Božena (Křesinova)

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Meeting of Oldřich and Božena

Historian Cosmas of Prague took down the legend of Oldřich and Božena, the mother of his only son, in his "Chronica Boëmorum" ("Chronicle of Bohemians"). According to the legend, young (and married) Oldřich set out on a hunt and travelled to Peruc. There, he spied a beautiful peasant girl, Božena, by a well (known today as Božena's spring) [cite web
url = http://www.monteko.cz/peruc/informations.php
title = Peruc
accessdate = 2008-08-02
author = Klaus, Ivo, and Alena Klaus
work = Welcome to Peruc ] and was immediately entranced by her.

Oldřich abandoned his hunt and took Božena back to Prague, and she eventually gave birth to his illegal son Bretislaus. In the legend, Oldřich's first meeting with Božena took place in sight of the Oldřich Oak.

Cosmas could be inspired during his study abroad. English King William the Conqueror was also just illegal offspring. In fact, Oldřich's lover was the savior of the House of Přemysl. Oldřich has two brothers, but one of them, Jaromír, was castrated by the eldest sibling, Boleslaus III. Boleslaus was imprisoned in Poland, possibly having only daughter. So Oldřich was the one Přemyslid able to have son and heir, but his first wife assumedly gave him no children.

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