Vladislaus III, Duke of Bohemia

Vladislaus III
Seal of Margrave Vladislaus Henry
Duke of Bohemia
Reign	1197
Predecessor	Bretislaus III
Successor	Ottokar I
Born	c. 1160
Died	12 August 1222(1222-08-12) (aged 61–62) Znojmo, Moravia
Burial	Velehrad Abbey
Spouse	Heilwida
House	Přemyslid dynasty
Father	Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia
Mother	Judith of Thuringia
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Vladislaus Henry (Czech: Vladislav Jindřich; c. 1160 – 12 August 1222), a member of the Přemyslid dynasty, was elected Duke of Bohemia (as "Vladislaus III") in 1197 and Margrave of Moravia from 1197 until his death. He only served as duke during the year 1197 and was indeed the last ruler of Bohemia to hold that title. It was his brother Ottokar I, whose forces overthrew him, who finally achieved the elevation of the Duchy of Bohemia to the status of a kingdom starting in 1198.

Vladislaus Henry was the second son of Duke Vladislaus II from his second marriage with Judith of Thuringia, thereby the younger brother of Ottokar I. He grew up during a frivolous time, for the complex personal relationship his father had with the emperor, Frederik Barbarossa, was leading to a tragic termination. During the late 12th century struggles within the Přemyslid dynasty, he supported his older brother Ottokar when he seized the Bohemian duchy in 1192. In turn, Ottokar appointed Vladislaus, Prince of Brno and Znojmo since 1191, a Margrave of Moravia with the consent of Emperor Henry VI. However, the two never paid the demanded sum and so were again deposed in June 1193 by a decision of the Imperial Diet at Worms, which appointed their cousin, the Prague bishop Henry Bretislaus, as duke. Vladislaus was summoned to Prague Castle, where he had to spend the following years suspiciously eyed by Duke Bretislaus.