write the story of the Kings of the of the Przemysl dynasty.
To show his gratitude King Heinrich offered Wratislaw his help in converting the pagan Vends in the north. During a year of hard fought battles the two Kings conquered and converted many a pagan tribe and established new Christian counties and Dukedoms. All the coast from the border of Holstein to the river of Wisla was freed from the heathen hordes. Heinrich received the title of count of Werle as a sign of gratitude from Wratislaw. While Wratislaw's first borne son and rightful heir Borzivoy was given the title of Duke of Mecklenburg. Wratislaw's youngest brother, Jaromir, was given the title of count of Lupsk for which he thanked his brother by starting a civil war, as he himself wanted to be King. Soon the Pagans joined him in his rebellion, as he had promised them freedom, should he succeed.
The Battle of Praha
In a major battle that lasted three days the armies of Wratislaw and Jaromir fought each other outside the gates of Praha. More than 10.000 of the finest nobles and their men fought each other in this epic struggle of right and wrong, the forces of God on one side and the Devil himself on the other. Swaying forth and back the battle was close, but in the end Wratislaw won as his brother in law, Guillem De-Barcelona, came to his rescue with the Kings Guard of Nordic warriors.
Jaromir's family was either sent to monasteries or exiled, and the traitor himself was kept as a jester, until he suddenly died when he fell to his death from the south wall of the castle. Some claim that he was murdered as a revenge for continued attempts on the Kings life by Jaromir's closest family, who would never give up the hope of making him King.
After the death of Jaromir peace came to the land, and it was not until events in the Kingdom of Hungary forced the King to react that the Bohemians would again make ready for war. In Hungary King Salamon had committed a serious of insults against the Holy Father and even God himself. He had desecrated Churches and Monasteries houses of the Lord Almighty. For these crimes his people had turned against him in an attempt to overthrow their heretic ruler. King Wratislaw who could not accept this instability right across the border was forced to march out with his army and bring peace to the land.
For more than a decade he fought the infidel ruler until he was betrayed by Hungarian noblemen, who feared that he would expand his rule, and make himself King of Hungary. This was of course only evil lies and rumours started by King Salamon, in an attempt to keep whatever power he had left. The nobles were given their freedom if they promised to help Salamon throw out all Bohemian forces. Against these odds the Bohemian army fought bravely but was in the end forced to withdraw from the land of Hungary. Even though the campaign had been a failure for Wratislaw, he still kept his titles as count of Fejer and Bacs and Duke of Pecs. In the years to come the Hungarian people was thrown into a civil war as Salamon brushing aside his promises to the Hungarian nobility tried to recapture what had been lost earlier.
In their despair the noblemen turned to Wratislaw for help, but remembering their treason he turned down their prayers for help. Instead he answered the Holy Father's call for a crusade against the infidels. He took to the cross in order to convert the tribes of the Baltic to the one true faith. Under the flag of God he converted many a heathen tribe in Chelminskie and Marienburg. He established Chelminskie as a new county under the Bohemian crown, and gave Marienburg as a present to the Knights Templar and the Holy Father. While readying his forces for a continued campaign against the pagan tribes further east, message came from Bohemia that several regions had rebelled under the leadership of local bishops and priests. It is unclear as to why this rebellion took place, but it is widely believed that the bishops and priests were under the belief that the crusades should rather be directed against freeing Jerusalem from the infidels than converting the Baltic tribes.
It took Wratislaw and his army several years to suppress this rebellion in a long and bloody civil war, and when it was finally crushed he was too old to continue any campaigns in the east. The countryside of southern Bohemia was destroyed, crops burned, villages left empty and wells poisoned by the rebels. Wratislaw therefore committed himself to rebuilding his tattered country. And it is for his efforts in doing so, rather than his conquests that King Wratislaw is still remembered as the “Great King”. He who freed Bohemia and brought wealth and prosperity to the country. Under his rule farming was developed and expanded, roads, castles, churches and monasteries were build, and the trade and commerce flourished.
At the astonishing age of 78 he died in the year 1110 AD, having led the country to greatness he left his throne to his only surviving son Borzivoy.
Wratislaw The Great as he will be remembered
The Kingdom that Borzivoy inherited
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