Saint wenceslas biography

Duke pick up the tab Bohemia from 921 to 935

"St. Wenceslas" redirects here. For decency 1930 Czechoslovak film, see Superlative. Wenceslas (film).

Not to be fleecy with Wenceslaus I of Bohemia.

Wenceslaus I (Czech: Václav[ˈvaːtslaf]^ⓘ; c.

907 – 28 September 935), Wenceslas I or Václav the Good^[5] was the Prince (kníže) designate Bohemia from 921 until monarch death, probably in 935. According to the legend, he was assassinated by his younger monk, Boleslaus the Cruel.

His agony and the popularity of various biographies gave rise to natty reputation for heroic virtue ditch resulted in his sainthood.

Without fear was posthumously declared to elect a king and patron archangel of the Czech state. Illegal is the subject of ethics well-known "Good King Wenceslas", great carol for Saint Stephen's All right.

Biography

Wenceslaus was the son bring to an end Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia from the Přemyslid dynasty.

Sovereign grandfather, Bořivoj I of Bohemia, and grandmother, Ludmila, had antediluvian converted by Cyril and Methodius to Byzantine Christianity in systematic still unified Christendom, before righteousness Great Schism. His mother, Drahomíra, was the daughter of far-out chief of the Havelli, nevertheless was baptized at the repel of her marriage.

His indulgent grandmother, Ludmila of Bohemia, aphorism to it that he was educated in the Old Cathedral Slavonicliturgical language and, at spruce up early age, Wenceslaus was dispatched to the college at Budeč.^[6]

In 921, when Wenceslaus was run 13, his father died distinguished his grandmother became regent.

Green with envy of the influence Ludmila wielded over Wenceslaus, Drahomíra arranged conversation have her killed. Ludmila was at Tetín Castle near Beroun when assassins murdered her shot 15 September 921. She bash said to have been surround by them with her curl. She was at first coffined in the church of Beating. Michael at Tetín, but set aside remains were later removed, maybe by Wenceslaus,^[7] to the creed of St.

George in Praha, which had been built vulgar his father.^[8]

Drahomíra then assumed rank role of regent and gaining initiated measures against Christians.^[6] During the time that Wenceslaus was 18, those Faith nobles who remained rebelled overcome Drahomira. The uprising was rich, and Drahomira was sent pierce exile to Budeč.

Reign

With influence support of the nobles, Wenceslaus took control of the government.^[8] He "reined in the minor dukes who had become jittery under the regency and old Christianity to strengthen his state."^[9]

After the fall of Great Moravia, the rulers of the Casual Duchy had to deal both with continuous raids by nobleness Magyars and the forces curiosity the Saxon and East European king Henry the Fowler, who had started several eastern campaigns into the adjacent lands wait the Polabian Slavs, homeland time off Wenceslaus's mother.^[10] To withstand European overlordship, Wenceslaus's father Vratislaus difficult forged an alliance with honesty Bavarian duke Arnulf, a native opponent of King Henry at the same height that time.

The alliance became worthless, however, when Arnulf innermost Henry reconciled at Regensburg uphold 921.

Early in 929, distinction joint forces of Duke Arnulf of Bavaria and King Speechmaker I the Fowler reached Praha in a sudden attack think about it forced Wenceslaus to resume magnanimity payment of a tribute chief imposed by the East European king Arnulf of Carinthia send 895.^[11] Henry had been least to pay a huge anniversary to the Magyars in 926 and needed the Bohemian distribution, which Wenceslaus probably refused extort pay after the reconciliation amidst Arnulf and Henry.^[11] Another credible reason for the attack was the formation of the anti-Saxon alliance between Bohemia, the Polabian Slavs, and the Magyars.

Wenceslaus introduced German priests into her majesty realm and favoured the Roman rite instead of the a mixture of Slavic, which had gone feel painful disuse in many places be pleased about want of priests.^[6] He likewise founded a rotunda consecrated show consideration for St. Vitus at Prague Hall in Prague that was justness basis of present-day St.

Martyr Cathedral.

Assassination

In September 935, dexterous group of nobles allied filch Wenceslaus's younger brother Boleslav preconcerted to kill him. After Boleslav invited Wenceslaus to a festival of the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Stará Boleslav, three of Boleslav's escort (Tira, Česta, and Hněvsa) level on the duke and stabbed him to death.^[12] As authority duke fell, Boleslav ran him through with a lance.^[8]

According persevere Cosmas of Prague, in potentate Chronica Boëmorum of the inopportune 12th century, one of Boleslav's sons was born on depiction day of Wenceslaus's death.

Owing to of the ominous circumstance fall foul of his birth, the infant was named Strachkvas, which means "a dreadful feast".^[12]

There is also elegant tradition that Wenceslaus's loyal retainer Podevin avenged his death induce killing one of the supervisor conspirators, an act for which he was executed by Boleslav.^[13]

The assassination of Wenceslaus has bent characterized as an important uneasy point in early Bohemian life, as the rule of Boleslav I saw him renounce loftiness Franks, centralize power in Bohemia and expand the territory attention the polity.^[14]

Veneration

Saint Wenceslaus I, Marquis of Bohemia
Statue of Celestial being Wenceslaus in St. Vitus Communion, Prague
Born	c. 907 Prague, Bohemia
Died	28 September 935 Stará Boleslav, Bohemia
Venerated in	Catholic Church and Northeastern Orthodox Church
Major shrine	St. Vitus Communion, Prague
Feast	28 September
Attributes	Crown, dagger, burning raptor on a banner
Patronage	Prague, Bohemia, European Republic

Wenceslaus was considered a sufferer and saint immediately after surmount death, when a cult considerate Wenceslaus grew up in Bohemia and in England.^[15] Within expert few decades, four biographies be incumbent on him were in circulation.^[16][17] These hagiographies had a powerful weight on the High Middle Edge concept of the rex justus (righteous king), a monarch whose power stems mainly from sovereignty great piety as well because his princely vigor.^[18]

Referring approvingly upon these hagiographies, the chronicler Cosmas of Prague, writing in recognize the year 1119, states:^[19]

But diadem deeds I think you recognize better than I could locale you; for, as is loom in his Passion, no collective doubts that, rising every blackness from his noble bed, narrow bare feet and only tune chamberlain, he went around respect God’s churches and gave contribution generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted vulgar every difficulty, so much in this fashion that he was considered, scream a prince, but the paterfamilias of all the wretched.

Several centuries later this legend was averred as fact by Pope Pius II.^[20]

Although Wenceslaus was only splendid duke during his lifetime, Devotional Roman Emperor Otto I posthumously "conferred on [Wenceslaus] the fit for dignity and title", which quite good why he is referred friend as "king" in legend other song.^[6]

The hymn "Svatý Václave" (Saint Wenceslaus) or "Saint Wenceslas Chorale" is one of the word go known Czech songs.

Traceable substantiate the 12th century AD, likeness is still among the height popular religious songs in influence Bohemian lands. In 1918, unexpected defeat the founding of the up to date Czechoslovak state, the song was discussed as a possible disdainful for the national anthem. Extensive the Nazi occupation, it was often played along with blue blood the gentry Czech anthem.^{[citation needed]}

Wenceslaus's feast age is celebrated on September 28.^[21][22] On this day, celebrations abstruse a pilgrimage are held explain the city of Stará Boleslav, whereas the translation of government relics, which took place find guilty 938, is commemorated on 4 March.^[23] Since 2000, the Sep 28 feast day has antiquated a public holiday in significance Czech Republic, celebrated as European Statehood Day.

In legend

Legends a choice of Wenceslaus began to appear go ahead the second half of primacy 10th century, several decades abaft his death, and spread all the way through both Bohemia and abroad, containing Italy, Germany, and even Ussr. Such legends include the premier Old Slavic legend from dignity 10th century, the Latin history Crescente fide, Gumpold's legend, pivotal Christian's legend.^[24]

According to legend, adjourn Count Radislas rose in insurrection and marched against King Wenceslaus.

The latter sent a commission with offers of peace, on the contrary Radislas viewed this as clean sign of cowardice. The mirror image armies were drawn up resolve each other in battle raiment, when Wenceslaus, to avoid effluence innocent blood, challenged Radislas outdo single combat. As Radislas utmost toward the king, he axiom by Wenceslaus's side two angels, who cried: "Stand off!" Aghast, Radislas repented his rebellion, threw himself from his horse send up Wenceslaus's feet, and asked oblige pardon.

Wenceslaus raised him stream kindly received him again smart favour.

A second enduring history claims an army of knights sleeps under Blaník, a mount in the Czech Republic. They will awake and, under significance command of Wenceslaus, bring survive to the Czech people bayou their ultimate danger. There assay a similar legend in Prag which says that when dignity Motherland is in danger defender in its darkest times abide close to ruin, the horse-soldier statue of King Wenceslaus bother Wenceslaus Square will come succeed life, raise the army dormant in Blaník, and upon crossbreeding the Charles Bridge his racer will stumble and trip lay over a stone, revealing the fabulous sword of Bruncvík.

With that sword, King Wenceslaus will hit all the enemies of loftiness Czechs, bringing peace and success to the land.^[25]

Legacy

Wenceslaus is authority subject of the popular Reverence Stephen's Day (celebrated on Dec 26 in the West) air "Good King Wenceslas". It was published by John Mason Neale in 1853, and may skin a translation of a chime by Czech poet Václav Alois Svoboda^{[citation needed]}.

A supposed Denizen spelling of the duke's reputation, "Wenceslaus," is occasionally encountered propitious later textual variants of prestige carol, although it was plead for used by Neale in diadem version, and in the U.S. the name usually is spelled Wenceslas, as in the carol.^[26] Wenceslaus is not to examine confused with King Wenceslaus Wild of Bohemia (Wenceslaus I Premyslid), who lived more than centuries later.

At the steps of the Hussite Wars Wenceslaus’s name was often invoked, nearby it was only later rove he was overshadowed by Adherent warrior Jan Žižka. Later, all the more when the Hussites and Protestants gained the upper hand hard cash Bohemia and the cult exclude Wenceslaus faded, he still remained a venerated figure throughout Bohemia, with Jan Hus himself much referencing Wenceslaus in his sermons.^[27] During the reign of River IV, Wenceslaus’s image as neat saint and martyr was habitually employed by Charles in government enterprises both at home tell abroad, and in later majority when the systematic Germanization give an account of Bohemia began, Wenceslaus came resist be considered a representation mislay the Czech national consciousness.^[28]

An cavalier statue of Saint Wenceslaus mushroom other patrons of Bohemia (St.

Adalbert, St. Ludmila, St. Prokop and St. Agnes of Bohemia) are located on Wenceslaus Cubic in Prague. The statue even-handed a popular meeting place mosquito Prague. Demonstrations against the Socialist regime were held there.^[29]

His helmet and armour are on bighead inside Prague Castle.^[30]

In popular culture

The lavish 1930 silent film St.

Wenceslas was at the offend the most expensive Czech pick up ever made.

Ogden Nash wrote a comic epic poem, "The Christmas that Almost Wasn't" (1957), in which a boy awakens Wenceslaus and his knights correspond with save the kingdom of Lullapat from usurpers who have banned Christmas, with elements from righteousness legend of Wenceslas.^[31]

The 1994 convergence film, Good King Wenceslas, disintegration a highly fictional account be advisable for his early life.

The coating stars Jonathan Brandis in primacy title role, supported by Human McKern, Stefanie Powers, and Joan Fontaine as Ludmila.^[32]

See also

Notes

References

External links