Slavník's dynasty

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The Slavníks church foundation (Libice, Bohemia)

St. Adalbert (Vojtěch) and his brother Gaudentius (Radim) monument in Libice (Czechia)

Slavník's dynasty (Czech: Slavníkovci, Polish: Sławnikowice) was a powerful dynasty in Bohemia during the 10th century. It governed Zličané [zlitʃˈɑ:nɛ:] - one of the oldest Czech peoples. The center of the princedom was the town of Libice located at the confluence of the rivers Cidlina and Elbe (Labe). The Slavníks competed with the Přemyslids for control over Bohemia and eventually succumbed them.

The founder of the dynasty was prince Slavník (? - 981) who lent his name to the whole family. He had consanguinity with the Saxon kings. His wife was Střezislava, allegedly from the Přemyslid house - a woman of remarkable beauty. Slavnik had seven sons, among whom two - Vojtěch (Adalbert) and the illegitimate Radim (Gaudentius) - later became saints. According to Cosmas' Chronicle, Slavník was a happy man all his lifetime.

Slavník's dynasty was supposedly related to the Babenbergs, the Přemyslid dynasty, and was friendly with the Polish kings.

Slavník's heir was his son Soběbor who rushed to consolidate the princedom's independence. For instance, he began to coin money in Libice in spite of the primacy of Prague, 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. Executors of the slaughter were Vršovci - one of the powerful Czech clans. Only three family members survived because they were not present in Libice at that time: Soběbor, Radim (Gaudentius), the later archbishop of Gnezdno, and Saint Adalbert, who damned the Vršovci in a church for their cruelty.

In 996, when Strachkvas Přemyslid was going to assume a bishop office in Prague, he suddenly died during the ceremony itself. Some historians suggest that Strahkvas could have been poisoned by Slavnik 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 (Slavník) body from Prussians who murdered him, so it was purchased by Boleslaus I the Brave, king of Poland. Saint Adalbert's relics remain in Gnezdno (Poland).

[edit] Family members

Possible

• Witizla
• Vok
• Radslav the Zlican

Certain

• Slavnik
• Strezislava
• Soběbor
• Saint Adalbert of Prague (Vojtěch)
• Radzim Gaudenty
• Pobraslav
• Porej
• Caslav
• Spytimir
• Radla - a priest or a monk, the teacher of Adalbert

[edit] References

• Cosmas of Prague. Chronica Boëmorum.
• R. Тurеk. Slavnikova Libice. Praha, 1947.
• R. Тurеk. Die fruhmittelalterlichen Stammegebiete in Bohmen. Praha, 1957, S. 23—25, 184—191.
• Hásková, J. 1995: Slavníkovci ve výpovědi svých mincí, Archeologické rozhledy XLVII, 225-230.
• Lutovský, M. 1995: Několik poznámek k problematice slavníkovské domény, Archeologické rozhledy XLVII, 239-245.
• Lutovský, M. - Petráň, M. 2004: Slavníkovci, mýtus českého dějepisectví. Praha.
• Sláma, J.1995: Slavníkovci–významná či okrajová záležitost českých dějin 10. století. Archeologické rozhledy XLVII, 182–224.
• Třeštík, D. 1997: Počátky Přemyslovců. Praha.
• (Red.)Třeštík, D. - Žemlička, J. 1998: Svatý Vojtěch, Čechové a Evropa. Praha.
• Josef Teige: "Blätter aus der altböhmischen Genealogie. Slavnikiden /Die Vrsovcen /Die Herren von Lichtenburg". Damböck, 2005.