Vladislav Heinrich

Vladislav Heinrich (Czech Vladislav Jindřich ) (* around 1160; † August 12, 1222 ) was a Duke of Bohemia and Margrave of Moravia.

The second son of Vladislav II and his wife Judith of Thuringia experienced his youth in times of disputes among the Přemyslids . In 1192 he received from Emperor Heinrich VI. the margravate and rule over Moravia . After two years, the Bohemian Duke withdrew his power and ordered him to go to Prague Castle so that he could have him under supervision. He then lived at the court of his cousin, the duke and bishop Heinrich Břetislav III. When the older brother of Vladislav Heinrich Ottokar I invaded Bohemia in 1197, his cousin did not trust him and had him locked up. Duke Heinrich Břetislav died a year later. The Bohemian nobility freed Vladislav Heinrich and on June 23, 1197 elected him as the Bohemian Duke. His older brother Ottokar I, who invaded Bohemia again in December 1197, also claimed this title. In order to prevent the increase in political instability through constant power disputes within the family, which threatened to lead to a civil war, Vladislav Heinrich did something unique. He renounced the title and all associated privileges and inheritance claims in favor of his brother.

In 1205, Vladislav Heinrich founded the Cistercian monastery in Velehrad . He wanted to set a sign of togetherness with Great Moravia. This monastery should also be the burial place of the margraves .

After negotiations within the family, he became the first Moravian margrave on December 6, 1197. His successors should keep this title through inheritance law. In the Golden Bulletin of 1212, Moravia was then tacitly incorporated as a new part of the kingdom. Vladislav Heinrich symbolically received a part of Saxony from the emperor so that he could continue to be counted among the imperial dukes.

Politically, he worked closely with his brother, the Bohemian Duke. In 1216 he issued a document together with this in which the principle of primogeneity (firstborn) for the succession to the throne was established. This was intended to eliminate the quarrels and intrigues during the elections. Vladislav Heinrich appeared here as a “witness”, that is, he agreed to the new law. He was loyal to his brother until his death and supported him in negotiations with the emperor. His greatest merit for Moravia was the internal political stability that he achieved.

Vladislav Heinrich was married to Hedwig, whose origin is unknown. He died without descendants, so that the successor to the margraviate fell into the hands of King Ottokar I. Vladislav Heinrich was buried in Velehrad Monastery.

literature

• Martin Wihoda: The thorny path to the “Golden Bull” from 1212 for Margrave Vladislav Heinrich of Moravia. In: Karel Hruza, Paul Herold (Hrsg.): Paths to the document, paths to the document, paths to research. Contributions to European diplomacy in the Middle Ages (= research on the history of emperors and popes in the Middle Ages. 24). Böhlau, Vienna et al. 2005, ISBN 3-205-77271-7 , pp. 65–79.
• Bohemia, fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BOHEMIA.htm (Foundation for Medieval Genealogy)
• Vladislav III. Jindřich, in the Středověk portal (Middle Ages, www.e-stredovek.cz )

predecessor	Office	successor
Heinrich Břetislav III.	Duke of Bohemia 1197	Ottokar I. Přemysl