Bořivoj I.

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Baptism of Bořivoj. Illustration from the Velislav Bible , first half of the 14th century

Bořivoj I (* between 852 and 855; † between 888 and 890) was the first historically documented Bohemian ruler from the Přemyslid dynasty . He was baptized with his wife, Ludmilla , who was later canonized , built the first Christian churches in Bohemia and laid the foundation stone for Prague Castle on the Hradschin . His grandson was the first Bohemian saint, Wenceslaus of Bohemia . In the legend Fuit in provincia Boemorum , in the Christian legend and in the Chronica Boemorum des Cosmas of Prague he is described as the first Christian ruler of Bohemia.

Life

Bořivoj I. originally settled in Levý Hradec northeast of Prague . According to the Chronica Boemorum des Cosmas of Prague, he was a descendant of the legendary founders of the Bohemian ruling family of the Přemyslids - the Princess Libuše and the Přemysl the Ploughman . He was the first representative of this dynasty to be documented by historical sources. He first appears in history in the year 872, when he fought together with other Slavic princes against the East Franconian King Karlmann I. The contemporary Frankish chronicle Annales Fuldenses names six Slavic princes involved in the fight, among them a Goriwei . According to historians, this is identical to Bořivoj I.

A sheet from the manuscript of the Christian legend from the 14th century.
Bořivoj's baptism of Václav Ignác Leopold Markovský (1789–1846)

The Přemyslids were not the only rulers in Bohemia in his time, but they dominated the important Central Bohemian region. Since Bořivoj I, they began to unite the Bohemian tribes under their rule and thus lay the foundations for the later Kingdom of Bohemia . Since Bořivoj I, the Christian faith spread in Bohemia, first through Frankish missionaries and later also from the Great Moravian Empire . Bořivoj I also recognized the importance of Christianity in building a state and promoted its spread in Bohemia.

In 874 or 875 he married Ludmilla, who was later canonized. According to Christian legend , she was the daughter of Slavibor , a prince of the West Slavic tribe of the Pschowans . This marriage certainly also had a political meaning. It shows that Bořivoj expanded his power in Bohemia not only by means of violence, but also with a wise marriage policy. The land of the Pschowans later fell to the Přemyslids. Two sons are known from the marriage, Spytihněv I and Vratislav I , both of whom became Bořivoj's successors. The latter is the father of Saint Wenceslas of Bohemia, who, together with Ludmilla, is one of the national patrons of Bohemia.

According to Christian legend, Bořivoj I and his wife were baptized by Archbishop Method at the court of Svatopluk in Velehrad , Moravia . The date of baptism is uncertain, mostly the year 883 is assumed. The legend tells about Bořivoj's visit:

“ In the prime of his youth, he came to his prince, King Svatopluk, in Moravia on a matter that concerned him and the people entrusted to him, and was warmly received by him and invited to the feast with the others. However, he was not allowed to sit with the Christians, but was shown a place in front of the table on the floor. Bishop Method was sorry for this insult and he is said to have said to him: Woe, that a man of your class is not ashamed of being driven from the chairs of the princes, although he himself also has ducal power and rank, but because of shameful idolatry prefer to sit on the floor with the swineherd. "

- from the Christian legend, chap. 2

Bořivoj was persuaded, accepted baptism with his entourage and was instructed in the Christian faith by Method. Although 14 Bohemian princes were baptized as early as 845 at the court of the East Franconian king in Regensburg , Bořivoj's baptism is considered to be the beginning of the Christianization of the country. With his baptism in Moravia, Bořivoj strengthened the ties to the Great Moravian Empire and resisted the growing influence of East Franconian rulers and Bavarian bishops.

Some historians take the view that Bořivoj, when he was around 15, was appointed administrator in Bohemia by the Moravian prince Svatopluk around the year 867. Svatopluk's choice of Bořivoj is seen as an argument for the theory that the Moravian Mojmirids and the Bohemian Přemyslids were related. Bořivoj may have grown up at the Svatopluk court.

Foundations

Today's St. Clement's Church in Levý Hradec

Much of Bořivoj's life remains in the dark for us, but his building activity has left its mark. After his baptism, he had the first Christian church in Bohemia built in his castle in Levý Hradec, a Romanesque rotunda dedicated to St. Clement . The service in the church was taken over by priest Kaich , whom Bořivoj had brought from Moravia. The original foundation walls have been preserved under today's St. Clement's Church.

In the following years he promoted the spread of Christianity in Bohemia. This and also the political dependence on the Great Moravian Empire led to the uprising of part of the pagan Bohemian princes. They were led by an unknown Prince Strojmír , who had probably lived in exile in Bavaria until now. Bořivoj I. had to flee to Svatopluk in Moravia. But soon he and his supporters succeeded in breaking the uprising and consolidating his power in Bohemia. Svatopluk's help probably contributed to this.

Bořivoj I confirmed his victory with the establishment of another Christian church. On a rock above the Vltava , on the area of ​​today's Prague Castle, he had the Church of the Virgin Mary built. Its remains were discovered during archaeological excavations between 1950 and 1952 and can now be viewed at Prague Castle. According to some historians, the church was built near a pagan holy place. A stone table is said to have stood there, where the ceremonial enthronement of Bohemian rulers used to take place.

It used to be assumed that Bořivoj I then moved his seat here from Levý Hradec and began building the Prague Castle. Today the start of construction is more likely to be attributed to his successor, Spytihněv I.

Death and grave

Remains of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Prague Castle.

Bořivoj probably died between the years 888 and 890, around the middle of his fourth decade of life. After him the Moravian prince Svatopluk took over the rule for a short time. After Svatopluks death in 894, Bořivoj's son Spytihněv I became the Czech prince.

It is not known where Bořivoj I was buried. The grave in the church he built in Prague Castle remained empty. The Czech paleoantropologist Emanuel Vlček identified the so-called grave K1, which was discovered under the floor of the former St. Vitus rotunda (predecessor of St. Vitus Cathedral ) at Prague Castle, as the place of his final resting place . Recently, however, this has been questioned by some historians.

Speculation about ancestry

According to one theory, Bořivoj I came from Moravia. Results of anthropological studies are given as an argument for this . The skull from grave K1 (attributed to Bořivoj I.) shares a unique anomaly of the ear canal with the skull from grave 12/59 near Uherské Hradiště in Moravia . This tomb is believed by some Czech historians and archaeologists to be the tomb of the Moravian prince Svatopluk. Both skeletons also have the same, albeit common, blood type. From this it is deduced that Bořivoj was a close relative of Svatopluks, perhaps even a son of the Moravian prince Rastislav .

literature

  • Dušan Třeštík : Počátky Přemyslovců. Vstup Čechů do dějin (530-935) . Lidové noviny, Praha 1997, ISBN 80-7106-138-7 (Czech, 658 pages).
  • Michal Lutovský: Po stopách prvních Přemyslovců I. Zrození státu 872–972. Od Bořivoje I. po Boleslava I. Libri, Praha 2006, ISBN 80-7277-308-9 (Czech).
  • Václav Davídek: Co bylo před Prahou . Vyšehrad, Prague 1971 (Czech).
  • Rudolf Turek: Čechy v raném středověku . Vyšehrad, Prague 1982 (Czech).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Dušan Třeštík: Počátky Přemyslovců. Vstup Čechů do dějin (530-935) . Lidové noviny, Praha 1997, ISBN 80-7106-138-7 , p. 176-195 (Czech, 658 pp.).
  2. ↑ Marie Bláhová, Jan Frolík, Naďa Profantová: Velké dějiny zemí Koruny české, svazek I. Do roku 1197 . Paseka, Praha 1999, ISBN 80-7185-265-1 , p. 236 (Czech, 800 pp.).
  3. ^ Dušan Třeštík: Počátky Přemyslovců. Vstup Čechů do dějin (530-935) . Lidové noviny, Praha 1997, ISBN 80-7106-138-7 , p. 204-205 (Czech, 658 pp.).
  4. ↑ Kristiánova legenda (Christian legend , Czech), accessed on December 3, 2017
  5. ^ Dušan Třeštík: Počátky Přemyslovců. Vstup Čechů do dějin (530-935) . Lidové noviny, Praha 1997, ISBN 80-7106-138-7 , p. 312-347 (Czech, 658 pp.).
  6. ↑ Petr Charvát: Zrod českého státu (568-1055) . Vyšehrad, Praha 2007, ISBN 978-80-7021-845-7 , p. 136-150 (Czech, 263 pp.).
  7. ↑ Petr Šimík: Pocházel kníže Bořivoj, zakladatel Pražského hradu, z Moravy? In: Moravský historický sborník: ročenka Moravského národního kongresu 2002-2005 . Moravský národní kongres, Brno 2006, p. 329-407 (Czech).

Web links

Commons : Borivoj I, Duke of Bohemia  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
predecessor Office successor
nn Duke of Bohemia
875–889 		Svatopluk I.
personal data
SURNAME Bořivoj I.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bohemian duke from the Premyslid family
DATE OF BIRTH between 852 and 855
DATE OF DEATH 888 or 889