Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia

Who was Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia?

Vratislaus I, a scion of the Czech Přemyslid dynasty, was Duke of Bohemia from 915 until his death.

He was a son of Duke Bořivoj I of Bohemia by his wife Ludmila and the younger brother of Duke Spytihněv I.

By his wife Drahomíra, a Hevellian princess, Vratislaus had at least two sons, Wenceslaus and Boleslaus, both of whom succeeded him as Bohemian dukes. Střezislava, the wife of the Bohemian nobleman Slavník, founder of the Slavník dynasty, is also held to be a daughter of Vratislaus by some historians.

Upon the death of his elder brother Spytihněv in 915, Vratislaus became Bohemian duke at a time when his duchy had already distanced itself from the political and cultural influence of Great Moravia and fallen under East Frankish, especially Bavarian influence. The Annales Fuldenses report that in the year 900 the Bavarians had attacked Moravia in alliance with the Bohemians. On the other hand, Vratislaus supported the Magyars in their 915 campaign against the Duchy of Saxony under Duke Henry the Fowler.

Vratislaus is credited with the establishment of St. George's Basilica at Prague Castle and also with the foundation of the Silesian city of Wrocław. He died in battle against the Magyars, possibly in 919, although 921 is more often conjectured.