9.11. 1034 Czech Prince Oldrich dies

In 1012, the ninth Přemyslid, Oldřich, ascended the princely throne. He grew up to be a tough and skilful politician, as he proved during the coup d'état. Heruled the country until 1034, when he died.

Prince Oldřich, the youngest of Boleslaus II's sons, remained for a long time in the shadow of his brothers, even the chroniclers showed no particular interest in him. He married Princess Bozena, formerly a spinster, according to myth. History only knows that she was a simple peasant woman, according to the Chronicle of Kosmas, her name in today's transcription would be Božena Křesinová. The marriage probably occurred not for romantic but dynastic reasons.

Oldřich's original marriage to an unknown noblewoman remained childless, so that Oldřich would have extinguished the Přemyslid family by the sword. One of his older brothers, Boleslaus III. Rysavy disappeared in some Polish prison with no possibility of return, and the other - Jaromir - was a eunuch. Princess Božena bore Oldřich a son Břetislav, later one of the most important rulers of Přemyslid Bohemia.

Oldřich grew up to be a tough and skilful politician, as he proved during the coup d'état in 1012 when he deposed his brother Jaromír, who had previously been shielded by the Holy Roman Empire. He was able to woo the empire while defending the sovereignty of his government. He acted ruthlessly against his enemies and family members. For example, he had Jaromir blinded at the end of his life.

"But such actions were not unusual at the time. He left a solid, internally consolidated country to his only heir Břetislav," writes Jan Kvirenc in his book Czech History - 100 Memorable Places.

He reconquered Moravia as early as 1019 in the Polács, completing the present-day form of the Czech state. He died in November 1034. "The passion for hunting or the art of hunting, which was both a compulsory pastime and a social eventin various forms, became fatal to many rulers, not only Oldřich," writes Kvirenc.

A hunting wound caused Vratislav's death in 1092, Bretislav II. Břetislav I. was murdered while hunting in 1100, and the Přemyslid king Wenceslas I. lost an eye, which is why he was called One-Eyed.

"Šebíř used to be first in spiritual duties and no less zealous in secular occupations, and he was always the prince's inseparable companion in hunting. He used to be first at hand in killing the wild boar. He could cut off the tail, clean and prepare it, as the prince liked, and serve it according to plan... for food. That's why Prince Oldřich is said to have often told him, "Shebir, I tell you frankly that you would owe the bishop for this delicious dessert. And as Kosmas testifies, in 1030 it happened."

Sources:
Jan Kvirenc, Czech History - 100 Memorable Places
Jan Bumba, Czech Cadastres from the 11th to the 21st Century