# A Dictionary of Saintly Women/Ludmilla

​St. Ludmilla, Sept. 16 (Ludivilla, Ludmila, Lydmily), M. c. 927. First martyr and first Christian princess of Bohemia. Often called Queen and often Duchess. First native patron saint of her country and ancestor of several of the others. Represented holding in her hand her veil, the instrument of her martyrdom.
She was the daughter of Slavibor, a powerful prince of Bohemia, and was born at Mielnik, anciently called Bssow. She was the wife of Borivoi or Borziwoy, duke or chief prince of Bohemia. They were heathens, and besides the idols in the temples, they had, like the other rich and powerful personages of the country, a great gold-faced wooden idol of their own. About 870 Borivoi paid a visit to Swatopluck or Swentopolk, prince of Moravia, who with St. Methodius, the apostle of Bulgaria and bishop of Moravia, made a pious plot for the conversion of his guest. At dinner Borivoi had to sit on the ground among the heathens and the dogs, while the Christians sat at the prince's table. Methodius remarked to his host that it was a pity the Bohemians were heathens and obliged, as such, to sit on the ground. Borivoi asked what advantage conversion and baptism would bring him. The bishop held out to him hopes of eternal life, promising him a place higher than that of any king or prince in this perishable world, and spoke so earnestly and well that Borivoi agreed to accept Christianity for himself, his wife, and his people, and invited Methodius to come and teach in Bohemia.
Borivoi and Ludmilla were baptized in 871 and this is the first occasion on which their names are mentioned, and the earliest event in the authentic history of Bohemia. Enthusiastic Christians, they were driven out of their country by the followers of the old gods, or rather by those who abhorred the restraints of Christian morality. They were recalled, however, and reigned seven years, after which they retired to Tetin, giving the throne to their son Spitihnew. Two years afterwards, on the death of the new king, the people again brought back Borivoi and Ludmilla, who set the affairs of the state in order, and established as king their younger son Wratislaus.
Under the influence of St. Methodius, Borivoi and Ludmilla built several churches, one was that of the B. V. Mary at Prague which was rebuilt in the 12th century and now contains the oratory of St. Ludmilla and other interesting survivals of ancient times: it is called the Teyn church and is next in importance to the cathedral.
Borivoi died in or before 894. Wratislaus reigned well for a time, but his wife Drahomira, although she pretended to be converted, soon became a fierce ​persecutor of the Church. They had twin sons, St. Wenceslaus whom they allowed Ludmilla to adopt, and Boleslaus the cruel whom they brought up themselves; and a daughter Pribislawa. Wratislaus died in 916 and is buried in the church of St. George, which he built at Prague and which became a famous nunnery under his granddaughter Mlada.
Wenceslaus, the much-beloved hero and patron saint of Bohemia, was then eight years old. He was taken to Wissegrad and set up on his father's throne for all the people to see and acknowledge as their leader. This throne consisted of an immense hewn block of stone, which anciently stood in the middle of the fortress at Wissegrad in the open air, but was removed in the 10th century to Prague, where it may still be seen. Great importance attached to the stone, the man who was crowned sitting on that stone was king indeed and his person was sacred. When the young prince had been received and acclaimed by his subjects he returned to live with his grandmother at Tetin. Ludmilla had been appointed regent by her son, but his widow, Drahomira, by gifts and wiles, won over the chief personages and got the power into her own hands. She persecuted the Christians, destroying the churches and killing or banishing the priests. In vain Ludmilla resigned all claim to power and withdrew from public life, devoting herself to prayer and works of charity. Drahomira said to herself, "How long shall I submit to have this woman superior to me?" Ludmilla hearing that her life was threatened, received the Holy Sacrament and prepared for death. At last by bribes and promises Drahomira engaged two of the princes to murder her mother-in-law. With an armed band they burst into her apartment in the night and rudely awoke her; they dragged her from her bed and gave her but a short time to pray in her oratory. She requested them to cut off her head with a sword, but instead they strangled her with her own veil, knocking her head against a stone, on which are shown to this day, the stains of the martyr's blood. She was buried at Tetin and began immediately to work miracles. Drahomira was frightened when she found she had murdered a saint, and a revulsion set in against her. Her son Wenceslaus commanded her to leave meddling with the affairs of the nation and retire to her own province. There is a doubt about the year of Ludmilla's death, Palacky says 927 is the most likely of the different dates given. A few years afterwards, when Wenceslaus built the cathedral at Prague he removed her venerable body thither. The present cathedral of Prague was bidlt in the 12th century, just in front of the old one, and, like it, is dedicated in the name of St. Vitus. Here lies St. Ludmilla and here is kept her pearl-bedecked golden crown, beside the sword of St. Wenoeslaus, still used in the coronation of Bohemia's kings. Here also sleeps Wenceslaus, in a chapel called by his name, paved with Bohemian precious stones; his tomb of gold is gone but his helmet and coat-of-mail and the great iron ring of the church door which he grasped as he fell by his brother's hand are kept in veneration near him, and it is said that he still appears when Bohemia is in dire need, leading on her army or bringing a band of saints and angels to her aid.
For many years Ludmilla was the only native female patron saint of Bohemia, her colleagues being her grandson St. Wenceslaus, his servant, and two ancient saints. In course of time six women were promoted to the honour of sharing with her the patronage of her country: three of these were her descendants, Przbislawa her granddaughter, Mlada her great grand daughter, and Kunhuta (Cunegund) daughter of Ottocar II. As for Drahomira, when she had added to her many crimes that of stirring up one of her sons to slay the other, Balbinus testifies that it is certain that the earth opened and swallowed her up and that a pillar stands in the midst of the city of Prague to mark tho spot and prove the story.
Palacky, Böhmen. AA.SS., Sept 16 and 28. Dlugosch, Hist. Poionicæ. Eneas Silvius, Hist. Bohemiæ. Martinov. Le Mire, De Rebus Bohemicis, Balbinus, Miscellanea and Hist. Ducibus ac Regibus ​Bohemiæ. Chanowski, Vestigium Bohemiæ Piæ. Schultz, Guide to Prague.