2.2. 1124 - The Czech prince Bořivoj II died in Hungary.

Together with the German nobleman Wiprecht Grojcsky he helped to conquer Rome. He twice succeeded his brother Vladislaus I. Finally, Borivoj II had to flee to Hungary, where he also died on 2 February 1124.

Bořivoj II was the older brother of Vladislav I and Soběslav I. He also had an older half-sibling, namely Břetislav II. The dying King Vratislav II wished to preserve the unity of the whole country and longed for a strong and sovereign Czech state, but his children did not accept the monarch's legacy.

The rulers of the neighbouring German Empire often interfered in Czech affairs to protect their own interests. The Roman rulers also had the right to interfere in the affairs of the Bohemian state and tried to manipulate the candidates for the Bohemian princely throne. Although the Bohemian state was never an imperial fief, the Roman kings and emperors treated it as such from the time of Břetislav II. The existing sovereignty that Vratislaus II had managed to consolidate was thus often threatened. In addition, the members of the Moravian side branch of the Přemyslids also had great ambitions and often added fuel to the fire.

After the violent death of Prince Břetislav II, he was succeeded by Bořivoj II. There is even speculation as to whether Queen Svatava had anything to do with the murder. "However, Bořivoj II was a gentle and good-hearted ruler and at the beginning of his reign he managed to repel an attempt by the Brno prince Oldřich to dethrone him. Oldřich was, after the death of Břetislav II, the oldest living Přemyslovian, and by virtue of this title, according to the old law established by Břetislav I, he claimed the Bohemian principality for himself. Bořivoj II forgave his relative, and finally left him at least to his Brno fate," writes Vladimír Liška in his book Women of Czech Monarchs.

But soon Bořivoj II was confronted by another opponent, namely the eldest son of the Olomouc prince Ota I, who was Svatopluk. In 1105 he attempted a political coup in Prague, but the prince returned from abroad in time and together with the Prague citizens and leaders managed to thwart the coup. However, Svatopluk was not deterred by the defeat and two years later he attacked Prague again and Bořivoj II had to flee to Poland. Svatopluk took over the government and was joined by his brother Vladislav. Queen Svatava preferred to retreat into seclusion.

Prince Svatopluk was assassinated

In 1109 the Vršovci took revenge on Svatopluk and murdered the prince. Bořivoj took advantage of the situation and, with the help of a Polish army, tried to conquer Prague. However, the Olomouc prince Ota II, the brother of the murdered Svatopluk, demanded to rule. As war between the Přemyslids was imminent, the German monarch Henry V stepped in and forced the three Přemyslids to negotiate peace in Rokycany. There he confirmed Vladislav I as king and had Bořivoj arrested and imprisoned in Germany.

However, it was 1115 and the domestic disputes were finally sparked, but it did not last long. Bořivoj II was released from prison and returned to Bohemia. In 1117 he took over the government, which Vladislav I is said to have voluntarily surrendered to him, and stood aside. Rather, he was forced to it, but it is not known by whom. It could have been the German king who wanted to use the influence of Borivoj II for his power games. Or simply the Bohemian nobility, who, led by Soběslav, sided with Bořivoj," Liška speculates.

Queen Svatava, who saw her eldest son as the rightful Czech ruler, may also have played a role in the change to the position of Czech prince. However, three years later Vladislav I dethroned him again and Bořivoj II fled to Hungary, where he died in 1124. "Soběslav, too, probably always regarded Bořivoj II as the legitimate ruler and could not accept his departure to a foreign land. His relationship with Vladislav I deteriorated so much that a fratricidal clash was imminent, as Soběslav I was backed by part of the Bohemian nobility," says Liška.

Sources,

https://panovnici-evropy.estranky.cz/