Background
Świętosława was the daughter of Duke Casimir I of Poland and his wife Maria Dobroniega of Kiev.
Świętosława was the daughter of Duke Casimir I of Poland and his wife Maria Dobroniega of Kiev.
Her brothers Boleslaus II the Bold and Vladislaus I Herman were rulers of Poland. Vratislaus married Świętosława in 1062, one year after the death of the previous duchess, Vratislaus" second wife Adelaide of Hungary. With this marriage, the neutrality of Bohemia was ensured in the Polish-German conflict.
In addition, Vratislaus demonstrated friendly relationships with Boleslaus II the Bold, but some time after he had a dispute with Boleslaus about Czechoslovakian-Polish borders.
The new duchess gave birth to four children. Vratislaus had four other ones already.
The youngest son, Soběslav, was probably born in 1075. They reigned for the next seven years.
In 1092 Świętosława was left a widow and saw a struggle for the throne of Bohemia among the Přemyslids.
In 1111, she assisted in negotiations between Vladislaus I and Bolesław III Wrymouth. In 1125, the dying Vladislaus I confirmed his relative Otto II the Black as his successor, which was also the wish of Vladislaus" wife, Richeza of Berg.