Znojemský hrad v zástavě Meziříčských z Lomnice

The study deals with issues of the Znojmo Castle during the possesion of the traditional moravian noble family Meziříčský of Lomnice (1536–1579). The historiography has not focused on the theme. The king Ferdinand I. pledged the castle to Václav Meziříčský, son of the moravian land hetman Jan Meziříčský of Lomnice, in the year 1536. The main reason was, that Ferdinand I. owed eleven thousend golden to the moravian lord. Václav resided in his dominion Asparn an der Zaya in Austria, which was also the pledge from the king. The moravian lord served king very loyally. He represented monarch´s interest in moravian land assemblies. His good attitude to the crown confirms the fact, that his son Mikuláš served the king also (he died during the service). The Znojmo Castle´s dominion constituted one large village called Přímětice and many small properties in the neighbourhood. Many villages had duties to supply the castle with raw materials. The main income had the lord of the castle from payment from the city Znojmo. Václav Meziřičský had also duties. He was under obligation to secure the safe passage on the roads about Znojmo and keep the fortification strong for example. Václav Meziříčský had been renting the Znojmo Castle for some period. His interest in this property had been growing gradually. The Znojmo Castle became his residence after he had sold his property in Austria. Interest of Václav in his dominion caused disputes with the city Znojmo and the monasteries. The main subject of the disputes were duties of the city to the lord of the castle. The burghers supplied the castle with water very reluctantly and the collecting tolls in the territory of the city by men of Václav was very problematical also. The moravian lord was a protestant and he did not dispute with lutheran burghers. The family protected the protestants in their castle. Václav Meziříčský of Lomnice died on 25 January 1569 and he lived to the age of 88 years. His existence reminds a figural tombstone, which is located in the church of Saint Nikolaus in Znojmo. Václav is depicted as in the front of the cross kneeling knight. The inspiration from tombstone of his famous father in law Nicholas II., count of Salm, seems to be evident. His tombstone can be seen in Votive Church in Vienna. His only one living son Hojer gained the castle after Václav Meziříčský´s dead. The Znojmo Castle and its dominion were for Václav and Hojer important, because they successfully asked the monarch for prolongation of the pledge. They resignated from possibility to buy any other free property. They possessed the small town Měnín as their only one free dominion. The disputes with the city Znojmo were continuing and found its end in Hojer´s dead. The burghers of Znojmo asked the emperor for the castle after the experience of coexistence with the lords of Lomnice. Their request was not granted. Rudolf II. was pledging the castle to noblemen again. The Znojmo Castle maintained his importance in the 16th century not only as the place for organizing of land assembly, but also as the fortification.