Victor of Poděbrady
Encyclopedia
Victor, Duke of Münsterberg (also: Victor, Duke of Münsterberg and Opava; ; (29 May 1443 in Cieszyn
– 30 August 1500 in Cieszyn
) was an Imperial Count
from 1459 and Count of Kladsko
. From 1462 until his death, he was Duke of Münsterberg, and from 1465 to 1485 Duke of Opava.
and his wife Kunigunde of Sternberg
. In 1463 he married Margaret Ptáčková, the only daughter of Hynek Ptáček of Pirkstein
, who died in 1472. Two years later he married Sophie, daughter of Duke Boleslaw II of Cieszyn
. After her death in 1479, he married in 1480 Margarete Palaiologos
of Montferrat
(d. 1496). From these marriages, he had several daughters:
and two sons:
was mentally challenged, the duties of the first-born were transferred to Victor. Consequently, he had to stand by his father politically from a young age. His father asked emperor Frederick III
to appoint Victor to imperial count, which the emperor did in 1449. In 1462, the appointment was confirmed and at the same time his younger brothers Henry the Elder
and Henry the Younger
were also appointed imperial count. A little earlier, George had appointed Victor and both Henries Dukes of Münsterberg both of Opava (which he had acquired in 1464) and Counts of Kladsko. These areas were ruled by the brothers jointly until George's death in 1471.
As a participant in the campaign against the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus Victor was captured by the Hungarians in 1469 in Moravia
. He was released after two years, after paying a large ransom and secretly converting to Catholicism. After his release, he was a support of Corvinus for a while,
After George's death in 1471, his sons divided the inheritance, according to a plan they agreed on in 1472. Victor received the Duchy of Opava. Later, his brother Henry the Younger
gave him the Pless, which Victor then sold to his brother-in-law Duke Casimir II of Cieszyn. At the request Corvins Victor agreed in 1485 to a contract by which he had to give the Duchy of Opava to Matthias Corvinus's illegitimate son John, and received several castles in Slavonia
in return. When Matthias died in 1490, Victor hoped that Opava would be returned to him, but that did not happen.
Although the three brothers had sold the County of Kladsko in 1501 to their future brother-in-law Ulrich of Hardegg
, they retained the title of Counts of Kladsko for themselves and their descendants until their extinction in the male line in 1647.
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
– 30 August 1500 in Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
) was an Imperial Count
Imperial Count
Imperial Count was a title in the Holy Roman Empire. On the one hand, it was used to designate the holders of a imperial county, that is, a county that was a fief directly from the emperor, rather than from a duke; on the other hand, the owner of the title of "Count" could be elevated to...
from 1459 and Count of Kladsko
County of Kladsko
The County of Kladsko was a historical administrative unit in the Kingdom of Bohemia and later in the Kingdom of Prussia with its capital at Kłodzko on the Nysa river...
. From 1462 until his death, he was Duke of Münsterberg, and from 1465 to 1485 Duke of Opava.
Family background
Victor was the second son of the Bohemian king George of PoděbradyGeorge of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
and his wife Kunigunde of Sternberg
Kunigunde of Sternberg
Kunigunde of Sternberg was the first wife of George of Poděbrady, who later became King of Bohemia.- Life :Kunigunde's parents were the Bohemian nobles Smil of Sternberg and Barbara of Pardubice . In 1441 she married then 21-year-old George of Poděbrady, who had been captain of the old Bohemian...
. In 1463 he married Margaret Ptáčková, the only daughter of Hynek Ptáček of Pirkstein
Hynek Ptáček of Pirkstein
Hynek Ptáček of Pirkstein was a Bohemian Nobleman, the highest Hofmeister and Münzmeister of Bohemia and regent of Bohemia's royal cities.- Life :...
, who died in 1472. Two years later he married Sophie, daughter of Duke Boleslaw II of Cieszyn
Duchy of Cieszyn
The Duchy of Cieszyn or Duchy of Teschen or Duchy of Těšín was an autonomous Silesian duchy centered on Teschen in Upper Silesia. After the feudal division of Poland it was split off in 1281 and ruled by Silesian dukes from the Piast dynasty since 1290...
. After her death in 1479, he married in 1480 Margarete Palaiologos
Palaiologos
Palaiologos , often latinized as Palaeologus, was a Byzantine Greek noble family, which produced the last ruling dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. After the Fourth Crusade, members of the family fled to the neighboring Empire of Nicaea, where Michael VIII Palaiologos became co-emperor in 1259,...
of Montferrat
Montferrat
Montferrat is part of the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. It comprises roughly the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy...
(d. 1496). From these marriages, he had several daughters:
- Johanna (1463–1496), married to Duke Casimir II of Cieszyn
- Magdalena (d. 1497), Cistercian in TrzebnicaTrzebnicaTrzebnica is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Trzebnica County, and of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Trzebnica. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...
- Anna (d. 1498)
- Uršula (died after 1534) until 1529 nun in the Magdalene convent in ŚwiebodziceSwiebodziceŚwiebodzice is a town in south-western Poland with 23,126 inhabitants . It is situated in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship ....
- Apolonia (d. 1534), first Poor Clare in StrzelinStrzelinStrzelin is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is located on the Oława river, a tributary of the Oder, about south of the region's capital Wrocław. The town is the seat of Strzelin County and also of the smaller municipality of Strzelin...
, then married to Erhard of QueisErhard of QueisErhard of Queis was Bishop of Pomesania. He is considered one of the pioneers of the Reformation in Prussia.- Life :Details of Queis's youth are not available....
and two sons:
- Lawrence (Vavřinec; d. 1503)
- Bartholomew (c. 1477–1515), a prominent diplomat; died in a shipwreck on the Danube near Hainburg an der DonauHainburg an der DonauHainburg an der Donau is a town in the Bruck an der Leitha district, Lower Austria, Austria.-Geography:The city Hainburg is located next to the Danube river and Bratislava in Slovakia and 50 km east of Vienna. It is part of the Industrial Quarter Industrieviertel in Lower Austria.45.87% of the...
; with him Victor's heirs in the male line died out
Life
Because Victor's older brother BočekBoček IV of Poděbrady
Boček IV of Poděbrady , was, by title, the last member of the Bohemian noble family of Poděbrady, who were descended from the Lords of Kunštát.- Life :Boček's parents were the later King of Bohemia George of Poděbrady and his wife Kunigunde of...
was mentally challenged, the duties of the first-born were transferred to Victor. Consequently, he had to stand by his father politically from a young age. His father asked emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
to appoint Victor to imperial count, which the emperor did in 1449. In 1462, the appointment was confirmed and at the same time his younger brothers Henry the Elder
Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels
Henry the Elder of Münsterberg was an Imperial Count and Count of Kladsko. He was also Duke of Silesian duchies Münsterberg and Oels and 1465–1472 Duke of Opava...
and Henry the Younger
Henry the Younger of Poděbrady
Henry the Younger of Poděbrady was an Imperial Count and Count of Glatz. From 1462 to 1471, he served as Duke of Münsterberg jointly with his older brothers Victor and Henry the Elder. He also ruled Duchy of Opava jointly with his brothers from 1365 to 1372...
were also appointed imperial count. A little earlier, George had appointed Victor and both Henries Dukes of Münsterberg both of Opava (which he had acquired in 1464) and Counts of Kladsko. These areas were ruled by the brothers jointly until George's death in 1471.
As a participant in the campaign against the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus Victor was captured by the Hungarians in 1469 in Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
. He was released after two years, after paying a large ransom and secretly converting to Catholicism. After his release, he was a support of Corvinus for a while,
After George's death in 1471, his sons divided the inheritance, according to a plan they agreed on in 1472. Victor received the Duchy of Opava. Later, his brother Henry the Younger
Henry the Younger of Poděbrady
Henry the Younger of Poděbrady was an Imperial Count and Count of Glatz. From 1462 to 1471, he served as Duke of Münsterberg jointly with his older brothers Victor and Henry the Elder. He also ruled Duchy of Opava jointly with his brothers from 1365 to 1372...
gave him the Pless, which Victor then sold to his brother-in-law Duke Casimir II of Cieszyn. At the request Corvins Victor agreed in 1485 to a contract by which he had to give the Duchy of Opava to Matthias Corvinus's illegitimate son John, and received several castles in Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
in return. When Matthias died in 1490, Victor hoped that Opava would be returned to him, but that did not happen.
Although the three brothers had sold the County of Kladsko in 1501 to their future brother-in-law Ulrich of Hardegg
Ulrich of Hardegg
Ulrich of Hardegg was an Austrian nobleman from the Prüschenk family of Count of Hardegg. He was "Cup-bearer" of Austria, which, by this time, was a title of nobility and no longer involved looking after the arch-duke's wine cellar...
, they retained the title of Counts of Kladsko for themselves and their descendants until their extinction in the male line in 1647.