Vratislav II of Bohemia
| Vratislaus II of Bohemia | |
|---|---|
| Duke and King of Bohemia | |
 |
|
| Reign | 1061–1092 |
| Coronation | 1085, Prague |
| Predecessor | Spytihněv II of Bohemia |
| Successor | Conrad I of Bohemia |
| Born | ? Bohemia |
| Died | 14 January 1092 Bohemia |
| Burial | Vyšehrad |
| Wives | |
| Issue |
Bretislaus II of Bohemia |
| House | Přemyslid dynasty |
| Father | Bretislaus I of Bohemia |
| Mother | Judith of Schweinfurt |
Bretislaus II of Bohemia
Borivoj II of Bohemia
Vladislaus I of Bohemia
Vratislaus (or Wratislaus) II (Czech: Vratislav II.) (d. 14 January 1092), the son of Bretislaus I and Judith of Schweinfurt, was the first King of Bohemia as of 15 June 1085, his royal title granted as a lifetime honorific from Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV that did not establish a hereditary monarchy. Before his elevation to the royal dignity, Vratislaus had ruled Bohemia as duke since 1061.
On his father's death in 1055, Vratislaus became duke of Olomouc, whereas his older brother became Duke of Bohemia as Spytihněv II. He fell out with his brother and was exiled to Hungary. Vratislaus regained the ducal throne of Olomouc with Hungarian assistance and eventually reconciled with his brother, then succeeded him as duke of Bohemia when he died in 1061.
Vratislaus was an ally of the Emperor Henry IV. He supported Henry in both the Investiture Controversy against the popes and the rebellions in Saxony that dominated his long reign. Pope Gregory VII, having already gained the support of Bolesław II of Poland, was keen on gaining the support of the duke of Bohemia to surround the emperor with adversaries fighting for the church. The pope confirmed Vratislaus in the privilege of wearing the mitre and tunic which his predecessors had. The pope also expressed gratitude for the regular payment of tribute to the Holy See.
Vratislaus was often at odds with his brother Jaromír, the bishop of Prague, and he wore his religious vestments around the bishop to irritate him. Jaromír, for his part, ignored the creation of a new Moravian diocese by Vratislaus in 1063. Jaromir even went so far as to take by arms the relics removed from Prague to Moravia. Despite the pope's support for Vratislaus' new see, the Bohemian duke was unswayed in his loyalty to the emperor.
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