Ludmila of Bohemia

Holy Ludmila , born around 860 and deceased the September 15th 921, is the wife of Bořivoj Ier of Bohemia to which she is married, still almost child, in 874. From this union are born six children from which the groin Spytihněv is born into 875, follow three girls and two boys of which Vratislav in 888.

Ludmila is the girl of Slavibor, lord of Sorabes de Pšov, which described then the surroundings of Mělník. One knows that it is high in the Slavic religion, Paganisme rich in various gods, but the date of its baptism is not known.

History

Its life is concomitant with the first stammerings which will give rise to the kingdom of Bohemia which returns then in the history (the predecessors of Bořivoj in the dynasty of the Přemyslides are all more or less mythical) and adopts the Christianisme. Her Bořivoj husband is baptized, some share in Moravie, by holy Méthode. It is this same Method which, according to the legend, baptizes Ludmila, in Bohemia, some time afterwards.

“Civilization” is then in the west, in the Carolingian Western Empire and in the south in the Byzantine Empire, to adopt the uses - of which the Christian religion - hearths of civilization is, locally, a strategy gaining for the Slavic princes to sit their authority and to tie strategic alliances with the powerful neighbors. The sovereigns of the Large-Moravie close had just shown the example.

Ludmila deals with education of its grandchildren, Venceslas and Boleslav. Following the death of his/her son Vratislav, Ludmila returns in conflict with his/her Drahomira daughter-in-law who seized regency. This conflict culminates with the assassination of Ludmila, on September 15th, 921, with the castle-extremely of Tetín: she is then strangled by two Varègue S with the pay of her daughter-in-law which used to be made the proper shawl of the sovereign-dowager, shawl which became the symbol of sound Martyr E although she is not, strictly speaking, died for its faith.

Posterity

If conversion with Christianity can belong to a strategy duly matured by provincial lords in evil of grateful, or deep convictions of individuals touched by the faith, the fact of having one or holy in the family is undoubtedly an asset and a legitimacy. The worship of holy Ludmila is a dynastic effort, almost reasoned, initiated by his/her back-small-girl, Mlada, abbess of the convent blessing of Saint-Georges in the enclosure of the Château of Prague.

See too

holy Agnes of Bohemia, another holy of the dynasty of the Přemyslides.
the Lists of the saints resulting from the princely families

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