Fun Fact # 340 The Good Duke
Fun Fact # 340
The Good Duke
In 921 Wenceslas was the 13 year old son of Bohemian Duke Vratislaus who had just assumed power after the death of his father. Yet all was not well as the Magyars were still invading and his step mother Drahomira had her husband and grandmother assassinated and became regent of Bohemia. From here she would ally with the Magyars giving them access to her lands if they would attack her enemies, and kill any Christians they found, even giving them free reign on Christmas day. With this new ally the Magyars would finally invade the lands of Arnulf The Bad, France and at one point go all the way to Spain. The only person they were forbidden from touching was Wenceslas who used his time to organize the Christian churches in secret to support those affected until he turned 18, allied himself with Arnulf and banished his evil stepmother along with her Magyar allies for a time.
In the meantime, Arnulf had convinced the East Frankish King Heinrich the Fowler to invade and force Bohemia to pay tribute, before Arnulf had Wenceslas assassinated in September 935 by his step brother “Boleslaus The Cruel” by running him through with a lance during the Feast of Saints. Podvier (Wenceslas’ loyal Servant) Saw this happen and would start a rebellion killing many of Boleslaus’ coconspirators for which Boleslaus would have him executed. However by then the damage was done and Dramomira returned with a Magyar army and retook Bohemia before warring with Arnulf once again in 937. It was during this time that an aging Arnulf left for Aachen Cathedral to see a new King crowned over the Romans –the first in over 300 years–, before dying in 938. Succeeded by his son Eberhard his family’s grip on power would soon disappear as Otto deposed and banished Eberhard for assisting in the death of Wenceslaus.
Apologies for the long format Fun Fact as I attempted to consolidate Wencelas’s impact into one fun fact. Thanks for reading and please have a wonderful day!.
