Author Topic: Queens of Bohemia  (Read 79239 times)

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Norbert

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #150 on: May 15, 2008, 11:15:34 AM »
Really? Do you know, where are the crowns of other states, which were monarchies? For example France, Portugal, Hungary, Germany (there should be a lot of crowns - Bavaria, Saxony, Wurttemberg, Prussia, Baden...), Romania, Bulgaria etc.? Should they be seen somewhere in museums or parliaments? Or are they hidden too?

Most historic crowns in Europe are on display...The remains of the French crown jewels are at the Louvre . Port, Neth , Spain only have Heraldic crowns created in 19th century and are of no artistic merit. There is no crown of Saxony but there is a crown of Poland created for Augustus II which is in the museum in Warsaw. Britain ( Scots, Welsh diadem) and the Scandinavian crowns are on display ( even one for Finland) . Bavaria and Wurttemberg are on display but the Hanoverian crown is kept in a vault by Pr. Ernst-August. The crown of Hungary is now in the Parliament building.  There are no crowns for Montenegro, Belgium, Monaco or Luxembourg but a sumptously modern crown made for Liechtenstein. The  19th c crowns created for Bulgaria , Roumania, Serbia and Greece are " in cupboards".... knocking about somewhere there is the crown of Croatia made for "Tomislav II" .... Romanov's in Moscow ( including their crown of Finland), Hapsburg crowns are at the Hofburg ( with the helmet of Scanderbeg of Albania) and Prussia at Charlottenburg Palace.
Have I left any out guys?
[/quote]

Offline Ally Kumari

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #151 on: January 20, 2009, 03:41:24 AM »
Because the old thread died months ago, I thought about making a new one for this part of history. In the old one we practically ended with Konstance of Hungary and her daughter Princess Agnes, who is now a Saint. So let´s continue with wife of King Václav I.

Kunhuta from Hohenstauf (sorry for the spelling) lived since about 1200 till 13th September 1248. She was a daughter of Filip, roman King (not sure if this is the right translation) and byzantine princess Irene. She was in fact a grand daughter of Emperor Fridrich Barbarossa.  In 1207 she was engaged to two-years-old prince Václav of Bohemia, whose father Premysl hoped Kunhuta´s father would become Emperor, but this never happened. Filip was murdered in 1208 and his wife Irene died not long after him. Kunhuta and her three sisters were entrusted to a convent for some time. Kunhuta didn´t stay there too long, because Premysl had her brough to Prague where she was raised together with her little fiancé. It often happened that such engagements were not fullfiled, but thisone was.  The wedding took place in 1224.
Threee years later the heir to the throne, named Vladislav, was born. in 1228, with old King still living, was Kunhuta crowned together with her husband to King and Queen.
About six years later another son was born, this time he was given the name Premysl. Except for the two boys Kunhuta gave birth also to three daughters: Beatrix, Agnes and one other daughter, whom we know nothing about.
In political measures Kunhuta was in the shadow of her sister-in-law, Princess Agnes, but we can probably thank her for inviting artists and writers to Bohemia. More she had to say when it came to her children´s marriages. She greatly supported the marriage of her eldest son with austrian princess Gertrude and Beatrix´s marriage to marchion Ota of Germany.
A heavy blow for her was death of 20.years old Vladislav, though she managed to gete over it better then her husband. Still she died not too long after him. In her last moments she was tortured by thought of her husband and the only heir now - Premysl, quarelling over power. She didn´t succeed in appeasing them. Not one of them came to her fineral. She was laid for the final rest in her sister-in-law Agnes´ monastery.
No known picture of Kunhuta exists.


Offline Ally Kumari

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #152 on: January 20, 2009, 12:23:54 PM »
Queen Margarete von Babenberg (1204/1205 –1266) was at first wife of roman king Henry VII., only after that she married Czech king Premysl II.. The paradox was, that not only she was 28 years older then her young husband, but on the Czech court she was badly remembered as a woman, who had "stolen" the suitor Henry from beloved Czech Princess Agnes years ago.  Needless to say Premysl only married her to support his claims on Austrian lands. Because she knew she couldn´t give him an heir, Margarethe supported her husband´s blossoming romance with one of her ladies, Agnes von Kuenring. With Agnes Premysl had four illegitimate children - two sons and two daughters. Premysl wanted the Pope to proclaim these children legitimate so the eldest son would one day become King, but this request was not fulfilled.
Seeing no other way to have an heir of his own, he decided to divorce Margarethe. She herself agreed on this and even helped to find the reason, which in the end turned out to be her old Promise of Purity, she had made after her first husband´s death.  in 1261 she left Prague and went back to Austria, while Premysl was finally free to marry again.

Several pictures:




Margarethe´s seal (1260)

Offline Grand Duchess Jennifer

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #153 on: January 24, 2009, 04:30:56 PM »
This will certainly be an intresting thread for me, as I know nothing about the Queens of Bohemia. :)

Thank you for all of the wonderful information, Ally! :-*

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Offline Ally Kumari

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #154 on: January 25, 2009, 02:43:06 PM »
I´m glad somebody stopped by :)

After Premysl divorced Margarethe, he needed to marry again, this time to sombody of not only political importance, but also somebody, who could actually give him a legal heir. And so we come to a woman, who according to historians was probably the most amazing creture that ever sat on the Czech throne.
Princess Kunhuta was born sometimes about 1246 and through her father she came from the Russian house of Rurik. She spent her early days in what today is Croatia, later she was taken to the court of her grandfather king Bela IV. of Hungary. When Premysl´s proposal for marriage came, the supposed bride was Kunhuta´s aunt Marketa, but she declined and became a nun. But Bela needed the aliance with Czech king and so he offered him his granddaugher.
The wedding took place on 25th October 1261 in Bratislava (today capital of Slovakia) and on 25th December of the same year Premysl and his young wife were crowned in Prague.
As a Czech queen Kunhuta was known for her extraordinary beauty. Although we don´t have any precise portrait of her, we can asume she had rahetr exotic features, but from her father´s side she inherited beautiful golden hair. She was also known for her temperament and love of tournaments. She gave Premysl five children, but only two daughters - Kunhuta and Agnes lived. The heir to the throne was finally born in September 1271.
She was very regal and enchanting, but also very proud. As a wife of the wealthies and most powerful man of her time (he was known as Golden and Iron King), she had a great difficulty getting over the fact that Premysl was not elected new roman Emperor- That was because other monarchs were affraid he would becoma far too powerful, and so they elected absolutely unimportant and unknown - Rudolf of Habsburg! Who would have guessed that this man´s line would in the end be one of th most famous in history! Some historians blame Kunhuta that she forced her husband to fight against Rudolf, which eventually led to Premysl´s untimely and violent death in 1278 in the battle on Moravian fields and consequently to hard years under patronage of foreign nobles in Czech kingdom, but that has never been proved.
After her husband´s death Kunhuta and her three children were under supervising of Ota of Brandenburg, who turned out to be a villain whose hordes were only stealing and killing Cezch people to enrich themselves. Former Queen and her children were held prisoners, until Kunhuta managed to escape. Although she could take her daughters with her, her beloved nad only son stayed in captivity and she never stopped trying to secure his life and position.
Kunhuta fled to Opavský Hradec in Moravia, and there she grew very close to the frontman of Czech nobility - Záviš (Zaavish) of Falkenstein. She also seeked out help of Rufol Habsburg, whom she had despised nad promised to wed her two younger children to his ones, since her eldest daughter has become a nun.
Much has been told about love between Kunhuta and Záviš. They are a legend, much like Guinevere and Lancelot. There had been rumours even during Premysl´s life, but none of them were true. Only after a long time Kunhuta found herself deeply in love with him, while he had loved since the first time they met. Some people say he only used her to gain power, but his devotion was sincere. They even secretly married and she bore him a son.
After her son Václav, now Czech king, returned from capitivity in 1283 (he was 12), he accepted his mother and her new husband and even had them married legally and publicly. Záviš gained a great influence on young Václav, which lasted even after Kunhuta´s untimely death in 1285. She died most probably of tuberculosis and was burried in a monastery of her aunt-in-law Agnes. Her second husband was grief-stricken, and thought hemarried again, he never forgot his beloved Queen, who only for a little while fulfiled his youthful dreams.

Kunhuta Rurikovna


Záviš is courting Kunhuta


Offline Grand Duchess Jennifer

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #155 on: January 25, 2009, 05:02:50 PM »
What intresting history! I wish more people payed attention to this wonderful thread! :)

Do you have a painting of Kunhuta? I would love to see her in colour. (Even if it's not detailed)

So who is the next Queen you're going to write about?





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Offline Ally Kumari

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #156 on: January 25, 2009, 05:47:22 PM »
Thank you! Only now I see those terrible mistakes I made! I´ll be more careful next time.
Unfortunatelly there is no such portrait of Kunhuta, thought my mummy tried to draw her once. It is more fan art, but when I´ll be back home I´ll send it.
Next will be first real Habsburg on Czech throne, Guta, Kunhuta´s daughter-in-law :)

Offline Grand Duchess Jennifer

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #157 on: January 25, 2009, 06:02:42 PM »
I am looking forward to learning about Guta!

That is OK that there is no painting of Kunhuta. I just wanted to see her in colour. Maybe you could colour one of those sketches of her instead.



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Offline Grand Duchess Jennifer

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #158 on: January 25, 2009, 06:11:37 PM »
Also: What terrible mistakes did you make? If you mean spelling, don't worry about it. Everybody makes mistakes with spelling.

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Offline Ally Kumari

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #159 on: January 25, 2009, 06:15:36 PM »
Yes, those silly spelling and grammar mistakes.... I know it´s normal, but still I hate it :)

Offline Greenowl

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #160 on: January 25, 2009, 06:19:20 PM »
Wonderful thread, Grand Duchess Ally! I am really enjoying your descriptions of the Queens of Bohemia.

Many thanks and cheers,
GREENOWL

Offline Grand Duchess Jennifer

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #161 on: January 25, 2009, 06:24:38 PM »
But you are doing all of the spelling VERY well, even though you are really Czech. I've been learning French for almost two years and I still don't understand it much.

We should get back to topic though.

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Offline Greenowl

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #162 on: January 25, 2009, 06:34:31 PM »
Your spelling and grammar are fine Grand Duchess Ally. No need to worry!

Grand Duchess Jennifer, I have often noticed that Czech people are extremely good at English (and other languages), probably because the Czech language is sooooooooooooooooooooo difficult that most other languages appear easy by comparison! (and I am only half joking, as Czech is an almost impossible language for a foreigner to learn...I have been struggling with it for years!!).

Cheers,
GREENOWL

Offline aron

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #163 on: January 26, 2009, 02:32:44 AM »
Hi, thanks for this thread. You write that Kunhata gave Premysl five children. I have Kunhata, Agnes and Václav. Do you have details of the other two children (names, dates)?

Offline Ally Kumari

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Re: Queens of Bohemia
« Reply #164 on: January 26, 2009, 03:01:13 AM »
Hello! Only Kunhuta, Agnes and V8clav are mentioned by the name. It seems that the two other children were probably sons, but both were stilborn. You will hardly find them mentioned in most of the books.

Guta of Habsburg (13th March 1271, Rheinfelden – 18. June 1297, Prague) was first wife of Václav II. and therefore daughter-in-law to Kunhuta, who had fulfiled her promise to king Rudolf so her son married Guta and princess Agnes married Rudolf Jr. Václav and Guta were married in 1279, but their second (real) marriage in 1285, when they were both considered adults. But after their wedding night Rudolf, who wanted to control young Václav, took his daughter away back to Germany, under excuse that he would not leave his daughter on Prague court, where sinners have their own way - with this he meant marriage of Záviš and Kunhuta, which he considered (like many other) illegitimate. Záviš was at the height of his power at that time, which Rudolf also didn´t like. With taking his daughter away he gained an advantage over Václav and could extort Václav, for he could hardly concieve an heir to the throne without his wife.
Only when Václav announced his planned coronation in 1287 (which didn´t take place after all) Rudolf got scared that he could reject Guta and divorce her, so he allowed her to go to Bohemia and her husband. By that time Queen Kunhuta was dead and young Václav sought his young wife out tocomfort him. Václav was a great statesman, but due to the hardship and bad treatment he received as a child he suffered from many phobias (for example he was deathly scared of cats and thunder and although he could read, words didn´t make sense to him unless somebody read them to him). According to historians Guta was pretty girl with fair hair and blue eyes, but also very chubby and later became very fat due to her numerous pregnancies. Unlike encahnting Kunhuta, who took people´s breath away and didn´t really care about other´s oppinion, Guta´s looks and behaviour didn´t agitate anyone and so she gained a reputation of chaste and virtuous lady.
Still under her sweet face lied hidden hatred to Záviš, whom Václav held close to him and trusted him. Under Guta´s growing influence Václav slowly lost his trust into Záviš and in the end he betrayed him - when the nobleman came to invite him to baptism of his newborn son, Václav had him arrested and later executed, although none of the charges raised against him were proved true.
Only in 1297 Václav and Guta were finally crowned. The festivities outbested everything till that time, but 26 years old Queen, who was (again) in confinement, was exhausted. Two weks later she died.
Guta gave Václav at least 9 children during 10 years!
Přemysl Otakar (* 1288) - died when he was six months old
Crown prince Václav (*1289) and Agnes (1289 - † 1292) were twins.
Anna (1290-1313)
Eliška - Elisabeth (1292-1330)
Guta (1293 - 1294)
Jan (1294 - 1295)
Jan (1295 - 1296)
Markéta (1296-1322)
Guta (*† 1297)
You can see that only at the time of death of their father only four of these children were still alive - crown prince and his sisters Anna, Eliška and Markéta. Except for the last one named, they all sat on the Czech throne. Guta would have been proud. Maybe....

Only known portrait of Guta