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 giving him the title of King of Bohemia. Up to this time the rulers of Bohemia had been called princes or dukes, as was also the case in regard to Moravia. Henry further rewarded Vratislav by making his brother Jaromir (Gebhart) chancellor of the realm, and provided that at the death of the Bishop of Moravia, the two bishoprics should be reunited. Finally he accepted four thousand pounds of silver as full payment for all the tribute that Bohemia should ever pay to the empire; but after that the king was to furnish three hundred men to accompany the emperor whenever he went to Rome for his coronation.

Vratislav had been called King of Bohemia by the German Emperor; but this title did not seem real as long as he had not been crowned. Therefore, as soon as he returned from the wars, grand preparations were made in Prague for this ceremony. June 15, 1086, Prague was the scene of the grandest celebration Bohemia had ever seen. Both Vratislav and his wife Svatava were crowned in the St. Vitus Cathedral. The people shouted: “Blessing, victory, and glory to Vratislav, the great and gracious King of Bohemia and Poland, crowned of God!” The title King of Poland was but nominal, being given by the emperor to show Bohemia’s supremacy over that country.

Vratislav reigned six years after his coronation. He had five sons, and for some time he thought of breaking the Bretislav law of succession in favor of his oldest son Bretislav; but the young man bringing upon himself the wrath of his father by murdering the favorite courtier of the latter, the crown was finally given to Conrad, the brother of Vratislav.