Albrecht Lord of Kolowrat

(mentioned 1422 – December 1st, 1470)

Associate of the Feudal court in the years 1456 until 1465.

When and where he was born is unknown, but he was born to Jan of Kolowraty († 1419-1420) and to Skonka of Zerotin (mentioned 1417 – 1422). He is important for sirs and later Counts Krakowsky of Kolowraty as he became the owner of Krakovec castle by which his descendants as a new family line took the name.

About Krakovec Castle

The name of the castle is a diminutive of the name of Krakov, which used to be name of wooded and uninhabited valley below the village of the same name. The village was not mentioned until 1381. Jira of Roztoky gained the Krakov estate with Krakovec as vassalage for his services to Charles IV and Vaclav IV. Sir Jira became a favourite of Vaclav, his minister and counselor, he was also a member of the royal council. He rose quickly in court offices, first he was in 1380 until 1385 the burgrave at the nearby Krivoklat castle and also the supreme master of hunts. He was entrusted to manage the royal smelter in 1382 and in 1384 he became the royal chamberlain. He was knighted in 1386 and in years 1393 until 1400 he held position of the highest steward for Queen Zofie. But he was as well the burgrave at Karlstejn since 1399.

The Krakovec Castle (14 km southwest of Rakovnik) was built by Jira of Roztoky between 1381 and 1383 on a low rocky promontory surrounded by Krakov and Sip streams which met at the south. Krakovec was the mansion and was used mostly for comfortable living, only the entrance side was properly secured. Krakovec represents a transitional type of aristocratic residence between tower and castle. The castle palace had twenty-seven rooms and part of the corner chamber in the south wing was the chapel with presbytery on high prismatic pillars facing the east. The chapel was consecrated in honor of the Virgin Mary and St. Catherine on October 16th, 1383 by bishop Jan III. Sobeslav Lucembursky of Litomysl.

Sir Jira of Roztoky sold the Krakovec castle together with twelve other villages in 1410 for 2500 threescores to Jindrich Lefla of Lazany. With him Mistr Jan Hus found the refuge in 1414 before leaving for the Council of Constance.

The beginning of the family branch

On October 14th, 1443 sir Albrecht of Kolowraty seated at Bezdekov and his uncle Jaroslav Plichta of Zerotin, the last male member of Zirotin family (last mentioned in 1467) have bought the Krakovec castle with facilities probably from Jindrich, relative of sir Jan, called Vlk of Miletice for 1100 threescores of Prague groschens. Sir Jaroslav let his share of the castle and estate to his nephew (son of his sister Skonka) on May 11th, 1445 for 500 threescores Prague groschens. On March 16th, 1457 he let the authorities rights to founder, file, patronage to the convent of Poor Clares in Panensky Tynec.

That was the beginning of the new Kolowrat family branch named after the castle that they held in years 1143 until 1445 and then in years 1570 until 1588.

Krakov estate

Sir Albrecht settled permanently on Krakovec. Perhaps it was him or maybe his son, who had the western palace rebuild with large windows in the second half of the 15th century. Albrecht joined his existing estates with Krakovec estate, especially Kolesovice, probably village Podmokly with fortress (16 km southwest of Krivoklat) and before he sold it, even burned down Bezdekov, which he held until 1443. In the same year, Albrecht´s domain included villages Vsesulov, Sipy, Rousinov, Zhor, Slabec and Modrejovice as well. Later he held Pochvalov too, but only as a pledge of goods. King Ladislav Pohrobek confirmed all his tenure only on November 10th, 1454.

Albrecht´s marriages

Sometime before 1434 Albrecht of Kolwraty married Katerina of Smirice (mentioned 1434 – 1457). Four daughters were born from this marriage – Alzbeta Eliska, Anezka, Anna and Barbora. After he widowed, he married for the second time before 1469, this time Barbora of Waldstein (mentioned 1469 – 1482). She was a daughter of Hynek of Waldstein and Alzbeta of Kovan. They had son Jindrich Albert (mentioned 1479 – 1530).

Testament

In 1457 sir Albrecht made the last will in the form of debt notation because he could not freely dispose with his feudatory estates. Therefore, he wrote 2500 threescores to all four of his daughters and in case they all died, then to Jan and Albrecht Bezdruzicky of Kolowraty. In this debt he ceded Krakovec castle with the yard, villages of Krakov, Vsesulov, Sipy, Rousinov, Slabce, Modrejovice, Svinarov, Krizova, Novosedly, yard in Zhor with two yokes of land and yard Chlistov. He cancelled this notation in 1461, probably because his son Jindrich Albrecht was born in 1459 and became his new heir.

Sir Albrecht of Kolowraty and of Krakovec was buried in the family tomb in the monastery in Rocov.