Duchy of Bohemia

Duchy of Bohemia
České knížectví (Czech) Ducatus Bohemiæ (Latin) Herzogtum Böhmen (German)
Imperial State of the Holy Roman Empire (from 1002)
c. 870–1198
Coat of arms of the Přemyslid dynasty
Bohemian lands in the Holy Roman Empire, 11th century
Capital		Prague
Languages		Old West Slavic
Government		Principality
Duke
•	ca 875–888/9	Bořivoj I (first duke)
•	1192–93, 1197–98	Ottokar I (last duke, king to 1230)
History
•	Duchy established	c. 870
•	Bořivoj I moved seat to Prague Castle	875
•	State of the Holy Roman Empire	1002
•	Raised to kingdom	1198
•	Confirmed by Golden Bull of Sicily	1212
Preceded by Succeeded by Bohemians (tribe) Great Moravia Kingdom of Bohemia Margraviate of Moravia

Coat of arms of the
Přemyslid dynasty

The Duchy of Bohemia, also referred to as the Czech Duchy, (Czech: České knížectví) was a monarchy and a principality in Central Europe during the Early and High Middle Ages. It was formed around 870 by Czechs as part of the Great Moravian realm. The Bohemian lands separated from disintegrating Moravia after Duke Spytihněv swore fidelity to the East Frankish king Arnulf in 895.

While the Bohemian dukes of the Přemyslid dynasty, at first ruling at Prague Castle and Levý Hradec, brought further estates under their control, the Christianization initiated by Saints Cyril and Methodius was continued by the Frankish bishops of Regensburg and Passau. In 973 the Diocese of Prague was founded through the joint efforts of Duke Boleslaus II and Emperor Otto I. Late Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia, killed by his younger brother Boleslaus in 935, became the land's patron saint.