Nicholas I of Bohemia (c. 1255 – 25 July 1318) was the natural son of Bohemian

Kingdom of Bohemia

The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...

 king Ottokar II Přemysl

Ottokar II of Bohemia

Ottokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....

 and his mistress Agnes of Kuenring

Agnes of Kuenring

Agnes of Kuenring , was an Austrian noblewoman, courtierwoman of Queen Margaret of Austria and mistress of her husband, King Ottokar II of Bohemia. She was the first historically documented mistress of a Bohemian sovereign.-Life:...

. In 1269 he became Duke of Troppau

Duchy of Troppau

The Principality or Duchy of Troppau or Opava was based for centuries around the Upper Silesian city of Troppau . In the final four centuries of its existence, the Duchy belonged to the Austrian Habsburg dynasty, and it was dissolved with the Habsburg Empire in 1918...

 (at modern day Opava

Opava

Opava is a city in the northern Czech Republic on the river Opava, located to the north-west of Ostrava. The historical capital of Czech Silesia, Opava is now in the Moravian-Silesian Region and has a population of 59,843 as of January 1, 2005....

, Czech Republic) and thereby the progenitor of the Silesia

Silesia

Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...

n cadet branch of the Přemyslid dynasty

Premyslid dynasty

The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...

 that lasted until 1521.

He was legitimated by his father with the consent of Pope Urban IV

Pope Urban IV

Pope Urban IV , born Jacques Pantaléon, was Pope, from 1261 to 1264. He was not a cardinal, and there have been several Popes since him who have not been Cardinals, including Urban V and Urban VI.-Biography:...

 and raised at the Prague

Prague

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

 court. As his half-brother Wenceslaus II was designated to succeed his father on the Bohemian throne, Nicholas in compensation received Troppau, then a part of the Moravian march

March of Moravia

The March or Margraviate of Moravia, was a marcher state, sometimes de facto independent and varyingly within the power of the Duchy, later Kingdom of Bohemia...

. He supported his father in the 1278 Battle on the Marchfeld, was captured by Hungarian

Kingdom of Hungary

The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...

 forces, but regained his duchy from the victorious German king Rudolph of Habsburg

Rudolph I of Germany

Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...

. His rule was however challenged by Ottokar's widow Kunigunda Rostislavna

Kunigunda of Slavonia

Kunigunda Rostislavna was Queen consort of Bohemia and its Regent from 1278 until her death. She was a member of the House of Chernigov, and a daughter of the ruler of Slavonia....

, who had retired to Hradec nad Moravicí

Hradec nad Moravicí

Hradec nad Moravicí is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic located about 8 km south of Opava. It has cca 5,150 inhabitants. The town is dominated by a castle complex....

.

In 1283 Nicholas married King Rudolph's niece Adelheid

Adelheid (d. 1313)

Adelaide of Habsburg was niece of emperor Rudolph I of Germany, but her parentage is uncertain.In 1283 she married Nicholas I, Duke of Troppau. This marriage was consecrated on 8 February 1285. They had three sons:...

. They had three sons:

• Nicholas II, Duke of Troppau
• Wenceslaus I of Opava
• Johann (died 1325).

Nicholas retained the Duchy of Troppau after the last Přemyslid ruler of Bohemia, King Wenceslaus III

Wenceslaus III of Bohemia

Wenceslaus III Premyslid was the King of Hungary , King of Bohemia and the king of Poland ....

 was killed in 1306. The Bohemian Crown

Crown of Saint Wenceslas

Crown of Saint Wenceslas is the part of Bohemian crown jewels made in 1347. The eleventh king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV had it made for his coronation and forthwith he dedicated it to the first patron saint of the country St...

 however passed to Duke Henry of Carinthia and Nicholas had to accept the pledge of his duchy in favour of the Silesian Piast

Silesian Piasts

The Silesian Piasts were the oldest line of the Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile, son of Bolesław III Wrymouth, Duke of Poland...

 duke Bolesław III the Generous of Legnica

Duchy of Legnica

The Duchy of Legnica or Duchy of Liegnitz was one of the Duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Legnica in Lower Silesia....

, the husband of King Wenceslaus' III sister Margaret. King Henry's successor John of Luxembourg however redeemed the pawn and in 1318 re-installed Nicholas's son Nicholas II as duke.