Hans of Warnsdorf
Encyclopedia
Hans of Warnsdorf was a follower of King George of Poděbrady
of Bohemia. From 1454 to 1474, he held the post of Landeshauptmann
of Kłodzko
; and from 1465 also the post of governor of Ząbkowice Śląskie
.
, the Lordship of Trutnov
, not far from Žacléř Castle, to him.
In 1454, George of Poděbrady
in his capacity as guardian of King Ladislaus Posthumus of Bohemia, who was still a minor, appointed Hans as Landeshauptmann
of the County of Kłodzko. In the same year, George also enfeoffed Žacléř Castle to Hans as an inheritable fief, after enfeoffing Trutnov to him for life, a year earlier.
As governor of Kłodzko, Hans of Warnsdorf earned the full confidence of George of Poděbrady, who was elected King of Bohemia in 1458. From 1465, he was also governor of neighbouring Ząbkowice Śląskie
. Already in March of 1458, Hans of Warnsdorf represented George of Poděbrady in a meeting of Silesian dukes in Legnica
. This meeting primarily dealt with the recognition of George as King; the cities of Wrocław and Świdnica
were against recognition. Agreement could not be reached and, since the Silesian dukes were still at war with the heretic
' King George, Hans of Warnsdorf's soldiers began looting and pillaging villages in the Diocese of Wrocław. After he continued this campaign, this Silesians gave in and paid homage
to King George in Legnica.
In 1462, King George sent Hans of Warnsdorf to Vienna, where he is said to have freed Emperor Frederick III
, who was besieged in his residence by rebellious subjects. As governor of Kłodzko, Hans of Warnsdorf's main concern was to keep the clergy of Kłodzko outside the conflict between the Catholic Church and the Utraquists
. This is probably the reason why Provost Michael Czacheritz made him a member of the fraternity
of the Canons Regular
at Kłodzko.
George of Poděbrady died in 1471. Hans of Warnsdorf, however, kept his post as governor of Kłodzko and Ząbkowice Śląskie until 1474. On 24 April 1472, Hans of Warnsdorf and George's son Count Henry the Elder
jointly occupied the city of Broumov
without a fight. Broumov had been occupied in 1469 by mercenaries led by Franz von Hag, a captain of the Bohemian counter-king Matthias Corvinus. The mercenaries were still present in Broumov. Immediately after their success at Broumov, Hans and Henry occupied the nearby town of Police nad Metují
. This brought Broumov and Police nad Metují under the reign of Henry the Elder, who incorporated them, with permission of King Vladislav II of Bohemia into his County of Kłodzko. From his base in Broumov, Hans undertook more raids into Silesia. To counter the threat of more raids, some Silesian cities voluntarily agreed to pay tribute
to Count Henry the Elder of Kłodzko.
In 1477, Hans of Warnsdorf, together with Henry the Elder and the Bohemian noblemen William Krušina of Lichtenburg, Peter Kdulinec of Ostroměř
and Christopher of Talkenberg at Talkenstein, participated in the peace talks between Bohemia and Silesia at Broumov
as representatives of Vladislav II. Hans of Warnsdorf acted here as first representative of Bohemia. In the same year, King Vladislav II transferred the Silesian town of Kamienna Góra
to Hans of Warnsdorf and his son-in-law Frederick of Schönburg. In 1482, Duke Henry the Elder pledged the East Bohemian possession Vízmburk Castle to Hans, but he repaid the loan three years later.
Hans von Warnsdorf was married to Euphemia, whose last name is not known. They probably had no male offspring. His daughter Catherine was married to Frederick of Schönburg (died: after 1492), who was governor of Hradec Králové District
. In 1471, Hans of Warnsdorf transferred the fief of Žacléř Castle to him, and in 1472 the Lordship of Trutnov.
George of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
of Bohemia. From 1454 to 1474, he held the post of Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann is a former German gubernatorial title equivalent to that of a governor of a province or a state....
of Kłodzko
County of Kladsko
The County of Kladsko was a historical administrative unit in the Kingdom of Bohemia and later in the Kingdom of Prussia with its capital at Kłodzko on the Nysa river...
; and from 1465 also the post of governor of Ząbkowice Śląskie
Zabkowice Slaskie
Ząbkowice Śląskie is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Ząbkowice Śląskie County, and of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Ząbkowice Śląskie....
.
Life
Hans was a member of a North Bohemian family of knights. In 1440, he acquired Žacléř Castle, from where he raided the Silesian cities, until the Silesians captured the castle. In 1441, Queen Barbara of Cilli of Bohemia pledged her WittumWittum
Wittum , Widum or Witthum is a medieval Latin legal term, known in marital and ecclesiastical law.- Provide for a widow at the wedding :...
, the Lordship of Trutnov
Trutnov
Trutnov is a city in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 31,239 and lies in the Krkonoše in the valley of the Úpa River....
, not far from Žacléř Castle, to him.
In 1454, George of Poděbrady
George of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
in his capacity as guardian of King Ladislaus Posthumus of Bohemia, who was still a minor, appointed Hans as Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann is a former German gubernatorial title equivalent to that of a governor of a province or a state....
of the County of Kłodzko. In the same year, George also enfeoffed Žacléř Castle to Hans as an inheritable fief, after enfeoffing Trutnov to him for life, a year earlier.
As governor of Kłodzko, Hans of Warnsdorf earned the full confidence of George of Poděbrady, who was elected King of Bohemia in 1458. From 1465, he was also governor of neighbouring Ząbkowice Śląskie
Zabkowice Slaskie
Ząbkowice Śląskie is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Ząbkowice Śląskie County, and of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Ząbkowice Śląskie....
. Already in March of 1458, Hans of Warnsdorf represented George of Poděbrady in a meeting of Silesian dukes in Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
. This meeting primarily dealt with the recognition of George as King; the cities of Wrocław and Świdnica
Swidnica
Świdnica is a city in south-western Poland in the region of Silesia. It has a population of 60,317 according to 2006 figures. It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, being the seventh largest town in that voivodeship. From 1975–98 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship...
were against recognition. Agreement could not be reached and, since the Silesian dukes were still at war with the heretic
Heretic
A heretic is a person who commits heresy.In literature:* Heretic, an autobiography of Peter Cameron* Heretic , the third volume in The Grail Quest series by Bernard CornwellIn music:...
' King George, Hans of Warnsdorf's soldiers began looting and pillaging villages in the Diocese of Wrocław. After he continued this campaign, this Silesians gave in and paid homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to King George in Legnica.
In 1462, King George sent Hans of Warnsdorf to Vienna, where he is said to have freed Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
, who was besieged in his residence by rebellious subjects. As governor of Kłodzko, Hans of Warnsdorf's main concern was to keep the clergy of Kłodzko outside the conflict between the Catholic Church and the Utraquists
Utraquism
Utraquism was a Christian dogma first proposed by Jacob of Mies in 1414. It maintained that the Eucharist should be administered "in both kinds" — as both bread and wine — to all the congregation, including the laity...
. This is probably the reason why Provost Michael Czacheritz made him a member of the fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
of the Canons Regular
Canons Regular
Canons Regular are members of certain bodies of Canons living in community under the Augustinian Rule , and sharing their property in common...
at Kłodzko.
George of Poděbrady died in 1471. Hans of Warnsdorf, however, kept his post as governor of Kłodzko and Ząbkowice Śląskie until 1474. On 24 April 1472, Hans of Warnsdorf and George's son Count Henry the Elder
Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels
Henry the Elder of Münsterberg was an Imperial Count and Count of Kladsko. He was also Duke of Silesian duchies Münsterberg and Oels and 1465–1472 Duke of Opava...
jointly occupied the city of Broumov
Broumov
Broumov is a town in the Czech Republic, in the Náchod District of the Hradec Králové Region near the Polish border. The municipality at the small Stěnava River is the center of the Broumovsko area, along with the adjacent Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, a protected area popular with mountain...
without a fight. Broumov had been occupied in 1469 by mercenaries led by Franz von Hag, a captain of the Bohemian counter-king Matthias Corvinus. The mercenaries were still present in Broumov. Immediately after their success at Broumov, Hans and Henry occupied the nearby town of Police nad Metují
Police nad Metují
Police nad Metují is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. Metuje flows through the town.-Twin towns — Sister cities:Police nad Metují is twinned with the following towns: Świdnica, Poland- External links :*...
. This brought Broumov and Police nad Metují under the reign of Henry the Elder, who incorporated them, with permission of King Vladislav II of Bohemia into his County of Kłodzko. From his base in Broumov, Hans undertook more raids into Silesia. To counter the threat of more raids, some Silesian cities voluntarily agreed to pay tribute
Tribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
to Count Henry the Elder of Kłodzko.
In 1477, Hans of Warnsdorf, together with Henry the Elder and the Bohemian noblemen William Krušina of Lichtenburg, Peter Kdulinec of Ostroměř
Ostromer
Ostroměř is a village in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
and Christopher of Talkenberg at Talkenstein, participated in the peace talks between Bohemia and Silesia at Broumov
Broumov
Broumov is a town in the Czech Republic, in the Náchod District of the Hradec Králové Region near the Polish border. The municipality at the small Stěnava River is the center of the Broumovsko area, along with the adjacent Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, a protected area popular with mountain...
as representatives of Vladislav II. Hans of Warnsdorf acted here as first representative of Bohemia. In the same year, King Vladislav II transferred the Silesian town of Kamienna Góra
Kamienna Góra
Kamienna Góra is a town in south-western Poland with 21,440 inhabitants . It is the seat of Kamienna Góra County, and also of the rural district called Gmina Kamienna Góra, although it is not part of the territory of the latter .Kamienna Góra on the Bóbr river is situated in Lower Silesian...
to Hans of Warnsdorf and his son-in-law Frederick of Schönburg. In 1482, Duke Henry the Elder pledged the East Bohemian possession Vízmburk Castle to Hans, but he repaid the loan three years later.
Hans von Warnsdorf was married to Euphemia, whose last name is not known. They probably had no male offspring. His daughter Catherine was married to Frederick of Schönburg (died: after 1492), who was governor of Hradec Králové District
Hradec Králové District
Hradec Králové District is a district within Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is city Hradec Králové.-Complete list of towns and villages:Babice •Barchov •Běleč nad Orlicí •Benátky •Blešno •...
. In 1471, Hans of Warnsdorf transferred the fief of Žacléř Castle to him, and in 1472 the Lordship of Trutnov.