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John I of Bohemia

John the Blind (Luxembourgish: Jang de Blannen; German: Johann der Blinde von Luxemburg; Czech: Jan Lucemburský) (10 August, 1296 – 26 August, 1346) was the Count of Luxembourg from 1309, King of Bohemia, and titular King of Poland from 1310. He was the eldest son of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII and his wife Margaret of Brabant.

John was French by education, but deeply involved in the politics of Germany. In 1310, John married Elisabeth, heiress of Wenceslaus III of Bohemia, and thereby became King of Bohemia and so one of the seven prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire. The object of the hostility of the Czech nobility, however, he gave up the administration of Bohemia and embarked on a life of travel, spending time in Luxembourg and the French court. His travels took him to Silesia, Poland, Lithuania, Tyrol, Northern Italy, Papal Avignon, and Languedoc, where he was governor from 30 November 1338 to November 1340. He lost his eyesight from ophthalmia, while crusading in Lithuania with the Teutonic order.

He retained his crown even after Elisabeth's death in 1330. His second wife was Beatrice, daughter of Louis I, Duke of Bourbon.

He was killed whilst fighting alongside the French against the English at the Battle of Crécy, part of the Hundred Years' War. The chronicler Froissart left the following account of John's last actions:

After the battle, John's personal crest (a pair of black wings) and motto Ich Dien ("I Serve") were adopted in slightly modified form by Edward, the Black Prince, and since then they have been part of the badge of the Prince of Wales.

John was succeeded as King of Bohemia by his eldest son Charles (later Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor). In Luxembourg, he was succeeded by his son by his second wife, Wenceslaus.

Family and children

He was married two times:

First, to Elizabeth I of Bohemia. In this marriage he had the following children:

1. Margaret (8 July 1313–11 July 1341, Prague), married in Straubing 12 August 1328 to Henry XIV, Duke of Bavaria.
2. Bonne (21 May 1315–11 September 1349, Maubuisson), married in Melun 6 August 1332 to King John II of France.
3. Charles IV (14 May 1316–29 November 1378), King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor.
4. Ottokar ("Otto") (22 November 1318–20 April 1320), Prince of Bohemia.
5. John Henry (Jan Jindrich) (12 February 1322, Mělník–12 November 1375), Margrave of Moravia.
6. Anna (1323–3 September 1338), twin of Elizabeth, married 16 February 1335 to Otto, Duke of Austria.
7. Elizabeth (1323–1324), twin of Anna.

Second (December 1334), to Beatrix of Bourbon, daughter of Louis I, Duke of Bourbon. This marriage produced two children:

1. Wenceslaus I of Luxembourg (25 February 1337, Prague–7 December 1383, Luxembourg), Duke of Luxembourg and Brabant.
2. Bonne

References

• The Chronicles of Froissart, translated by Lord Berners, edited by G.C. Macaulay. The Harvard Classics. [1]

Contents

• Family and children
• References