Boleslaus I of Bohemia

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Boleslaus I the Cruel

Boleslaus I the Cruel (Czech: Boleslav I. Ukrutný) (died July 15, 967 or 972) was the duke of Bohemia from 929 or 935 to his death. His father was Vratislaus I.

Boleslav is notorious for the murder of his brother Saint Wenceslas, the result of which brought him to the Czech ducal throne. Wenceslaus was murdered during a feast, and at precisely that time was Boleslav's son born. He received a strange name: Strachkvas, which meant "a dreadful feast". Being remorseful of what he had done, Boleslav promised to devote his son to religion and educate him as a clergyman. He kept his word.

Despite the fratricide, Boleslav is generally respected by Czech historians as an energetic ruler. Citing Wenceslas' religious policies as the cause of Boleslav's fratricide seems unlikely as Boleslav in no way impeded the growth of Christianity in Bohemia, and in fact he actually sent his daughter Mlada, a nun, to Rome to ask permission to make Prague a bishopric.

One major policy shift after the death of Wenceslas was regarding Czech-German relations. It is usually asserted that Wenceslas was an obedient client of the German King Henry the Fowler. Boleslav, on the other hand, found himself almost immediately at war with Henry's successor Otto the Great. This conflict, presumably consisting of border raids (the general pattern of warfare in this region at the time) between Boleslav on one side and the margrave of the Ostmark on the other, reached its conclusion in 950 when Boleslav signed a peace with Otto. It cannot be said for certain if Boleslav became a vassal of the German king, but it is known that he led a Czech force in alliance with Otto at the great victory over the Magyars at the Lech river (August 10, 955). He had also helped Otto to crush an uprising of Slavs on the Lower Elbe in 953.

Czech historians also claim that Boleslav expanded his power into Silesia, Lusatia, and Moravia, but no dates are given for these alleged conquests. If they did occur, they must have been only transistory gains because Boleslav's successors had to conquer them all over again. Boleslav saw the growth of Polish strength to the north of his borders and he accordingly arranged for his daughter Dobrava to marry the Piast prince Mieszko I in 965. He had another son named Strachkvas. His wife may have been Biagota. He was succeeded by his son Boleslaus the Pious.