Ottokar I (Czech: Přemysl I. Otakar; c. 1155 – 15 December 1230), king of Bohemia (1198 – 1230), was a younger son of King Vladislav II and a member of the Přemyslid dynasty.

Early years

His early years were passed amid the anarchy which prevailed everywhere in the country, after several struggles, in which he took part, he was recognized as ruler of Bohemia by the emperor Henry VI in 1192. He was, however, soon overthrown for joining a conspiracy of German princes to bring down the Hohenstaufen monarchy. In 1197 Otakar forced his brother, duke Vladislav Jindřich, to abandon Bohemia to him and to content himself with Moravia.

Taking advantage of the German civil war between the Hohenstaufen claimant Philip of Swabia and the Welf candidate Otto IV, Ottokar declared himself King of Bohemia. This title was supported by Philip of Swabia who needed Czech military support against Otto (1198).

In 1199 he divorced his wife, Adelheid of Meissen, a member of the Wettin dynasty for a marriage with Constance of Hungary, the young daughter of the Hungarian King Bela III.

In 1200 - with Otto IV in the ascendancy, Otakar abandoned his pact with Philip and declared for the Welf faction. Both Otto and Pope Innocent III subsequently accepted Otakar as hereditary King of Bohemia.

Golden Bull of Sicily

Philip's consequent invasion of Bohemia was successful. Otakar, having been compelled to pay a fine, again ranged himself among Philip's partisans and still later was among the supporters of the young king, Frederick II. In 1212 Frederick granted the Golden Bull of Sicily to Bohemia. This document recognised Otakar and his heirs as Kings of Bohemia. The King was no longer subject to appointment by the Emperor, and was only required to attend Diets close to the Bohemian border. Although a subject of the Holy Roman Empire, the Bohemian King was to be the leading electoral prince of the empire and to furnish all subsequent Emperors with a bodyguard of 300 knights when they went to Rome for their coronation.

Otakar's reign was also notable for the start of German immigration into Bohemia and the growth of towns in what had until that point been forest lands. In 1226 Otakar went to war against Frederick II of Austria after the latter wrecked a deal which would have seen Otakar's daughter (Saint Agnes of Bohemia) married to Emperor Frederick II's son, Henry II of Sicily. Otakar then planned for the same daughter to marry Henry III of England, but this was vetoed by the Emperor who knew Henry to be an opponent of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. Then widowed Emperor himself wanted to marry Agnes, but by then she didn't want to play a role in an arranged marriage anymore. With the help of the pope, Agnes entered the convent.

Evaluation Government Ottokar I

King Premysl Otakar I rank among the five largest Czech kings (Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, Ottokar II of Bohemia, Ottokar I of Bohemia, Wenceslaus II of Bohemia and Wenceslaus I of Bohemia). He was one of the most significant figures of Czech and Central European history. His diplomatic, statesmanlike and organizational activity for the years left an indelible stamp of his reign. As in the initial period has been forced to focus their attention on strengthening the integrity and international status of the Czech state, then it can be given to internal stabilization. Lord in period rapid economic and social movements and not much reliable mainstays. Despite leaving the country a strong, politically consolidated and internationally recognized. In Bohemia the government finally put up the highest ranking European political groupings.

Family

Ottokar was married first in 1178 to Adelheid of Meissen (after 1160 - February 2, 1211), who gave birth to the following children:

• Vratislav (before 1181 - after 1225)
• Dagmar (Markéta) (ca 1186 - May 24, 1213), married to Valdemar II of Denmark, King of Denmark
• Božislava
• Hedvika

In 1199, he married Constance of Hungary (1181 – December 6, 1240), who gave birth to the following children:

• Vratislav (ca 1200 – ?)
• Judith (- June 2, 1230), married to Bernhard von Spanheim, Duke of Carinthia
• Anne (Anna Lehnická) (1204 - June 23, 1265), married to Henry II the Pious, Duke of Wrocław
• Anežka
• Wenceslaus I of Bohemia (ca 1205 - September 23, 1253), King of Bohemia
• Vladislaus (Vratislav) (1207 - February 18, 1227), Margrave of Moravia
• Přemyslid (Přemysl) (1209 - October 16, 1239), Margrave of Moravia, married to Margaret of Meran
• Wilhelmina of Bohemia (Vilemína Česká, Guglielmina Boema) (1210 - October 24, 1281)
• Saint Agnes of Bohemia (January 20, 1211 – March 6, 1282)

References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

LEO database biographical notes copyright © Leo van de Pas

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