Ottokar I of Bohemia

Přemysl Otakar I (* 1155 in Königstädtel ();? † December 15, 1230 ), son of Vladislav II and Judith of Thuringia, was king of Bohemia from the dynasty of Přemyslids. He sat by the elevation of his country's hereditary kingdom.

Otakar I struggled a long time with various pretenders to the rule. Initially it was used by his older brother Frederick in 1179 as Margrave of Moravia and had 1192/1193 also briefly held the Bohemian duke. As Ottokar switched sides in the conflict between Hohenstaufen and the Guelphs, he was in 1194 by Henry VI. deposed and had his former ally Henry Břetislavova III. , soft Bishop of Prague, who had been appointed by the king as a Bohemian duke.

On June 22, 1197 his brother Vladislav Henry was elevated to Duke. Shortly after Ottokar ended with him a compensation, according to the Vladislav margravate Moravia received the Bohemian throne as Bohemian fief, Ottokar itself. Thus, both principalities were separated again for a short time. In September 1198 Ottokar acquired by Philip of Swabia as a reward for his allegiance kingship ( agreement on 8 September in Mainz) and a few days later was crowned in Boppard. This was the first time in the history of Bohemia is not a personal but a hereditary crown.

1203 Ottokar was indeed deposed by Philip, because he was party volatile and his wife Adelheid of Meissen violated, but gained recognition for his rule by Innocent III. and Otto of Brunswick; In 1204 he became reconciled again with Philip. With Otto, whom he had initially accepted, he quarreled again and joined in 1212 by Frederick II, who described in 1212 in the Golden Sicilian Bull Bohemian hereditary monarchy finally recognized and Ottokar as "most noble princes ."

1216 he governed his succession by letting choose his son Wenceslas king. By 1200, the Moravian branch line of Přemyslids also was finally extinguished, so that the two parts of the empire of Bohemia and Moravia by this time formed a unit. All of the following Bohemian kings also wore the Moravian margrave title, which was presented to them usually in their function as successor to the throne.

During the reign of Ottokar and his son Wenceslas, far- reaching social changes in Bohemia. So far, no populated areas were increasingly colonized. In addition to the Czech population increasingly migrated also German, who founded new settlements and cities. This led not only to the growth of population, but also for the intensification of agriculture and the introduction of new farming methods. Also, the regulations, laws and Besitztumsverhältnisse had to be redefined or changed. The surpluses from agriculture but also from the burgeoning craft had to be stopped. New trade routes and relations emerged, the money management had to be adjusted. The increasing demand for precious metals such as metals in general led to the growing importance of mining.

The structure of the settlements and cities changed, a new state of the citizens was added. It created new layers of managers, which is oriented to the peerage, in addition craftsmen, traders, businessmen. An increasing importance gained especially the landowner. The successful arrived in the area of power, the less successful ones gathered around successful people, the nobility, who financed mostly from the proceeds of his fief. Important symbol of the recognition of the Bohemian ruler was entitled to inherit the title of king. Apart from the acquisition of the hereditary royal crown placed Ottokar I. by the primogeniture, what centuries of destabilization of Bohemia ended by the Senioratsprinzip. There were also changes in the Church. Their independence and independent internal administration was recognized, their involvement in political decisions often had to be accepted.

Progeny

Ottokar was married twice, first with Adelheid of Meissen, with whom he had three or four children, depending on the source, and from 1198 with Constance of Hungary, by whom he had another eight, nine children, depending on the source.

First marriage ( 1178 ) with Adelheid of Meissen:

• Vratislav, (before 1181 - after 1225 )
• Margaretha Dagmar (around 1186-1213 ) ∞ Waldemar II (House Estridsson )
• Bogislawa, also Božislava ∞ Heinrich I. Graf von Ortenbourg
• Hedwika (1211-1282)

Second marriage ( 1198 ) Constance of Hungary:

• Vratislav ( 1200 -? )
• Judith, also Jutta, Judita of Bohemia, (? -1230 ) ∞ ( 1213) with Bernhard von Spanheim
• Anne of Bohemia, also Anna Lehnická, (1204-1265) ∞ Henry II, Duke of Silesia and princeps of Poland
• Wenceslas I, Václav I. (1205-1253)
• Vladislav II, Margrave of Moravia (1207-1227)
• Přemysl, Margrave of Moravia (1209-1239)
• Blaschena, also Wilhelmina, Blažena, Vilemína Česká or Guglielma (1210-1281)
• Agnes of Bohemia (1211-1282)