back to Europe / Poland and Bohemia / back to Regions of Medieval Europe
Regions of medieval Poland and Bohemia:
This map shows how possibly could have looked territories controlled by Bohemian castellanies during 11th and 12th centuries.
Castellanies were basic governmental units, which were seats of ducal/royal governors called castellans. Originaly the castellans were beneficiaries of Přemyslid rulers. During the late 12th and especially the 13th cenutries these beneficiaries started concentrating more local power, started establishing hereditary rule over those castellanies. They also started establishing their own private villages and castles, which later became their private feudal domains.
Praha - was the capital of Bohemia and the most important castle.
Vyšehrad - castle above Vltava river most probably from 10th century. There was a Přemyslid mint since the 990's. In 1085 duke (and since 1085 king) Vratislav II. made it the seat of his power, founded a church and seat of a chapter. Remained as Bohemian capital until cca 1035-40
Kouřim - an old (pre-Přemyslid) fortified settlement and seemingly a center of local ruler before unification of Bohemia. Original settlement was destroyed in 936. New one was created by Přemyslid Boleslav I. The castle remained center of densely populated area, was governed by Slavníkids and after their extermination in 995. In the 12th century it probably became part of domain of Děpoltids, a branch of Přemyslid dynasty and was seat of its last ruler Děpolt III. who lost it and died in 1223. It remained important city until 16th century.
Bozeň - A fortified settlement founded by Přemyslids in 10th century and was regional castellany until roughly the end of 11th century. Later it declined and in the 13th century was most probably already deserted.
Lštění - A castle / fortified settlement founded in late 9th/early 10th century with Church of st.Clement (probably foundation tied to Moravian influence). The castle was at a border of original Přemyslid domain in central Bohemia. Served as castellany in early Přemyslid state. Declined since the 12th century.
circa 1050 C.E. | 600.000 - 650.000 |
circa 1200 C.E. | distinctively above 1 million |
circa 1400 C.E. | 2.500.000 - 3.000.000 |
Bohemia approximately 2/3, Moravia 1/3 of the figures |
back to Regions of Medieval Europe
sources:
- SALAČ, Vladimír, ed. - Atlas pravěkých a raně středověkých hradišť v Čechách, Praha / Schleswig 2019
- ŽEMLIČKA, Josef - Přemysl Otakar I., Panovník, stát a česká společnost na prahu vrcholného feudalismu, Praha 1990
- ŽEMLIČKA, Josef - Čechy v době knížecí, Praha 1997
- ŽEMLIČKA, Josef - Počátky Čech královských, Praha 2002
- http://www.archeologickyatlas.cz/cs/lokace/pocaply_pb_hradiste