Leo of Rozmital
| Zdeněk Lev of Rožmitál | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1470 |
| Died | 14 July 1535 |
| Noble family | Lords of Rosental |
| Spouse(s) | Kateřina Svihovská of Rýzmberk |
| Father | Jaroslav Lev of Rožmitál |
Zdeněk Lev of Rožmitál (Czech: Zdeněk Lev z Rožmitálu, German: Zdeniek Lev von Rosental; c. 1470 – 14 July 1535) was a Bohemian nobleman. He belonged to the estate of the Lords (páni), the highest rank of the Bohemian titled nobility, and held the offices of High Judge and High Burgrave of Prague. He was a member of the aristocratic Lev of Rosental family and was one of the most influential noblemen in the country during the reign of Kings Vladislaus II and Louis II.
His father, Jaroslav Lev of Rožmitál, was a brother-in-law of King George of Poděbrady.
Zdeněk belonged to the Catholic party in the Czech peerage. When he was 26 years old, he took part in public negotiations with the Hungarian king. From 1498 to 1504 he was a viscount of Karlštejn. In 1504, he was appointed the High Court Judge of the Kingdom of Bohemia and 1507 he was finally appointed as High Burgrave of Prague.
In this position, Zdeněk administered Bohemia, as King Vladislaus II spent most of his time in Hungary. He primarily represented the interests of the Catholic peers. His aim was to expend their rights and privileges, at the expense of the rest of the nobility. His opponents accused him of deceit, injustice and cruelty. As administrator of the royal domain, he was also accused of avarice. However, historians have described him as a righteous man, who primarily demanded that his officers do their duty.
In 1519, he was accused of embezzling state funds, and criminal proceedings were started. In 1523, he was forced to resign from his post as High Burgrave. However, his successor lasted for only two years, and in 1525 he was re-appointed and some of his friends were also elevated to high office. In the meantime, the number of his Catholic enemies grew; in particular the House of Rosenberg turned against him, due to a dispute over the inheritance of Český Krumlov.
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