Ottokar II of Bohemia

Legacy

Ottokar is considered the greatest King of Bohemia, together with Charles IV. He was a founder of many new towns (about 30—not only in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, but also in Austria and Styria) and incorporated many existing settlements through civic charters, giving them new privileges. He was a strong proponent of trade, law and order. Furthermore, he instituted open immigration policies through which skilled German-speaking immigrants settled in major cities throughout his domains. Thus he can be called the founder of the third state de facto, within his domains. The great eastern German city of Königsberg was named in his honour as a tribute for his support of the Teutonic Knights in their war with the pagan Sambians.

As Czech traditional law was different from that reigning in his other domains, many principles introduced during his reign formed core of the Czech law for the following centuries. From his time stems the oldest preserved source of Czech law, Zemské desky, and also the oldest written Czech communal law, recorded in the founding deeds of the respective towns. By supporting the city of Jihlava with its mines he laid foundation to the silver wealth of the Bohemian kings. Privilegies of civic chartres usually excluded the towns from obedience towards the traditional comital district courts held by members of nobility. This can be seen as a second rupture of the traditional Czech legal system (after the Church gained its general freedoms half a century before), but also as a step towards equality and a first form of today's civil law.

In the country, Ottokar's introduction of the Law of Emphyteusis into the Czech law is sometimes interpreted as "Germanization". In fact it was a progress (for the subjects under this law were liberated from any bodily obediances, except for paying rent - and tax, if such was declared). Free selling and leaving of such subject estates could also be bought and soon became common. As early medieval slavery did not exist already, and serfdom was not known yet - it was gradually introduced only after the Hussite wars by the victorious nobility - Ottokar can be safely called that one of Czech rulers, who did the most for real equality of people before empress Maria-Theresa (1740–1780) and emperor Josef II (1780–1790). This change of legal environment in the Bohemian lands was not introduced by some single law or decree, but by the way of example, by systematic founding of villages chartered according to this law.

He issued also a general privilege to the Jews (1254), which established principles of incorporation of the Jews into the Czech society, until 1848. The Jews got some positions (such as servants of crown), thereby being little less subject to religious hatred. Instead of being able to claim only the support of individual lords, the Jews could from then on claim support of any royal officer, when their privileges were threatened.

Ottokar followed with a systematic policy of strengthening his domains by building fortifications. Besides supporting towns, he built many fortresses himself - Zvíkov Castle, Křivoklát Castle or Bezděz Castle in Bohemia, Hofburg Palace in Austria etc. - and also induced his vassals to build castles. A sign of rising strength of Bohemia and other lands, it was also a reaction on Mongol raids in the previous period (see Béla IV of Hungary). Conflict for the title of ownership to these fortified places built by members of nobility was probably the source of uprising (1276), which cost Ottokar the Austrian lands, and two years later (in an attempt for reconquest) his life.

Some of the fortresses built by Ottokar were for centuries the strongest in Bohemia. Interestingly enough, Bezděz Castle served as a prison for his son Wenceslaus II of Bohemia for short time after Ottokar's death. The castle was safe deposit for the Bohemian legal records Zemské desky and many spiritual and temporal treasures during the destructive civil strife of Hussite wars (1419–1434) in Bohemia. It was first and last conquered in 1620, but only after it was long deserted, and in that state defended by rebelling subjects against regular army. Still the Swedes held it important enough to station a detachment there before 1648.

Before conflict with Rudolf of Habsburg, besides his own domains, he exacted influence over number of relatives, allies and vassals in Germany: Margraviate of Brandenburg etc. - and spiritual princedoms: Archbishopric of Salzburg, Patriarchate of Aquileia and others. Since the death of Konradin in 1268 he was an heir of the House of Hohenstaufen's claim to the imperial crown. He however did not raise this claim, staying content with informal influence in Germany. In 1267 he was appointed protector of the royal domains (of the Holy Roman Empire) east of the Rhine by the Roman king Richard of Cornwall. He held this office till 1273.

He is a famous figure both in history and in folkloric legend. In the Divine Comedy by Dante, Ottokar is seen outside the gates of Purgatory, in amiable companionship with his imperial rival Rudolph. He is also the protagonist of a tragedy by the 19th-century Austrian playwright Franz Grillparzer.

In the painting, "Přemysl Otakar II: The Union of Slavic Dynasties," part of Alfons Mucha's 20-canvas work, The Slav Epic, Ottokar is depicted at his niece's wedding celebration, forging alliances with other Slavonic rulers in attendance.