The King Wenceslaus Hollar
"Good King Wenceslaus looked out, on the feast of Stephen." Most people
know the Christmas carol about the good king who took food and firewood to
a poor peasant during the winter holidays. But they may not know the story
behind the song, the story of a Bohemian duke plagued by political intrigue,
family feuding, and murder.
"King" Wenceslaus wasn't really a king at all, but the Duke of Bohemia, which
is now part of the present-day Czech Republic. When he was born in A.D.
903, Bohemia still struggled between Christianity and paganism. Wenceslaus'
father was a Christian and his mother, Drahomira, was a pagan. Wenceslaus
chose to follow his father's religion, while his brother, Boleslaus, chose to
follow his mother's beliefs.
Wenceslaus succeeded his father as Duke of Bohemia when he was only 15.
Because he was so young, his mother served as regent. One of her first acts
was to prohibit Christianity. She even murdered Wenceslaus' grandmother,
because she was the one who taught her son to follow Christianity. After a
couple of years, the people could no longer stand Drahomira's cruelty and
asked Wenceslaus to take the throne. He did, making Christianity the official
state religion, building churches, inviting German missionaries to the region,
and helping the poor.
When Wenceslaus married and had a child, his brother Boleslaus grew jealous
as he saw his chances at taking the throne slipping away. So he and some
friends plotted Wenceslaus' murder. They knew that Wenceslaus planned to
attend Mass for a saint's feast day, and they arranged to meet him at
church. He agreed, and they murdered him on the steps of the church. He
was declared a martyr and a saint almost immediately.
But what about that song? Where did it come from? Anglican minister John
Mason Neale wrote the carol in 1853 as part of a collection of songs for
children. Although he had never visited Bohemia, Neale heard the story of
Good King Wenceslaus from British soldiers who had returned from Eastern
Europe. He set the tale to music to teach children about the virtue of
generosity.
Author's name omitted by request
Title: The King Wenceslaus Hollar
Description: Many people are familiar with the Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslaus
Hollar. But they may not know that he was a real person, a Bohemian duke who lived
1,000 years ago.
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