Gertrude of Babenberg, Duchess of Bohemia

Gertrude of Babenberg (c. 1118 – 8 April 1150) was the first wife of Vladislaus II of Bohemia and the Duchess of Bohemia. She was the daughter of count Leopold III, Margrave of Austria and his wife Agnes of Germany.

Gertrude married Duke of Bohemia in 1140. Through her mother, she was half-sister of Conrad III of Germany, so she was a good catch for Vladislaus. In the time of siege of Prague by Conrad II of Znojmo (1142) she successfully defended Prague Castle, with the help of her brother-in-law Děpolt, while Vladislaus asked Conrad III of Germany for support.

She took share in Vladislaus founding activity and thanks to her the duke invited lands new religious orders to Bohemia. She gave birth to four children and died in 1150, at the age of 30.

Issue

• Frederick, Duke of Bohemia
• Svatopluk, married a daughter of Géza II of Hungary
• Vojtech, archbishop of Salzburg as Adalbert III
• Agnes (died 7 June 1228), abbess of St George of Prague

Literature

• ŽEMLIČKA, J. Čechy v době knížecí 1034–1198. Praha: NLN, 2002. 660 p. ISBN 80-7106-196-4.