Rudolph I of Bohemia
Encyclopedia
Rudolf I of Habsburg was Duke of Austria
and Styria
(as Rudolph III) from 1298 and King of Bohemia
and titular King of Poland from 1306 until his death. He was the eldest son of German king Albert I of Habsburg
and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol.
Upon the election of his father as King of the Romans
, Rudolph was vested as a co-ruler with the Austrian and Styrian hereditary lands of the Habsburg dynasty. On May 25, 1300, King Albert I arranged his marriage with Blanche
, daughter of King Philip III of France
by his second wife Marie of Brabant. The intended union with the French House of Capet
however failed as the couple's son and daughter died young and Blanche herself died in 1305.
Another opportunity for a Habsburg gain in power opened when in 1306 the last Bohemian ruler of the Přemyslid dynasty
, King Wenceslaus III
was killed and Albert I as rex Romanorum was able to seize Bohemia as a reverted Imperial
fief. Rudolph was presented as a claimant to the Bohemian throne, however contested by his uncle Henry of Gorizia-Tyrol, Duke of Carinthia
and husband of Wenceslaus' sister Anne. To further legitimate the Habsburg claims to the Bohemian and the Polish throne, Albert had Rudolph married to Elisabeth Richeza of Poland
from the Piast dynasty
, widow of the predeceased King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia. In 1306 he occupied Prague
and expelled Henry of Carinthia to place his son on the Bohemian throne.
Mocked as král kaše ("king porridge"), Rudolph was rejected by several Bohemian nobles, who continued to hold out for Henry. The king besieged the rebel fortress of Horažďovice
in Bohemia
, but fell ill of dysentery
and died there in 1307, leaving no children. The first grab of the Habsburgs for the Crown of Saint Wenceslas
failed, as the nobles restored Henry as king in return for a charter of privileges, who in turn had to renounce the throne in favour of Count John of Luxembourg three years later. Instead Rudolph's enfeoffment intensified the inner Habsburg inheritance conflict, culminating in the assassination of King Albert I by his nephew John Parricida
in 1308.
Rudolph is buried at the St. Vitus Cathedral
in Prague.
Archduchy of Austria
The Archduchy of Austria , one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the nucleus of the Habsburg Monarchy and the predecessor of the Austrian Empire...
and Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
(as Rudolph III) from 1298 and King of Bohemia
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...
and titular King of Poland from 1306 until his death. He was the eldest son of German king Albert I of Habsburg
Albert I of Germany
Albert I of Habsburg was King of the Romans and Duke of Austria, the eldest son of German King Rudolph I of Habsburg and his first wife Gertrude of Hohenburg.-Life:...
and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol.
Upon the election of his father as King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
, Rudolph was vested as a co-ruler with the Austrian and Styrian hereditary lands of the Habsburg dynasty. On May 25, 1300, King Albert I arranged his marriage with Blanche
Blanche of France (1282–1305)
Blanche of France was consort to Rudolph I of Habsburg, Duke of Austria and Styria and son of King Albert I of Germany.-Family:...
, daughter of King Philip III of France
Philip III of France
Philip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:...
by his second wife Marie of Brabant. The intended union with the French House of Capet
House of Capet
The House of Capet, or The Direct Capetian Dynasty, , also called The House of France , or simply the Capets, which ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328, was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians. As rulers of France, the dynasty...
however failed as the couple's son and daughter died young and Blanche herself died in 1305.
Another opportunity for a Habsburg gain in power opened when in 1306 the last Bohemian ruler 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:...
, 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 and Albert I as rex Romanorum was able to seize Bohemia as a reverted Imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
fief. Rudolph was presented as a claimant to the Bohemian throne, however contested by his uncle Henry of Gorizia-Tyrol, Duke of Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
and husband of Wenceslaus' sister Anne. To further legitimate the Habsburg claims to the Bohemian and the Polish throne, Albert had Rudolph married to Elisabeth Richeza of Poland
Elisabeth Richeza of Poland
Elisabeth Richenza of Poland was a daughter and the only surviving child of Przemysl II of Poland and his second wife Richenza of Sweden, herself a daughter of Valdemar I of Sweden and Sofia of Denmark.Her name at birth was Richeza; she adopted the name Elisabeth after her first marriage...
from the Piast dynasty
Piast dynasty
The Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
, widow of the predeceased King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia. In 1306 he occupied 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...
and expelled Henry of Carinthia to place his son on the Bohemian throne.
Mocked as král kaše ("king porridge"), Rudolph was rejected by several Bohemian nobles, who continued to hold out for Henry. The king besieged the rebel fortress of Horažďovice
Horaždovice
Horažďovice is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Otava River, some to the South-West from the region capital of Plzeň....
in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, but fell ill of dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
and died there in 1307, leaving no children. The first grab of the Habsburgs for the Crown of Saint Wenceslas
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...
failed, as the nobles restored Henry as king in return for a charter of privileges, who in turn had to renounce the throne in favour of Count John of Luxembourg three years later. Instead Rudolph's enfeoffment intensified the inner Habsburg inheritance conflict, culminating in the assassination of King Albert I by his nephew John Parricida
John Parricida
John Parricida, or John the Parricide or Johann Parricida , also called John of Swabia from the House of Habsburg was a son of Rudolf II, former Duke of Austria and Agnes, daughter of King Ottokar II Přemysl of Bohemia...
in 1308.
Rudolph is buried at the St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral
Saint Vitus' Cathedral is as a Roman Catholic cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. The full name of the cathedral is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral...
in Prague.