Exploring the Enchanting Castles of the Rose Coat Lords: Southern Bohemia!

In contrast to the English War of the Roses, the Czech division of roses was peaceful and occurred only for a short time. However, it wasn’t without its challenges, so let’s begin with an interesting historical fact.

Dividing Roses

According to legends, Vitek I., the founding ancestor of the Vitek family, divided his estate among his four sons in the late 12th century, giving each of them coats of arms featuring a five-leaved rose in different colors and backgrounds. You can be sure that even if you tour all the “pink” castles and listen carefully to the guides, you might struggle to remember all the various colors and combinations. So, what happened next?

The eldest son, Vitek II, had a coat of arms displaying a green rose on a silver background and became the ancestor of the Lords of Krumlov. The second son, Henry, had a coat of arms with a golden rose on a blue background and became the original lord of Hradec; his family line ended in 1604. The third son, Vitek III the Younger of Prčice, bore a red rose on a silver background and founded the family of the Lords of Rosenberg; they ceased to exist in 1611. The youngest son, Vitek IV of Klokot, bore a coat of arms with a silver rose on a red background, and his descendants were known as the Lords of Landštejn and Lords of Třeboň; this family line ended in 1612.

To complicate things further, there was a fifth son, the left-handed Sesame, who founded Sezimovo Ústí and separated from the lords of Hradec two years later. This led to the formation of the Lords of Stráž nad Nežárkou and the Lords of Ústí; the former featured a blue rose on a golden background in their coat of arms and became extinct in 1476, while the Lords of Ústí had a black rose on a golden background and disappeared in 1642.

The End of the Green Rose and the Start of the Red Rose

When you explore Český Krumlov, keep in mind that although the grand castle and chateau were established by the Lords of Krumlov, they did not last long there. This family line ended in 1337, and their estates were inherited by the Rožmberks, who relocated from Rožmberk Castle to Krumlov, creating a vast estate known as the Rozmberk Dominion. Consequently, the green rose fades from history after about a century, being replaced by the red rose.

The Rosenbergs established not only the family castle Rožmberk but also the castle Dívčí kámen, the impressive Příběnice and Příběničky castles, as well as the stunning Helfenburk close to Bavorov. They are also responsible for the lovely and delicate Kratochvíle castle and the fortress Drslavice, along with Vitek’s Castle, which now stands as a romantic ruin offering fantastic views of the Lipno River. This castle was originally built by Vitek of Krumlov during the mid-13th century. The Rožmberks improved the entire landscape of the Upper Povltava region, establishing a Cistercian monastery in Vyšší Brod, their first on that estate, and owning places like Prčice, Sobeslav, Veselí nad Lužnicí, New Towns, Třeboň, Strakonice, Sedlčany, Roudnice nad Labem, Bechyně, and numerous other towns and castles.

Searching for the Blue Rose

The name of the founder of the family of the Lords of Hradec can still be heard in the current name of the town, Henry’s Hradec. Their main residence was the local castle and chateau, while their estates mainly spanned the Bohemian-Moravian border. Jáchym of Hradec, who served as the highest chancellor, acquired Vimperk and Hluboká nad Vltavou. Zacharias of Hradec improved the town and castle of Telč, and his nephew, Adam II of Hradec, funded major renovations at their family seat in Jindřichův Hradec; a palace there is still referred to as Adam’s building. When Jáchym Oldřich of Hradec, the last male descendant, died in 1604, the family of Hradec became extinct and all their estates passed through a marriage to Vilém Slavata of Chlum and Košumberka, thus joining the Slavat family.

Silver Rose of Landštejn

The Lords of Landštejn originally lived in Třeboň, but once they acquired Landštejn Castle, they changed their name and moved there. The family possessed several other estates, including Trhové Sviny, Nová Bystřice, and Lomnice nad Lužnicí. Some members of the family even settled in Moravia, where they owned large estates and built the neo-Gothic Nový Světlov Castle, which resembles Hluboká.

…and Less Fortunate Relatives

• • Gentlemen of the Guard were not as prominent compared to most of the other families in the kingdom, which made them stand out more as those not as well-off. They constructed the castle of Stráž nad Nežárkou and engaged in long-standing property disputes with the wealthier Rosenbergs.

• • The lords of Ústí owned estates like Žirovnice and Kamenice. One notable person from this family is Jan Sezima from Ústí, who offered refuge to Jan Hus at Kozí Hrádek.