Cosmas of Prague
Vranov's location was first mentioned by Cosmas of Prague in 1100 as a border sentry castle (""). It was built by the Dukes of Bohemia to defend the southern border of Moravia against raids from the neighbouring Austrian March. Until 1323 the castle was in royal hands but in that year king John of Bohemia pawned Vranov to a powerful Bohemian nobleman, the viceroy Jindřich of Lipá.