-535: The answer of their downfall. Slavniks did not help Boleslaus II, they were either neutral or allied with Bolesław I of Poland. This was a direct challenge to Boleslaus II; he could not afford any mighty rivals and was determined to add the Slavnik lands to his dukedom. In early September of 995, while Soběslav was at war against Lusatian tribes as Boleslaw's and Otto III's ally, Boleslaus II with confederates (the Vršovci ) stormed Libice on September 28, and massacred all of
230-475: The family, although he originally promised a truce to Soběslav's brothers until his return. Only three Slavnik family members survived, because they were not present at Libice at that time: Soběslav, Adalbert and Radim (Gaudentius). Soběslav temporarily lived in Poland and was comforted by Bolesław I. The ruler also stood out as an intermediary for Adalbert toward Boleslaus II, appealing for Adalbert's return, but
253-549: The first archbishop of Gniezno Cathedral . According to Canaprius and Bruno of Querfurt, Slavnik was a noble ruler, and although he ruled over a vast territory and had plenty of gold and silver and minions, he was a humble man, generous towards to the poor people. His wife Střezislava , a noble woman characterized by modesty and compassion, came from a noble Slavic family, "worthy of his royal blood". As such, they were appreciated by both nobles and common people. Slavník had at least 6 sons, among whom two – Vojtěch (Adalbert) and
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#1733084570539276-473: The illegitimate Radim (Gaudentius) – later became saints. Slavnik's duchy tried to keep its quasi-independence by maintaining friendly relationships with its neighbours, such as with the blood-related Saxon Ottonian dynasty , or with the Přemyslid dynasty or Zlicans (supposedly related to Střezislava), and with the Polish Piast dynasty . Slavnik's heir was his son Soběslav who rushed to consolidate
299-637: The lands of Silesia and Lesser Poland (the Polish-Bohemian War ). In 992, he approached King Otto III and participated in an unsuccessful campaign against the Lutici tribes in the wake of the Great Slav Rising of 983. Boleslaus's reign is most notable for the foundation of the Diocese of Prague in 973, which earned him the epithet "The Pious" by the medieval chronicler Cosmas of Prague . Nevertheless,
322-572: The nobility and the people did not accept Adalbert, as they were afraid of his possible vengeful intentions. In 996, when Strachkvas Přemyslid was going to assume the office of a bishop in Prague, he suddenly died during the ceremony. The strength of the conflict of the two dynasties is also demonstrated by the Přemyslid rulers' refusal to ransom Saint Adalbert's body from the Prussians who murdered him, so it
345-585: The princedom's independence. For instance, he began to coin money in Libice, known among numismatists as the silver senars, in spite of the primacy of Prague . Prague was the capital of the Duchy of Bohemia , ruled by Boleslaus II , and the Diocese of Prague was founded there in 973. However, after Adalbert was appointed the head of the Diocese in 982, a conflict escalated between Boleslaus II of Bohemia and Poland 's Duke Bolesław I Chrobry in 985, and in 989 Adalbert left
368-453: Was Duke of Bohemia from 972 until his death in 999. Boleslaus was an elder son of Duke Boleslaus I the Cruel and brother of the three other children of his father who survived to adulthood: Strachkvas , Doubravka (the wife of Duke Mieszko I of Poland) and the abbess Mlada . His mother may have been Biagota , a mysterious figure known only from her coins. According to some historians, she
391-480: Was appointed his successor until he abandoned his primacy to lead a mission to the Old Prussians in 994. On 28 September 995, Boleslaus' forces and the confederate Vršovci clan stormed Libice Castle in southern Bohemia and massacred the members of the Slavník dynasty that were found there. Boleslaus's brutal triumph ensured the unity of Bohemia under a single ruler. Boleslaus's first wife Adiva may have been
414-523: Was defeated and fled to Boleslaus' court at Prague Castle , after which Otto's forces campaigned in the Bohemian lands. Finally in 978, Boleslaus solemnly pledged allegiance to the emperor at the Easter festivities in Quedlinburg . In turn, relations with Poland deteriorated from about 980 onwards. When Emperor Otto II died in 983 and was succeeded by his minor son Otto III , the Bohemian alliance with Poland
437-414: Was deposed in 1002. The internal struggles of the Přemyslid dynasty shook the Bohemian duchy until Duke Oldřich's efforts stabilised the country. Slavn%C3%ADk dynasty The Slavniks/Slavníks or Slavnikids ( Czech : Slavníkovci ; German : Slawnikiden ; Polish : Sławnikowice ) was a dynasty in the Duchy of Bohemia during the 10th century. The center of the semi-independent principality
460-477: Was discarded, as Boleslaus again allied with the insurgent Bavarian Duke Henry, while Mieszko I took the side of the young king. Moreover, when Boleslaus occupied the Saxon Margravate of Meissen , he thwarted the plans of Mieszko's son Bolesław , who had married a daughter of Margrave Ricdag . In 987, Boleslaus had to retire from Meissen, and from about 990, he sparked a long-lasting conflict with Poland around
483-531: Was purchased by Bolesław I, and was quickly canonized by the common effort with Otto III. Soon after, a temporary anarchy escalated in Bohemia, as two weak dukes Boleslaus III and Vladivoj followed, leading to the Bolesław I's temporary control of Prague. Eventually, a year later, Soběslav was killed by Bohemians defending a bridge near Prague, shielding the retreat of Polish forces from Prague in 1004. According to
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#1733084570539506-592: Was the gord of Libice located at the confluence of the rivers Cidlina and Elbe . The Slavníks competed with the Přemyslid dynasty for control over Bohemia and eventually succumbed to them. It is often considered to be related to the White Croats . The name Slavník comes from the Proto-Slavic * slava ("glory") + * -nikъ . Generally it is considered by many scholars to be a dynasty of White Croats in early medieval Bohemia. The vast majority of what
529-493: Was the wife of Boleslaus I. Boleslaus II took over the rule of the Duchy of Bohemia as kníže (a title that may be translated either as duke or prince) on his father's death in 972. Like his father, Boleslaus II initially quarrelled with the Ottonian kings of Germany . In 974, he and Duke Mieszko I of Poland supported the rebellious Duke Henry II of Bavaria in his civil war against the rule of Emperor Otto II . In 976, Henry
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