William II of Pernstein
Encyclopedia
William II of Pernstein ( or , or ; 1438 – 8 April 1521, Pardubice
) was a Moravian-Bohemian nobleman. He held the office of High Treasurer of Moravia
from 1474 to 1487. He was High Marshall of Bohemia
from 1483 to 1490 and Lord Chamberlain of Bohemia from 1490 to 1514.
and his second wife Bohunka of Lomnitz.
William spent his early years at the Viennese court of the two years younger Ladislaus Posthumus, a member of the Habsburg
family, to whose entourage he belonged. Together with Ladislaus and his guardian Frederick III
and other Bohemian and Moravian nobles, he traveled to Italy in 1451. In 1452 he was in Rome at the wedding of Frederick III with Eleanor of Portugal.
. After George's death in 1471, they stood politically on the side of the newly elected king Vladislav II In 1472, they vouched for by George of Poděbrady's son Victor of Münsterberg-Oels
, who was to be bought free from being held captive by the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus for . That same year they received from King Vladislav II more rights over the convents in Oslavany
and Tišnov. William and his father were, however, unable to buy the freedom of his brother Sigmund, who was also held captive by Matthias Corvinus since 1470. Matthias Corvinus did not ask a random for Sigmund's release; instead he asked William to defect to Matthias's side and support his military plans. William signed an agreement to this effect, in order to obtain the Sigmund's release, on 14 November 1472 in Sopron
. The agreement had been drafted by John Filipec, who later became Bishop of Olomouc. He probably agreed to convert
to Catholicism at the same timet. Around New Year 1473, William's army occupied the towns of Kolín
and Nymburk
. In the summer he fought for Corvinus in Austria and Poland, where he was taken prisoner.
William resided in Velké Meziříčí
until 1473, and called himself . In 1474 he acquired the Castle and Lordship of . From 1474 until his death, he called himself . After the cease-fire of Breslau of 1474, Corvinus appointed William High Treasurer of Moravia.
William's father died in 1475. His possessions were inherited by William and his brothers John/Jan (d. 1478 or 1480), Vratislav I (d. 1496) and Emmeram / Jimram (d. 1481 or 1482). As his brothers were still minors, William took up guardianship and overall management of the possessions. Elisabeth of Boskowitz, the widow of his elder brother Sigmund, and her daughters, only inherited money. William acquired extensive estates in Bohemia through his marriage with Johanna of Liblitz; he sold these shortly after the wedding. His father inheritance was divided in 1478, when his brothers John and Vratislav came of age. John and Vratislav jointly received Pernstein Castle and some of the surrounding villages. William kept Zubstein Castle and the remaining villages in the Pernstein area for himself and his youngest brother Emmeran, who was still a minor. The elder brothers also inherited the debt their father had left behind, for which William had vouched. He had bought, and paid, onbelahf of his father, the Lordship of Meseritsch from his father in law, John of Lomnitz. When John died in 1478 (or 1480), Vratislav inherited his share of the inheritance. The youngest brother, Emmeran, died in 1481 or 1482 and William inherited his share. The Bohemian-Hungarian war ended in 1479 with the Treaty of Olomouc. In 1480, William campaigned to have the entries in the Moravian Landtafel written in Czech rather than Latin.
In 1482, William's confidant Bertold of Leipa ( died. In is testament, he had named William as the guardian of his tow children. In this capacity, William took up the regency of Leipa's extensive estates around Moravský Krumlov
. He moved his residence to Krumlov, which was also closer to the Hungarian royal court in Budapest
. Although William had already been married for several years, all his children would be born in Krumlov. William soon arranged marriages for Leipa's children. According to an agreement made in 18484, Barbara Leipa was to marry Wolfgang of Liechtenstein, a son of Christopher of Liechtenstein. William's daughter Bohunka, who was only born in 1485, was to marry Henry Leipa , who was also under William's guardianship. Already in 1483, William had arranged a marriage between Elisabeth of Krawarn ' onMouseout='HidePop("24915")' href="/topics/Trebíc">Třebíč
, the Castle and Lordship of Hluboká nad Vltavou
and in 1491, Kunětice Mountain Castle
in East Bohemia, and the surrounding villages, which had belonged to the Monastery at Opatovice
, which had perished in the Hussite Wars
. William expanded the castle generously, however, he nerver resided there.
Presumably in order to round his eastern Bohemian possessions he acquired the Lordship of Pardubice
in 1491. He remodeld Pardubice Castle in the late Gothic style and moved in. During his reign, Pardubice experienced an economic boom, encouraged by trade, commerce, agriculture and mining. In 1516 he acquired the East Bohemian Lordship of Nový Bydžov
, which he enlarged by the acquisition of other villages. In theEast Bohemian villages in his domain, he created more than 200 ponds, where fish farming was practiced. This changed the area into one of Bohemia's most productive farming areas. Since he now held office mainly in Prague, Vienna and Pardubice, his family headquarters at Pernštejn Castle
lost its importance.
In 1491, he also acquired the Lordship of Bohdaneč
and in 1495 Nové Město na Moravě
. In 1496, he handed the Leipa family possessions to his ward Henry of Leipa, who had come of age. In the same year, his younger brother Vartislav died without heirs. William inherited Vartislav's share of Pernstein, but also Prostějov
and castle and lordship of Plumlov
, which Vartislav had received from his mother-in-law Johanna of Krawarn after his wife Ludmilla of Kunštát had died in 1493. This again increased William's East Bohemian possessions considerably. Around this time, he also acquired Rychnov nad Kněžnou
and he purchased Častolovice
and the lordship of Potštejn
with Litice Castle
and several villages from Duke Henry the Elder of Münsterberg
. In Moravia, he acquired Hranice na Moravě
in 1499, Tovačov
and Kralice na Hané
in 1503, Židlochovice
in 1508 and Kunštát
in 1520. He also acuired the East Bohemian dominions of Lanškroun
and Lanšperk Castle by marrying his two sons John III and Vojtěch I to two daughters from the House of Kostka of Postupitz.
William also carried out investments and improvements on the estates he inherited from his father. In Lipník nad Bečvou
, he laid out suburbs and expanded the city's fortifications. He also built a waterworks, which functions to this day. In Přerov
, he built the upper town on an elliptical outline around the castle. In 1498, he combined the upper and lower town. In 1515, William donated a baptismal font to the Sy. Bartholomew Church in Pardubice.
William died on 8 April 1521 and was buried in the Church of the Holy Cross in Doubravník
. This church had been destroyed during the Hussite Wars
, but had been rebuilt by William's son John III. His elder son John III inherited his Bohemian estates, while his younger son Vojtěch I recevied his Moravian possessions. However, their lavish life style forced them to sell parts of their inherited lands.
Pardubice
Pardubice is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the river Elbe, 65 miles east of Prague. Pardubice has an antique centre square and old town, with many restaurants that stay open until late in the evening. There is an old Tower and a recently renovated Castle...
) was a Moravian-Bohemian nobleman. He held the office of High Treasurer of 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...
from 1474 to 1487. He was High Marshall of 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...
from 1483 to 1490 and Lord Chamberlain of Bohemia from 1490 to 1514.
Youth
William was one of the most important members of the Moravian and Bohemian noble family of Pernstein. His parents were John II of PernsteinJohn II of Pernstein
John II of Pernstein was a Moravian nobleman and supporter of the Hussites. Later King George of Poděbrady of Bohemia appointed him to Lord Chamberlain of the District Court at Brno and in 1473 by the Anti-King Matthias Corvinus made him one of the four governors of Moravia.- Life :John's father,...
and his second wife Bohunka of Lomnitz.
William spent his early years at the Viennese court of the two years younger Ladislaus Posthumus, a member of the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
family, to whose entourage he belonged. Together with Ladislaus and his guardian 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...
and other Bohemian and Moravian nobles, he traveled to Italy in 1451. In 1452 he was in Rome at the wedding of Frederick III with Eleanor of Portugal.
Rise under the kings George of Poděbrady and Matthias Corvinus
Like his father and his older brother Sigmund, William supported the Bohemian King George of PoděbradyGeorge of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
. After George's death in 1471, they stood politically on the side of the newly elected king Vladislav II In 1472, they vouched for by George of Poděbrady's son Victor of Münsterberg-Oels
Victor of Poděbrady
Victor, Duke of Münsterberg Victor, Duke of Münsterberg 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...
, who was to be bought free from being held captive by the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus for . That same year they received from King Vladislav II more rights over the convents in Oslavany
Oslavany
Oslavany is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 4,600 inhabitants....
and Tišnov. William and his father were, however, unable to buy the freedom of his brother Sigmund, who was also held captive by Matthias Corvinus since 1470. Matthias Corvinus did not ask a random for Sigmund's release; instead he asked William to defect to Matthias's side and support his military plans. William signed an agreement to this effect, in order to obtain the Sigmund's release, on 14 November 1472 in Sopron
Sopron
In 1910 Sopron had 33,932 inhabitants . Religions: 64.1% Roman Catholic, 27.8% Lutheran, 6.6% Jewish, 1.2% Calvinist, 0.3% other. In 2001 the city had 56,125 inhabitants...
. The agreement had been drafted by John Filipec, who later became Bishop of Olomouc. He probably agreed to convert
Conversion
-Economy and Finance:* Currency conversion or exchange rate* Conversion , one of the options strategies* Economic conversion-Law:* Conversion , conversion by taking a chattel out of the possession of another with the intent of exercising a permanent or temporary dominion over it, despite the...
to Catholicism at the same timet. Around New Year 1473, William's army occupied the towns of Kolín
Kolín
Kolín is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic some east from Prague, lying on the Elbe river.-History:Kolín was founded by king Přemysl Otakar II in the 13th century, first mentioned in 1261. Later on, 1437, a castle was founded here...
and Nymburk
Nymburk
Nymburk is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, located 45 km east of Prague on the Elbe River. It is also home to the Czech men's basketball team ČEZ Basketball Nymburk...
. In the summer he fought for Corvinus in Austria and Poland, where he was taken prisoner.
William resided in Velké Meziříčí
Velké Mezirící
Velké Meziříčí is a town in the Vysočina Region, Czech Republic. It is situated under the original Gothic castle in a valley framed by the hills of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands....
until 1473, and called himself . In 1474 he acquired the Castle and Lordship of . From 1474 until his death, he called himself . After the cease-fire of Breslau of 1474, Corvinus appointed William High Treasurer of Moravia.
William's father died in 1475. His possessions were inherited by William and his brothers John/Jan (d. 1478 or 1480), Vratislav I (d. 1496) and Emmeram / Jimram (d. 1481 or 1482). As his brothers were still minors, William took up guardianship and overall management of the possessions. Elisabeth of Boskowitz, the widow of his elder brother Sigmund, and her daughters, only inherited money. William acquired extensive estates in Bohemia through his marriage with Johanna of Liblitz; he sold these shortly after the wedding. His father inheritance was divided in 1478, when his brothers John and Vratislav came of age. John and Vratislav jointly received Pernstein Castle and some of the surrounding villages. William kept Zubstein Castle and the remaining villages in the Pernstein area for himself and his youngest brother Emmeran, who was still a minor. The elder brothers also inherited the debt their father had left behind, for which William had vouched. He had bought, and paid, onbelahf of his father, the Lordship of Meseritsch from his father in law, John of Lomnitz. When John died in 1478 (or 1480), Vratislav inherited his share of the inheritance. The youngest brother, Emmeran, died in 1481 or 1482 and William inherited his share. The Bohemian-Hungarian war ended in 1479 with the Treaty of Olomouc. In 1480, William campaigned to have the entries in the Moravian Landtafel written in Czech rather than Latin.
In 1482, William's confidant Bertold of Leipa ( died. In is testament, he had named William as the guardian of his tow children. In this capacity, William took up the regency of Leipa's extensive estates around Moravský Krumlov
Moravský Krumlov
Moravský Krumlov is a town in the Znojmo District, South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. It has about 6,023 inhabitants .The city is named Moravský Krumlov to differentiate it from Český Krumlov , which is further west.The castle of Moravský Krumlov is home to the series of paintings by Alphonse...
. He moved his residence to Krumlov, which was also closer to the Hungarian royal court in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. Although William had already been married for several years, all his children would be born in Krumlov. William soon arranged marriages for Leipa's children. According to an agreement made in 18484, Barbara Leipa was to marry Wolfgang of Liechtenstein, a son of Christopher of Liechtenstein. William's daughter Bohunka, who was only born in 1485, was to marry Henry Leipa , who was also under William's guardianship. Already in 1483, William had arranged a marriage between Elisabeth of Krawarn ' onMouseout='HidePop("24915")' href="/topics/Trebíc">Třebíč
Trebíc
Třebíč is a city in the Moravian part of the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic.Třebíč is situated 35 km southeast of Jihlava and 65 km west of Brno on the Jihlava River. Třebíč is from 392 to 503 metres above sea-level....
, the Castle and Lordship of Hluboká nad Vltavou
Hluboká nad Vltavou
Hluboká nad Vltavou ) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, near České Budějovice. This town was a favourite of Charles IV, who often visited when residing in České Budějovice...
and in 1491, Kunětice Mountain Castle
Kunetice Mountain Castle
Kunětice Mountain Castle is a castle in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. The castle lies on Kunětice Mountain , about 6 km from the city of Pardubice....
in East Bohemia, and the surrounding villages, which had belonged to the Monastery at Opatovice
Opatovice nad Labem
Opatovice nad Labem is a village in Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has cca 2,200 inhabitants. A large power station is located here.-External links:*...
, which had perished in the Hussite Wars
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
. William expanded the castle generously, however, he nerver resided there.
Presumably in order to round his eastern Bohemian possessions he acquired the Lordship of Pardubice
Pardubice
Pardubice is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the river Elbe, 65 miles east of Prague. Pardubice has an antique centre square and old town, with many restaurants that stay open until late in the evening. There is an old Tower and a recently renovated Castle...
in 1491. He remodeld Pardubice Castle in the late Gothic style and moved in. During his reign, Pardubice experienced an economic boom, encouraged by trade, commerce, agriculture and mining. In 1516 he acquired the East Bohemian Lordship of Nový Bydžov
Nový Bydžov
Nový Bydžov is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It is situated near Hradec Králové and Chlumec nad Cidlinou on the river Cidlina.-History:...
, which he enlarged by the acquisition of other villages. In theEast Bohemian villages in his domain, he created more than 200 ponds, where fish farming was practiced. This changed the area into one of Bohemia's most productive farming areas. Since he now held office mainly in Prague, Vienna and Pardubice, his family headquarters at Pernštejn Castle
Pernštejn Castle
Pernštejn Castle is a castle located on a rock above the village of Nedvědice and the rivers Svratka and Nedvědička, some 40 km northwest of Brno, in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. Pernštejn came to be known as the marble castle because of the marble-like stone used to frame the...
lost its importance.
In 1491, he also acquired the Lordship of Bohdaneč
Bohdanec
Bohdaneč is a village in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is in the district of Kutná Hora, between the towns of Ledeč nad Sázavou and Zruč nad Sázavou....
and in 1495 Nové Město na Moravě
Nové Mesto na Morave
Nové Město na Moravě is a town in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has 10,464 inhabitants.-Business in town:Despite its location surrounded by great outdoors, the town has a long tradition of manufacturing...
. In 1496, he handed the Leipa family possessions to his ward Henry of Leipa, who had come of age. In the same year, his younger brother Vartislav died without heirs. William inherited Vartislav's share of Pernstein, but also Prostějov
Prostejov
Prostějov is a city in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. Today the city is known for its fashion industry and special military forces based there....
and castle and lordship of Plumlov
Plumlov
Plumlov is a town in the Olomouc Region, Czech Republic.Plumlov is the place of the castle, which was personally designed by Prince Karl Eusebius of Liechtenstein, an avid devotee to the art of building. Know then as Plumenau Castle, it was intended as a jewel of Baroque architecture. After the...
, which Vartislav had received from his mother-in-law Johanna of Krawarn after his wife Ludmilla of Kunštát had died in 1493. This again increased William's East Bohemian possessions considerably. Around this time, he also acquired Rychnov nad Kněžnou
Rychnov nad Knežnou
Rychnov nad Kněžnou is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 12,000 inhabitants.This is a small town, with a sprinkling of other small towns in the vicinity. The nearest big city is Hradec Králové which is about 32 km to the west...
and he purchased Častolovice
Castolovice
Častolovice is a market town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 1,600 inhabitants.The village lies 20 kilometers from Hradec Králové and was purportedly settled by Častolov of the Hronovec family in 1342...
and the lordship of Potštejn
Potštejn
Potštejn is municipality, Hradec Králové Region in Rychnov nad Kněžnou District. From the end of the 19th century till 1924 the name Potštýn nad Orlicí was used....
with Litice Castle
Litice Castle
Litice Castle is a castle 7 km west of Žamberk in the Ústí nad Orlicí District, in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.-History:The steep slopes of the foothills of the Orlické hory gave the advantage of a strategic position to the gothic castles being founded there at the close of the...
and several villages from Duke Henry the Elder of Münsterberg
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...
. In Moravia, he acquired Hranice na Moravě
Hranice na Morave
Hranice , sometimes called Hranice na Moravě , is a town in Moravia, the eastern Czech Republic.In the Austrian-Hungarian era, this city was famous for its military academy and yeshivah .- External links :...
in 1499, Tovačov
Tovacov
Tovačov is a town in the Czech Republic....
and Kralice na Hané
Kralice na Hané
Kralice na Hané is a market town in Prostějov District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 1,449 ....
in 1503, Židlochovice
Židlochovice
Židlochovice is a town in Brno-Country District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 3,075.Židlochovice lies approximately south of Brno and south-east of Prague.- References :*...
in 1508 and Kunštát
Kunštát
Kunštát is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 2,600 inhabitants.Villages Hluboké u Kunštátu, Rudka, Sychotín, Touboř and Újezd are administrative parts of Kunštát....
in 1520. He also acuired the East Bohemian dominions of Lanškroun
Lanškroun
Lanškroun , also known as Lanskron, Lanscron, Landeskrone, and Kronland, is a town and municipality in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. On the border between the former provinces of Bohemia and Moravia, it had a population of 9,911 .The town was founded in the thirteenth century as the...
and Lanšperk Castle by marrying his two sons John III and Vojtěch I to two daughters from the House of Kostka of Postupitz.
William also carried out investments and improvements on the estates he inherited from his father. In Lipník nad Bečvou
Lipník nad Becvou
Lipník nad Bečvou is a small town located in the Olomouc Region, in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. The nearest larger towns are Přerov and Hranice, approximately ten to twelve kilometers distant....
, he laid out suburbs and expanded the city's fortifications. He also built a waterworks, which functions to this day. In Přerov
Prerov
Přerov is a town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic where the Bečva river flows through. Přerov is a statute town . It has population of about 47,373 to January 2, 2008. Přerov is about 22 km south west of Olomouc. In the past it was a major crossroad in the heart of Moravia in the...
, he built the upper town on an elliptical outline around the castle. In 1498, he combined the upper and lower town. In 1515, William donated a baptismal font to the Sy. Bartholomew Church in Pardubice.
William died on 8 April 1521 and was buried in the Church of the Holy Cross in Doubravník
Doubravník
Doubravník is a small town in Brno-Country District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 791 ....
. This church had been destroyed during the Hussite Wars
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
, but had been rebuilt by William's son John III. His elder son John III inherited his Bohemian estates, while his younger son Vojtěch I recevied his Moravian possessions. However, their lavish life style forced them to sell parts of their inherited lands.
Marriage and issue
Wilhelm II of Pernstein married before 1475 with Johanna of Liblitz . They had three children:- Bohunka (1485–1549), married
- in 1500 Henry Leipa
- Dobeš of Boskowitz (d. 1540)
- John III of PernsteinJohn III of PernsteinJohn of Pernstein was High Treasurer of Moravia from 1506 and 1516 and Landeshauptmann of Moravia from 1515 to 1519 and from 1526 to 1528 and Governor of Moravia from 1530 to 1532...
(1487–1548) , married- in 1507 Anne of Postupitz
- Hedwig of Schellenberg
- Magdalena of Ormosd , widow of the Hungarian magnate Alexei Thurzo of Bethlenfalva
- Vojtěch I of Pernstein (1490–1534) , married
- in 1507 Margaret Kostka of Postupitz ( (d. 1515)
- in 1516 Johanna of Wartenberg