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- BIOGRAPHY
Zdenko was born about 1470, the son of Lev z Rozmitalu, brother-in-law to George Podiebrad, king of Bohemia, who had married Lev's sister Johanna. Zdenko belonged to the Catholic estates in the ruling class of Bohemia. Already as a 26-year-old he took part in negotiations with Wladislaw Jagiello, king of Hungary and Bohemia in 1496. He held the posts of Chief Justice from 1504 and Burgrave of Karlstein from 1498 to 1504, and from 1507 he was High Burgrave of Bohemia. He was one of the most influential personalities in Bohemia in the reigns of Wladislaw Jagiello and his son Lajos II.
Zdenko was married to Katharina Svihovská von Ryzemberk. He had a daughter Anna who would have progeny, marrying Adam I z Hradce, High Chancellor of Bohemia.
As High Burgrave of Bohemia Zdenko effectively ruled the kingdom, as the Bohemian kings from the house of Jagiello stayed mainly in Hungary. He strongly favoured the Catholic estates; his aim was to expand their rights and privileges at the cost of the other estates. His opponents accused him of deceit, injustice and cruelty. As administrator of the royal treasury he was also accused of avarice. However historians describe him as a righteous man who demanded high performance from his officials.
In 1519 the first legal proceedings were launched against him, in which his opponents accused him of having misappropriated the country's funds. In 1523 he was forced to resign the office of High Burgrave. His successor only held the office for two years to 1525, when Zdenko was reappointed to the office, from which his friends benefitted, with their appointment to high offices. In the meantime his enemies grew more numerous, also within the Catholic party, particularly the house of Rozmberk whose inheritance of Cesky Krumlov he disputed.
With the death of Lajos II at the Battle of Mohacs in 1526 the Jagellonian dynasty came to an end. Zdenko was among the possible candidates for the election of the king. He soon withdrew, however, when the estates favoured the Hubsburg Ferdinand, duke of Austria. Zdenko was in any case probably too old to be considered. Whereas he had exercised great influence on Lajos, Ferdinand did not allow him to exercise similar influence. In 1528 he had to step down again from his position, and thereafter he focused on the management of his estates of Plattern, Rosental, Wellartitz, Klenau, Opálkou, Lissa, Wemschen, Drohnitz, Zdechovice, Ryzemburg, Skály and Podebra.
However at this time Zdenko's large fortune melted away in maintaining a court much greater than he required as well as numerous festivals. Only the respect for his power kept his creditors at bay. After his death on 14 July 1535 his legacy was absorbed entirely by his debts. His daughter Anna's sons could not repay Zdenko's accumulated debts, and in 1550 the claims of his creditors were purchased by Florian Griespek von Griespach, who thereby became lord of Rozmitalu.
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