[January 14] Vratislaus II, king of Bohemia

Parents: Bretislaus I, duke of Bohemia, and Judith of Schweinfurt

Date of Birth: Before 1055

Royal House: Přemyslid

Spouse: Maria N., then Adelaide of Hungary, then Świętosława of Poland

Reign: 1061 – 1092
Predecessor: Spytihnev II, duke of Bohemia

Summary: Vratislaus came into his own as a duke of Olomouc, a city within modern-day Czechia. When his elder brother died, he became duke of Bohemia and quickly allied with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV during the Investiture Controversy. War in Germany, especially between Saxony and Bavaria, resulted in Bohemia allying with Bavaria. Poland invaded Bohemia in this time, but Henry IV came in and helped Vratislaus retain his position. Soon after, Vratislaus was with Henry invading Italy and Rome itself in Henry's efforts to assert his authority over the Catholic Church. For this he was rewarded the title of king, though the title was not made hereditary and would not be for another 130 years.


Loyalty to the church and a cooling of relations with Henry ended the alliance of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. Dynastic warfare then took over in Bohemia between his brother, Conrad, and his son, Bretislaus. In the end, Vratislaus decided to side with his brother in the conflict and defeated his son. When Vratislaus died of a hunting wound in 1092, Conrad took over. Bretislaus succeeded less than a year later. Vratislaus' other three sons, Borivoj, Vladislaus, and Sobeslav, all succeeded in order in the subsequent years.

Date of Death: 14 January 1092

Successor: Conrad I, duke of Bohemia

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Ladislaus II, king of Bohemia (1163)
• Andrew III, king of Hungary (1301)
• Tokugawa Mitsukuni, daimyo of Mito (1701)
• Frederick IX, king of Denmark (1972)