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Although Czech princes were under the political power of their Moravian neighbours, they accepted Christianity and earned autonomy after the fall of Great Moravia. Premysl’s were the first Czech royal house, among them was the legendary prince Wenceslas. He remains symbol of humanity, as he was paying a peace tribute to the German ruler to avoid a war conflict. He also built a rotunda dedicated to St Vitus, which was later rebuilt into a gothic cathedral (St Vitus’s Cathedral) and is now the focal point of Prague Castle.
Sadly, Wenceslas was killed in 935. The murderers were hired by his brother Boleslav who wanted autonomy and successfully fought the Germans. Wenceslas was later canonized and his statue gave name to Wenceslas Square in Prague.
The first Czech ruler to receive a heritable royal honor was Premysl Otakar I in 1212, which was the last step to political autonomy. The Premysl line of rulers ended in 1306, when the last Premysl king, Wenceslas III was killed. The assassin remains unknown, but witnesses saw a mysterious woman, rumored to be his ex-lover. After Wenceslas’ death, the most important Czech royal family was replaced by the Louxemburgs.