What's in a Prague street name

Originally published on Twitter on 22 September 2022.

Přemyslovská was built in 1896.

The Přemyslid dynasty ruled Bohemia from the mid-9th century until 1306.

So here’s a very abbreviated and yet really quite long guide to all the ones who ruled.

Years of rule are often best guesses in the early days.

Bořivoj I (872-89): Baptised. Banished. Returned. Married to Ludmila.

Strojmír (883-5): replacement. Brief. Obscure. No pic.

Spytihněv I (894-915): son of Bořivoj. Castle-lover, Hungary-hater.

Vratislav I (915-21): brother of Spytihněv. Founded Wrocław. Died fighting Hungarians. Married Drahomíra, who got Ludmila killed.

Václav I (921-35): son of Vratislav. Last looked out. Saintly. Don’t forget 28 September is a holiday.

Boleslav I (935-72): The Cruel. Brother/possible murderer of Václav. Founded Plzeň.

Boleslav II (972-99): Son of Boleslav II. The Pious. Founded Diocese of Prague.

Boleslav III (999-1002, 1003): had his own brother (Jaromír) castrated *and* couldn’t rule for sh*t.

Jaromír (1003, 1004-12, 1033-4): castrated by one brother, blinded by another (Oldřich). Poor sod.

Oldřich (1012-33, 1034): Regained Moravia. Knob (see above).

Břetislav I (1034-55): son of Oldřich. Regained Wrocław. Banned polygamy. Died when about to invade Hungary.

Spytihněv II (1055-61): son of Břetislav. Expelled the Germans. Even his mum.

Vratislav II (1061-92): brother of Spytihněv. Named first King of Bohemia (1085). Which may be why he’s in colour.

Konrád I (1092): brother of Vratislav. Died 8 months in.

Břetislav II (1092-1100): son of Vratislav. Hated pagans. Assassinated in the woods. Smirky pic.

Bořivoj II (1100-07, 1117-20): half-brother of Břetislav. Sulked off to Hungary.

Vladislav I (1109-17, 1120-5): brother of Bořívoj. Stopped Poland from interfering too much.

Soběslav I (1125-40): son of Vratislav. Defeated Germans at Chlumec.

Vladislav II (1140-72): son of Vladislav I. Earned title of King. Did crusades. Abdicated. No selfies available.

Bedřich (1172-3, 1178-89): son of Vladislav. Barbarossa didn’t want him.

Soběslav II (1173-8): son of Soběslav I. Barbarossa did want him. Got excommunicated.

Konrád II. Ota (1189-91): son of none of the above. Died of plague while on a Crusade.

Václav II {1191): son/brother of The Soběslavs. Deposed after three months. Hard to find pics of.

Přemysl Otakar I (1192-3, 1200-30): King no 3 as per Golden Bull of Sicily. Son of Vladislav.

Václav I (1230-53): son of Otakar. Repelled Mongols. Into jousting. First king to allow privileges to Jews (for a fee).

Přemysl Otakar II (1253-78): son of Václav. In charge of much of present-day Austria. Then not. Founded Kaliningrad. Tried to become Holy Roman Emperor. Failed. Died in battle.

Václav II (1287-1305): son of Otakar I. Initially too young to rule, later also King of Poland *and* Hungary. Died at 33.

Václav III (1305-6): son of Václav II. Murdered in Olomouc at the age of 16. Killers never identified. End of the Přemyslids.

Phew.

Any Přemyslid rulers who I’ve left out or who feel misrepresented are welcome to DM me. Also feel free to comment on which one was the hottest (spoiler: it’s obviously Břetislav II).