Valasca is a
woman
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
mentioned in the ''History of Bohemia'' by Aeneas Silvius (
Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II ( la, Pius PP. II, it, Pio II), born Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini ( la, Aeneas Silvius Bartholomeus, links=no; 18 October 1405 – 14 August 1464), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 August ...
). She was also called Vlasta and was supporter of the mythical
Bohemian
Princess
Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince.
Princess as a subs ...
Libuše.
Life
Valasca led a female rebellion against the rule of
Přemysl is a Czech masculine given name. The Polish alternative is Przemysł or Przemysław.
Famous bearers
Czech royals
* Přemysl the Ploughman – mythical founder of the Bohemian royal dynasty of Přemyslids
* Přemysl I Otakar – king of Bohe ...
after the death of
Libuše.
On the death of Libuše ca. 738, Valasca, one of Libussa(Libuše)'s favourite henchwomen, seized power and created a
state ruled by women.
She decreed that only women were to receive military training and that boys were to be maimed to render them unable to fight by removal of the right eye and thumb.
She supposedly distributed a potion to the women of Bohemia which protected them from men.
She was slain by Primislaus(
Přemysl is a Czech masculine given name. The Polish alternative is Przemysł or Przemysław.
Famous bearers
Czech royals
* Přemysl the Ploughman – mythical founder of the Bohemian royal dynasty of Přemyslids
* Přemysl I Otakar – king of Bohe ...
) in battle
after seven years of rule, at which point men regained power.
Her headquarters were traditionally believed to have been located in
Dívčí Hrad
Dívčí Hrad (german: Maidelberg) is a municipality and village in Bruntál District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 300 inhabitants.
Geography
Dívčí Hrad is situated in the Osoblažsko microregion on the ...
("The Virgin’s Castle") on Mount Vidovole.
In popular culture
A character called
Velasca in popular TV series ''
Xena: Warrior Princess'' was loosey based on Valasca.
References
{{reflist
8th-century queens regnant
Culture of the Czech Republic
Women in medieval European warfare