Individual Details
Johann "The Blind" King of Bohemia
(10 Aug 1296 - 26 Aug 1346)
Duke of Luxembourg
BIOGRAPHY
Johann was born on 10 August 1296, the eldest son of Emperor Heinrich VII and Margaretha of Brabant. He was French by education, but deeply involved in the politics of Germany. On 31 August 1310 he married Elisabeth of Bohemia, heiress of Bohemia, daughter of Wenceslas II, king of Bohemia and Poland, and sister of Wenceslas III, king of Hungary, Bohemia and Poland, of the Premyslid dynasty. He thereby became king of Bohemia and hence one of the seven prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire.
In the face of hostility by the Czech nobility, Johann gave up the administration of Bohemia and embarked on a life of travel, spending time in Luxembourg and the French court. In the struggle between Austria and Bavaria for the imperial crown, he gained a victory for the Bavarians at Mühldorf in 1322. In 1333-1335 he was warring in Italy for the Guelph party. His travels took him to Silesia, Poland, Lithuania, Tyrol, Northern Italy, Papal Avignon, and Languedoc, where he was governor from 30 November 1338 to November 1340. In 1340 he lost his eyesight from opthalmia, while crusading in Lithuania with the Teutonic order.
Johann and Elisabeth had seven children, of whom four would have progeny. He retained his crown even after Elisabeth's death in 1330. In December 1334 he married Beatrice de Bourbon, daughter of Louis I, duc de Bourbon, comte de Clermont and Marie of Holland and Hainault. They had a son Wenzel who would have progeny.
Johann was killed while fighting alongside the French against the English at the Battle of Crécy on 26 August 1346. The chronicler Froissart left the following account of Johann's last actions:
'...for all that he was nigh blind, when he understood the order of the battle, he said to them about him: 'Where is the lord Charles my son?' His men said: 'Sir, we cannot tell; we think he be fighting.' Then he said: 'Sirs, ye are my men, my companions and friends in this journey: I require you bring me so far forward, that I may strike one stroke with my sword.' They said they would do his commandment, and to the intent that they should not lose him in the press, they tied all their reins of their bridles each to other and set the king before to accomplish his desire, and so they went on their enemies. The lord Charles of Bohemia his son, who wrote himself king of Almaine and bare the arms, he came in good order to the battle; but when he saw that the matter went awry on their party, he departed, I cannot tell you which way. The king his father was so far forward that he strake a stroke with his sword, yea and more than four, and fought valiantly and so did his company; and they adventured themself so forward, that they were all slain, and the next day they were found in the place about the king, and all their horses tied to each other.'
After the battle, legend states that Johann's personal crest (a pair of black wings) and motto _Ich dien_ ('I serve') were adopted in slightly modified form by Edward, the Black Prince, and since then they have been part of the badge of the Prince of Wales. Johann was succeeded as king of Bohemia by his eldest son Karl (later Karl IV, Holy Roman Emperor). In Luxembourg, he was succeeded by Wenzel, his son by his second wife.
Source: Leo van de Pas
-- MERGED NOTE ------------
Johann was born on 10 August 1296, the eldest son of Emperor Heinrich VII and Margaretha of Brabant. He was French by education, but deeply involved in the politics of Germany. On 31 August 1310 he married Elisabeth of Bohemia, heiress of Bohemia, daughter of Wenceslas II, king of Bohemia and Poland, and sister of Wenceslas III, king of Hungary, Bohemia and Poland, of the Premyslid dynasty. He thereby became king of Bohemia and hence one of the seven prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire.
In the face of hostility by the Czech nobility, Johann gave up the administration of Bohemia and embarked on a life of travel, spending time in Luxembourg and the French court. In the struggle between Austria and Bavaria for the imperial crown, he gained a victory for the Bavarians at Mühldorf in 1322. In 1333-1335 he was warring in Italy for the Guelph party. His travels took him to Silesia, Poland, Lithuania, Tyrol, Northern Italy, Papal Avignon, and Languedoc, where he was governor from 30 November 1338 to November 1340. In 1340 he lost his eyesight from opthalmia, while crusading in Lithuania with the Teutonic order.
Johann and Elisabeth had seven children, of whom four would have progeny. He retained his crown even after Elisabeth's death in 1330. In December 1334 he married Beatrice de Bourbon, daughter of Louis I, duc de Bourbon, comte de Clermont and Marie of Holland and Hainault. They had a son Wenzel who would have progeny.
Johann was killed while fighting alongside the French against the English at the Battle of Crécy on 26 August 1346. The chronicler Froissart left the following account of Johann's last actions:
'...for all that he was nigh blind, when he understood the order of the battle, he said to them about him: 'Where is the lord Charles my son?' His men said: 'Sir, we cannot tell; we think he be fighting.' Then he said: 'Sirs, ye are my men, my companions and friends in this journey: I require you bring me so far forward, that I may strike one stroke with my sword.' They said they would do his commandment, and to the intent that they should not lose him in the press, they tied all their reins of their bridles each to other and set the king before to accomplish his desire, and so they went on their enemies. The lord Charles of Bohemia his son, who wrote himself king of Almaine and bare the arms, he came in good order to the battle; but when he saw that the matter went awry on their party, he departed, I cannot tell you which way. The king his father was so far forward that he strake a stroke with his sword, yea and more than four, and fought valiantly and so did his company; and they adventured themself so forward, that they were all slain, and the next day they were found in the place about the king, and all their horses tied to each other.'
After the battle, legend states that Johann's personal crest (a pair of black wings) and motto _Ich dien_ ('I serve') were adopted in slightly modified form by Edward, the Black Prince, and since then they have been part of the badge of the Prince of Wales. Johann was succeeded as king of Bohemia by his eldest son Karl (later Karl IV, Holy Roman Emperor). In Luxembourg, he was succeeded by Wenzel, his son by his second wife.
Source: Leo van de Pas
BIOGRAPHY
Johann was born on 10 August 1296, the eldest son of Emperor Heinrich VII and Margaretha of Brabant. He was French by education, but deeply involved in the politics of Germany. On 31 August 1310 he married Elisabeth of Bohemia, heiress of Bohemia, daughter of Wenceslas II, king of Bohemia and Poland, and sister of Wenceslas III, king of Hungary, Bohemia and Poland, of the Premyslid dynasty. He thereby became king of Bohemia and hence one of the seven prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire.
In the face of hostility by the Czech nobility, Johann gave up the administration of Bohemia and embarked on a life of travel, spending time in Luxembourg and the French court. In the struggle between Austria and Bavaria for the imperial crown, he gained a victory for the Bavarians at Mühldorf in 1322. In 1333-1335 he was warring in Italy for the Guelph party. His travels took him to Silesia, Poland, Lithuania, Tyrol, Northern Italy, Papal Avignon, and Languedoc, where he was governor from 30 November 1338 to November 1340. In 1340 he lost his eyesight from opthalmia, while crusading in Lithuania with the Teutonic order.
Johann and Elisabeth had seven children, of whom four would have progeny. He retained his crown even after Elisabeth's death in 1330. In December 1334 he married Beatrice de Bourbon, daughter of Louis I, duc de Bourbon, comte de Clermont and Marie of Holland and Hainault. They had a son Wenzel who would have progeny.
Johann was killed while fighting alongside the French against the English at the Battle of Crécy on 26 August 1346. The chronicler Froissart left the following account of Johann's last actions:
'...for all that he was nigh blind, when he understood the order of the battle, he said to them about him: 'Where is the lord Charles my son?' His men said: 'Sir, we cannot tell; we think he be fighting.' Then he said: 'Sirs, ye are my men, my companions and friends in this journey: I require you bring me so far forward, that I may strike one stroke with my sword.' They said they would do his commandment, and to the intent that they should not lose him in the press, they tied all their reins of their bridles each to other and set the king before to accomplish his desire, and so they went on their enemies. The lord Charles of Bohemia his son, who wrote himself king of Almaine and bare the arms, he came in good order to the battle; but when he saw that the matter went awry on their party, he departed, I cannot tell you which way. The king his father was so far forward that he strake a stroke with his sword, yea and more than four, and fought valiantly and so did his company; and they adventured themself so forward, that they were all slain, and the next day they were found in the place about the king, and all their horses tied to each other.'
After the battle, legend states that Johann's personal crest (a pair of black wings) and motto _Ich dien_ ('I serve') were adopted in slightly modified form by Edward, the Black Prince, and since then they have been part of the badge of the Prince of Wales. Johann was succeeded as king of Bohemia by his eldest son Karl (later Karl IV, Holy Roman Emperor). In Luxembourg, he was succeeded by Wenzel, his son by his second wife.
Source: Leo van de Pas
-- MERGED NOTE ------------
Johann was born on 10 August 1296, the eldest son of Emperor Heinrich VII and Margaretha of Brabant. He was French by education, but deeply involved in the politics of Germany. On 31 August 1310 he married Elisabeth of Bohemia, heiress of Bohemia, daughter of Wenceslas II, king of Bohemia and Poland, and sister of Wenceslas III, king of Hungary, Bohemia and Poland, of the Premyslid dynasty. He thereby became king of Bohemia and hence one of the seven prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire.
In the face of hostility by the Czech nobility, Johann gave up the administration of Bohemia and embarked on a life of travel, spending time in Luxembourg and the French court. In the struggle between Austria and Bavaria for the imperial crown, he gained a victory for the Bavarians at Mühldorf in 1322. In 1333-1335 he was warring in Italy for the Guelph party. His travels took him to Silesia, Poland, Lithuania, Tyrol, Northern Italy, Papal Avignon, and Languedoc, where he was governor from 30 November 1338 to November 1340. In 1340 he lost his eyesight from opthalmia, while crusading in Lithuania with the Teutonic order.
Johann and Elisabeth had seven children, of whom four would have progeny. He retained his crown even after Elisabeth's death in 1330. In December 1334 he married Beatrice de Bourbon, daughter of Louis I, duc de Bourbon, comte de Clermont and Marie of Holland and Hainault. They had a son Wenzel who would have progeny.
Johann was killed while fighting alongside the French against the English at the Battle of Crécy on 26 August 1346. The chronicler Froissart left the following account of Johann's last actions:
'...for all that he was nigh blind, when he understood the order of the battle, he said to them about him: 'Where is the lord Charles my son?' His men said: 'Sir, we cannot tell; we think he be fighting.' Then he said: 'Sirs, ye are my men, my companions and friends in this journey: I require you bring me so far forward, that I may strike one stroke with my sword.' They said they would do his commandment, and to the intent that they should not lose him in the press, they tied all their reins of their bridles each to other and set the king before to accomplish his desire, and so they went on their enemies. The lord Charles of Bohemia his son, who wrote himself king of Almaine and bare the arms, he came in good order to the battle; but when he saw that the matter went awry on their party, he departed, I cannot tell you which way. The king his father was so far forward that he strake a stroke with his sword, yea and more than four, and fought valiantly and so did his company; and they adventured themself so forward, that they were all slain, and the next day they were found in the place about the king, and all their horses tied to each other.'
After the battle, legend states that Johann's personal crest (a pair of black wings) and motto _Ich dien_ ('I serve') were adopted in slightly modified form by Edward, the Black Prince, and since then they have been part of the badge of the Prince of Wales. Johann was succeeded as king of Bohemia by his eldest son Karl (later Karl IV, Holy Roman Emperor). In Luxembourg, he was succeeded by Wenzel, his son by his second wife.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 10 Aug 1296 | ||||
| Marriage | 31 Aug 1310 | Spiers - Elisabeth of Bohemia | |||
| Death | 26 Aug 1346 |
Families
| Spouse | Elisabeth of Bohemia (1292 - 1330) |
| Child | Judith of Bohemia (1315 - 1349) |
| Child | Karl IV Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (1316 - 1378) |
| Father | Wenceslas II (Vaclav) King of Bohemia and Poland (1271 - 1305) |
| Mother | Guta (Jutta) von Habsburg (1271 - 1297) |
| Sibling | Elisabeth of Bohemia (1292 - 1330) |