Wenceslaus II of Bohemia

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Wenceslaus II; detail from the Codex Manesse, ca 1305
Wenceslaus II; detail from the Codex Manesse, ca 1305

Wenceslaus II Premyslid (Czech: Václav II.; Polish: Wacław II Czeski; September 17, 1271June 21, 1305) was King of Bohemia (1278 - 1305), Duke of Cracow (1291 - 1305) and King of Poland (1300 - 1305).

He was the only son of King Ottokar II "the Great" of Bohemia and Ottokar's second wife Kunigunda. Kunigunda was the daughter of Rostislav, lord of Slavonia, son of a Grand Duke of Kiev and Anna of Hungary, daughter of Béla IV of Hungary. Wenceslaus's father died in battle August 26, 1278, shortly before Wenceslaus's seventh birthday.

Wenceslaus II. Drawing by Jan Matejko
Wenceslaus II. Drawing by Jan Matejko

Before Wenceslaus became of age, the government was handled by Otto IV Margrave of Brandenburg, who is said to have held Wenceslaus captive in several locations. Later his mother's secret husband, Záviš of Falkenštejn ruled for him.

On January 24, 1285, Wenceslaus married Judith of Habsburg, daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf I, to whom he had been betrothed since 1276. In 1290 Wenceslaus had Záviš beheaded for alleged treason and began ruling independently.

In 1291 Przemysł II, High Duke of Poland, ceded the sovereign duchy of Krakow to Wenceslaus. Kraków was associated with the overlordship of Poland, but Przemysł held the other duchies and in 1295 was crowned King of Poland. After Przemysł's death in 1296 Wenceslaus became overlord of Poland and in 1300 was crowned King of Poland. He was planning to invade Austria when he died in 1305. He was succeeded by his son, Wenceslaus III (Václav III.), last of the Přemyslid kings in male line.

seal of Wenceslaus II
seal of Wenceslaus II

In 1298 silver was discovered at Hory Kutné (Kutná Hora, Kuttenberg) in Central Bohemia. Wenceslaus took control of the mine by making silver production a royal monopoly, and issued the Prague groschen with became the most popular of the early Groschen-type coins. Kutná Hora was one of the richest European silver strikes ever: between 1300 and 1340, the mine may have produced as much as 20 tons of silver a year.

In 1301, Wenceslaus' kinsman Andrew III of Hungary died and with him the Árpád dynasty in male line. Wenceslaus was one of the relatives who claimed the throne, and he accepted it from a party of Hungarians on behalf of his young son in the same year. They never succeeded in having more than a portion of Hungary submitted under their rule.

Queen Judith had died in 1297. Wenceslaus's second wife was Elisabeth Richeza, daughter of Przemysł II, King of Poland 1295 - 1296. After Wenceslaus's death, she married Rudolph of Habsburg, duke of Austria, who also became king of Bohemia for a brief period in those unruly years.

[edit] Family

He was married twice:

In 1285 in Cheb, he married Judith of Habsburg (1271–1297), daughter of Rudolph I of Germany and his wife Gertrude of Hohenburg. She died shortly after their 10th child was born:

In 1300, he married Elisabeth Richeza (12861335), daughter of Przemysł II. They had one child:

Wenceslaus has also numerous illegitimate children, including Jan Volek (?? - September 27, 1351), bishop of Olomouc

Ottokar I of Bohemia
 
Constance of Hungary
 
Philip of Swabia
 
Irene Angelina
 
Michael of Chernigov
 
Maria Romanovna
 
Béla IV of Hungary
 
Maria Laskarina
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wenceslaus I of Bohemia
 
 
 
 
 
Kunigunde of Hohenstaufen
 
 
 
 
 
Rostislav of Slavonia
 
 
 
 
 
Anna of Hungary
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ottokar II of Bohemia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kunigunda of Slavonia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wenceslaus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Preceded by
Premysl Ottokar II
King of Bohemia
1278-1305
Succeeded by
Wenceslaus III
Preceded by
Przemysl II of Poland
King of Poland
1291-1305
Succeeded by
Wenceslaus III