Noble family Premyslid dynasty Mother Helena of Lithuania | Name Nicholas Duke Died 1452 | |
Spouse(s) Margaret Clemm of EllguthBarbara Rockemberg Parents John II, Duke of Opava-Ratibor Children Wenceslaus III, Duke of Rybnik, John IV, Duke of Krnov Grandparents John I, Duke of Opava-Ratibor Great-grandparents Nicholas II, Duke of Opava People also search for Wenceslaus II, Duke of Opava-Ratibor | ||
Nicholas V, Duke of Krnov (also known as Nicholas II of Opava-Ratibor; Czech: Mikuláš V. Krnovský; c. 1409–1452) was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty. He was Duke of Racibórz, Krnov, Bruntál and Rybnik. All these duchies were situated in Silesia, then part of the Crown of Bohemia.
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Life
His parents were John "the Iron" and Helena of Lithuania (niece of King Wladyslaw II Jagiello of Poland).
Although Nicholas and his younger brother Wenceslaus II were probably adults when their father died in 1424, their mother, Helena of Lithuania nevertheless acted as regent until 1428. Until 1449, she styled herself as Lady of Pless, suggesting that she had received Pless as her jointure. Nicholas V and Wenceslaus II ruled their duchy jointly until 1437, at which time they divided their inheritance. Nicholas V received Krnov, Bruntál, Rybnik, Pless, and Baborów, while Wenceslaus II received Racibórz.
In 1433, a Hussite army passing through the Váh valley devastated Racibórz and prepared to hand it to Duke Bolko V of Opole, who supported the Hussites. However, Nicholas V reconquered Racibórz. In 1436, Nicholas V also conquered the Duchy of Głubczyce, which was owned by Duke Wenceslaus II of Opava, who retaliated by conquering Żory. In 1437, Nicholas V and Wenceslaus II of Opava reached a compromise.
In 1443, Nicholas allied himself with Dukes William of Opava, Przemyslaus II of Cieszyn, and Henry IX of Żagań-Głogów against the robber barons who infested Silesia.
Nicholas V died in 1452. Initially, his sons John IV and Wenceslaus III ruled jointly. However, in 1464, they divided their inheritance, with John IV taking Krnov and Wodzisław Śląski and Wenceslaus III taking Rybnik, Pless and Żory.
Marriage and issue
In 1435, Nicholas V married Margaret Clemm of Ellguth. They had three children:
In 1451 in Kraków, Nicholas V married his second wife. She was Barbara Rockemberg (d. 1464) from a patrician family in Kraków. They had two children:
Since her stepsons John IV and Wenceslaus II were minors when Nicholas V died in 1452, Barbara was regent of Racibórz, Krnov, Bruntál and Rybnik from 1452 until 1462. She was also Lady of Pless, which was probably her jointure.