Slavník's dynasty
Encyclopedia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
during the 10th century. It governed Zličané
Zlicans
The Zličané were a Czech tribe that settled in the eastern fold of Bohemia. They were the second most powerful tribe in the region but eventually were overpowered by the Přemyslid dynasty on 28 September 995 when the ruling Slavník dynasty was massacred by the Přemyslids.In addition to the...
, one of the oldest Czech tribes. The center of the principality was the gord of Libice
Libice nad Cidlinou
Libice nad Cidlinou is a village in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is one of the oldest settlements in Bohemia, located 5 km southeast of Poděbrady at the confluence of the Cidlina and Elbe rivers...
located at the confluence of the rivers Cidlina
Cídlina River
Cidlina is a river in the Czech Republic, draining south from its source in Tábor hill near Lomnice nad Popelkou through Jičín, Nový Bydžov and Chlumec nad Cidlinou, merging with the Elbe at Libice nad Cidlinou. Cidlina is 87.3 kilometers long, its drainage area covers 1,164 km² and average...
and Elbe (Labe)
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
. The Slavníks competed with the Přemyslids for control over Bohemia and eventually succumbed to them.
The founder of the dynasty was prince Slavník
Slavník
Slavník was a Bohemian nobleman, the founder of Slavník's dynasty. He is said to have had consanguinity with the Saxon kings.He had several children by his wife Střezislava. Six of his sons are known by name: Soběslav , Saint Adalbert , Spytimír, Pobraslav, Pořej and Čáslav. He had also a son...
(†981) who lent his name to the whole family. He had consanguinity with the Saxon kings. His wife was Střezislava
Strezislava
Střezislava was the wife of Slavník, a Bohemian nobleman and founder of Slavník dynasty. Some historians suppose that she might have been a member of the Přemyslid house , possibly a daughter of Vratislaus I or of some historically unknown member of that dynasty.Střezislava had several children...
, a woman of remarkable beauty, allegedly from the Přemyslid house. Slavník had at least 7 sons, among whom two – Vojtěch (Adalbert)
Adalbert of Prague
This article is about St Adalbert of Prague. For other uses, see Adalbert .Saint Adalbert, Czech: ; , , Czech Roman Catholic saint, a Bishop of Prague and a missionary, was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. He evangelized Poles and Hungarians. St...
and the illegitimate Radim (Gaudentius)
Radim Gaudentius
Radim Gaudentius was Archbishop of Gniezno and the first Polish archbishop.Radim was an illegitimate son of Prince Slavník, and thus the half-brother of Adalbert of Prague....
– later became saints. According to Cosmas'
Cosmas of Prague
Cosmas of Prague was a Bohemian priest, writer and historian born in a noble family in Bohemia. Between 1075 and 1081, he studied in Liège. After his return to Bohemia, he became a priest and married Božetěcha, with whom he probably had a son. In 1086 Cosmas was appointed prebendary of Prague, a...
Chronicle, Slavník was a happy man all his lifetime.
Slavník dynasty was supposedly related to the Babenberg
Babenberg
Originally from Bamberg in Franconia, now northern Bavaria, an apparent branch of the Babenbergs or Babenberger went on to rule Austria as counts of the march and dukes from 976–1248, before the rise of the house of Habsburg.-One or two families:...
s, the Přemyslid dynasty
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
, and was friendly with the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
kings.
Slavník's heir was his son Soběslav who rushed to consolidate the princedom's independence. For instance, he began to coin money in Libice, known among numismatists
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
as the silver senars, in spite of the primacy of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, and took other separatist measures. This was a direct challenge to Boleslav II, head of the Přemyslid family, who was determined to add the Slavniks lands to his kingdom. Since the Přemyslid dynasty could not afford any mighty rivals, Boleslav II with confederates stormed Libice and massacred all of the family on September 28, 995. They found and killed Slavniks even in a church. It is believed that murderers belonged to the Vršovci
Vršovci
The Vršovci were a noble Czech family and clan, probable or legendary ancestors of some bearers of the Oksza and the Rawicz coat of arms ....
powerful Czech family. Only three Slavniki family members survived because they were not present in Libice at that time: Soběslav, Radim (Gaudentius), the later archbishop of Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...
(Hnězdno) and future catholic saint Adalbert , who damned the murderers(Vršovci) in a church (the saint according to the legend was very impulsive) for their cruelty, then he escaped from Bohemia to Hungary and Poland, where he acted as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, murdered by Old Prussians
Old Prussians
The Old Prussians or Baltic Prussians were an ethnic group, autochthonous Baltic tribes that inhabited Prussia, the lands of the southeastern Baltic Sea in the area around the Vistula and Curonian Lagoons...
.
In 996, when Strachkvas
Strachkvas
Strachkvas was a prince of Bohemia, son of Boleslav I and brother of Boleslav II, all members of the Přemyslid dynasty...
Přemyslid was going to assume a bishop office in Prague, he suddenly died during the ceremony itself. Some historians suggest that Strachkvas could have been poisoned by Slavniks survivors of the Libice massacre.
The strength of the two dynasties' conflict is also demonstrated by the fact that Czech (Přemyslid) rulers initially refused to ransom Saint Adalbert's (Slavnikid) body from Prussians who murdered him, so it was purchased by Boleslaus I the Brave, king of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. All or some of saint Adalbert's relicts were in 1039 forcibly transported into Prague and buried in the St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral
Saint Vitus' Cathedral is as a Roman Catholic cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. The full name of the cathedral is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral...
, some possibly hidden by Polish and, according to Roczniki Polskie, in 1127 were recovered in Poland and declared authentic, however some with reliquary were stollen in 1923.
Certain
- SlavníkSlavníkSlavník was a Bohemian nobleman, the founder of Slavník's dynasty. He is said to have had consanguinity with the Saxon kings.He had several children by his wife Střezislava. Six of his sons are known by name: Soběslav , Saint Adalbert , Spytimír, Pobraslav, Pořej and Čáslav. He had also a son...
- StrezislavaStrezislavaStřezislava was the wife of Slavník, a Bohemian nobleman and founder of Slavník dynasty. Some historians suppose that she might have been a member of the Přemyslid house , possibly a daughter of Vratislaus I or of some historically unknown member of that dynasty.Střezislava had several children...
- Soběslav (d. 1004)
- Saint Adalbert of PragueAdalbert of PragueThis article is about St Adalbert of Prague. For other uses, see Adalbert .Saint Adalbert, Czech: ; , , Czech Roman Catholic saint, a Bishop of Prague and a missionary, was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. He evangelized Poles and Hungarians. St...
(Vojtěch) - Pobraslav
- Porej
- CaslavCaslavCaslav is a Slavic word, name and may refer to following:Slavic name:*Časlav , a Serbian variant of Slavic name Czesław referring to:**Časlav Klonimirović, ruler of Serbia 927-960*Čáslav, a Czech name referring to:...
- Spytimir
- RadlaRadlaRadla was a Czech priest and tutor of Saint Adalbert of Prague .Only little is known about life of Radla and the available information is often contradictory...
– a priest or a monk, the teacher of Adalbert
In German
- R. Тurеk. Die fruhmittelalterlichen Stammegebiete in Bohmen. Praha, 1957, S. 23—25, 184—191.
- Josef Teige: "Blätter aus der altböhmischen Genealogie. Slavnikiden /Die Vrsovcen /Die Herren von Lichtenburg". Damböck, 2005.