Judith of Schweinfurt

Judith of Schweinfurt (before 1003 – 2 August 1058) was the wife of Bretislaus I of Bohemia and the Duchess of Bohemia. She was the daughter of Henry, margrave of Nordgau (Bavaria) from the House of Babenberg and his wife Gerberga.

Břetislav and Jitka

Good relationships between the House of Přemysl and Babenbergs should be confirmed by the marriage about 1020. Judith was definitely good catch, but Oldřich of Bohemia has only one son, Bretislaus, which was illegal. This fact complicated the chance for marriage to high-born Judith.

Bretislaus solved this problem alone, when he kidnaped Judith from a monastery. Her family and even Judith knew about this action, Bretislaus was never punished for this heinous crime. He married Judith some time after. Their first son Spytihněv was born after almost ten years, which led tu hypothese that the kidnapping happened in 1029, but it is possible that some daughters was born before. Eventually Spytihněv was their first surviving son.

Exile in Hungary

It is said that after death of Bretislaus (1055) Judith was relegate by Spytihněv from Bohemia, like other Germans, and moved to Hungary. Apparently it was not truth. Maybe Judith had to leave, but only because she had defended Spytihněv's brothers. Another legend tells that in Hungary she married king Peter Urseolo of Hungary, but the year of his death was maybe 1046.

Judith died in 1058 and was burried in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.

Literature

*KRZEMIENSKA, B. "Břetislav I. - Čechy a střední Evropa v prvé polovině XI. století". Praha : Garamond, 1999.
*ŽEMLIČKA, J. "Čechy v době knížecí 1044–1198". Praha : NLN, 2002. 660 s. ISBN 80-7106-196-4.

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