Borivoj I Duke of Bohemia ¹

  General Notes:

Borivoj I, Duke of Bohemia was a member of the House of Premysl. He gained the title of Duke of Bohemia in 870. [thePeerage.com]

Borivoj I, Duke of Bohemia (852/853 - 888/889)

The head of the Premyslid Czechs who dominated the environs of Prague, Borivoj in c. 870 declared himself kníže (later translated by German scholars as 'Duke') of the Czechs (Bohemians). Borivoj was recognised as such by his overlord Svatopluk of Great Moravia around 872 who dispatched Bishop Methodius to begin the conversion of the Czechs to Christianity. Borivoj and his wife Ludmilla were baptised by Methodius in 874 and the latter especially became an enthusiastic evangelist, although the religion failed to take root among Borivoj's subjects.

Around 883 Borivoj was deposed by a revolt in support of his kinsman Strojmir, and restored only with the support of Svyatopluk of Moravia.

As with most of the early Bohemian rulers, Borivoj is a shadowy figure and exact dates and facts for his reign can never be considered as completely reliable, although several major fortifications and religious foundations are said to have dated from this time.

[source: Ketil Ken Nygaard's Genealogy, http://nygaard.howards.net/]

Borivoj married Saint Ludmila 'the Holy' of Mielnick on an unknown date. (Saint Ludmila 'the Holy' of Mielnick was born about 860 near Melník, Bohemia [now in Czech Republic] ² and died on 15 Sep 921 ².)