Individual Details
Przemysl Ottokar II King of Bohemia
(Abt 1230 - 26 Aug 1278)
Ottokar was born about 1230, the second son of King Wenceslas I of the Premyslid dynasty; through his mother Kunigunde he was related to the Hohenstaufen family, being a grandson of the German king, Philipp von Hohenstaufen. After the death of his older brother Wladislaw in 1247 he became the only heir to the throne of Bohemia.
During his father's lifetime he ruled Moravia, but when in 1248 some discontented Bohemian nobles acknowledged him as their sovereign, trouble arose between him and his father, and for a short time Ottokar was imprisoned. However in 1251 the young prince secured his election as duke of Austria, where he strengthened his position by marrying the 30 years older Margarethe of Austria, sister of Duke Friedrich II 'der Streitbare', the last of the Babenberg rulers of the duchy, and herself widow of the German king Heinrich VII von Hohenstaufen. Some years later he repudiated Margarethe and married the young Kunigunde of Halicz, who was the granddaughter of his rival, the Hungarian king Béla IV. She became the mother of his children, the youngest of them being his only legitimate son Wenceslas (Vaclav).
Both before and after he became king of Bohemia in succession to his father in September 1253, Ottokar was involved in a dispute with Béla IV over the possession of the duchy of Styria, which had formerly been united with Austria. By an arrangement made in 1254 he surrendered part of it to Bela, but when the dispute was renewed he defeated the Hungarians in July 1260 near Kressenbrunn and secured the whole of Styria for himself, owing his formal investiture with Austria and Styria to King John of England's son Richard, earl of Cornwall, who was emperor-elect.
Ottokar also led two expeditions (crusades) against the Prussians and founded Königsberg (Královed in Czech), later the capital of Prussia, named after him as king.
In 1269 he inherited Carinthia and part of Carniola, and having made good his claim, contested by the Hungarians, on the field of battle, he was the most powerful prince within the empire when an election for the German throne took place in 1273. But Ottokar was not the successful candidate. He refused to acknowledge his victorious rival, Rudolf von Habsburg, and urged the pope to adopt a similar attitude. Meanwhile, at a convention of the Reichstag at Frankfurt in 1274, Rudolf decreed that all imperial lands seized since the death of Emperor Friedrich II must be returned to the crown. This would have deprived Ottokar of Styria, Austria, and Carinthia. Matters reached a climax in 1276. Placing Ottokar under the ban of the empire, Rudolf besieged Vienna and compelled Ottokar in November 1276 to sign a treaty by which he gave up Austria and the neighbouring duchies, retaining for himself only Bohemia and Moravia. Ottokar's son Wenceslas was betrothed to Rudolf's daughter Judith, and an uneasy peace was made. Two years later the Czech king tried to recover his lost lands. He found allies and collected a large army, but he was defeated by Rudolf and killed at the Battle of Dürnkrut on 26 August 1278.
Ottokar was a founder of towns and a friend of law and order, while he assisted trade and welcomed German immigrants. He is a famous figure both in history and in legend. He was called the 'Iron and Gold King' throughout Europe. In the Divine Comedy, Dante sees Ottokar outside the gates of Purgatory, in amiable companionship with his imperial rival Rudolf. He is also the protagonist of a tragedy by the 19th century playwright Franz Grillparzer. His successor was his son Wenceslas II.
Source: Leo van de Pas
During his father's lifetime he ruled Moravia, but when in 1248 some discontented Bohemian nobles acknowledged him as their sovereign, trouble arose between him and his father, and for a short time Ottokar was imprisoned. However in 1251 the young prince secured his election as duke of Austria, where he strengthened his position by marrying the 30 years older Margarethe of Austria, sister of Duke Friedrich II 'der Streitbare', the last of the Babenberg rulers of the duchy, and herself widow of the German king Heinrich VII von Hohenstaufen. Some years later he repudiated Margarethe and married the young Kunigunde of Halicz, who was the granddaughter of his rival, the Hungarian king Béla IV. She became the mother of his children, the youngest of them being his only legitimate son Wenceslas (Vaclav).
Both before and after he became king of Bohemia in succession to his father in September 1253, Ottokar was involved in a dispute with Béla IV over the possession of the duchy of Styria, which had formerly been united with Austria. By an arrangement made in 1254 he surrendered part of it to Bela, but when the dispute was renewed he defeated the Hungarians in July 1260 near Kressenbrunn and secured the whole of Styria for himself, owing his formal investiture with Austria and Styria to King John of England's son Richard, earl of Cornwall, who was emperor-elect.
Ottokar also led two expeditions (crusades) against the Prussians and founded Königsberg (Královed in Czech), later the capital of Prussia, named after him as king.
In 1269 he inherited Carinthia and part of Carniola, and having made good his claim, contested by the Hungarians, on the field of battle, he was the most powerful prince within the empire when an election for the German throne took place in 1273. But Ottokar was not the successful candidate. He refused to acknowledge his victorious rival, Rudolf von Habsburg, and urged the pope to adopt a similar attitude. Meanwhile, at a convention of the Reichstag at Frankfurt in 1274, Rudolf decreed that all imperial lands seized since the death of Emperor Friedrich II must be returned to the crown. This would have deprived Ottokar of Styria, Austria, and Carinthia. Matters reached a climax in 1276. Placing Ottokar under the ban of the empire, Rudolf besieged Vienna and compelled Ottokar in November 1276 to sign a treaty by which he gave up Austria and the neighbouring duchies, retaining for himself only Bohemia and Moravia. Ottokar's son Wenceslas was betrothed to Rudolf's daughter Judith, and an uneasy peace was made. Two years later the Czech king tried to recover his lost lands. He found allies and collected a large army, but he was defeated by Rudolf and killed at the Battle of Dürnkrut on 26 August 1278.
Ottokar was a founder of towns and a friend of law and order, while he assisted trade and welcomed German immigrants. He is a famous figure both in history and in legend. He was called the 'Iron and Gold King' throughout Europe. In the Divine Comedy, Dante sees Ottokar outside the gates of Purgatory, in amiable companionship with his imperial rival Rudolf. He is also the protagonist of a tragedy by the 19th century playwright Franz Grillparzer. His successor was his son Wenceslas II.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | Abt 1230 | ||||
| Death | 26 Aug 1278 |
Families
| Spouse | Kunhata of Slavonia (1245 - 1285) |
| Child | Wenceslas II (Vaclav) King of Bohemia and Poland (1271 - 1305) |