10. století
The legend about St Wenceslas
The legend about the Duke of Bohemia and patron saint of the Czech lands
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According to the legend, St Wenceslas was murdered by his brother Boleslav in the town Stara Boleslav. The reason was apparently Wenceslas’ excessive indulgence in his dealings with the enemy, his too great piety, his personal antipathy for his brother and also the increasingly dramatic conflict with the Czech magnates. One day, as Wenceslas was in Stara Boleslav upon invitation from Boleslav, the brothers started arguing sharply on the way to church. Boleslav was
so enraged that he pulled out his sword, but Wenceslas quickly disarmed him and knocked him over. At that moment, Boleslav’s companions arrived and attacked Wenceslas with sharp swords before killing him in front of the church’s door.
The consequence was the martyrdom of Wenceslas and the taking over of power by Boleslav. The legend about St Wenceslas and his canonization was later connected to the Premyslid’s attempts at founding a diocese in Prague in the 870’s.
