Bořivoj I, Duke of Bohemia

Who was Bořivoj I, Duke of Bohemia?

Bořivoj I was the first historically documented Duke of Bohemia and founder of the Přemyslid dynasty.

As the head of the Přemyslids who dominated the environs of present-day Prague, Bořivoj declared himself kníže - in Latin dux, which means sovereign prince - around the year 870 A.D. His title was later translated by German scholars as "duke" of the Bohemians. Although the German dukes of the era held the same title, the meaning of his title was in fact completely different. In contrast to the German dukes, the Czech dux denoted a sovereign ruler. Bořivoj was recognised as such around 872 by his overlord Svatopluk I of Great Moravia, who dispatched Bishop Methodius to begin the conversion of the Bohemian Slavs to Christianity. Bořivoj and his wife Ludmila were baptised by Methodius, and the latter became an enthusiastic evangelist, although the religion failed to take root among Bořivoj's subjects.

In the years 883/884 Bořivoj was deposed by a revolt in support of his kinsman Strojmír. He was restored in 885 only with the support of his suzerain Svatopluk of Moravia. When Bořivoj died about 4 years later, his sons still minors, Svatopluk took over the rule of Bohemia himself.