ntry between the Carpathian Mountains and the Danube; probably
Slovakia of to-day. By his conquests Boleslav became a near neighbour of
Poland and managed to come to a good understanding with Duke Mieceslav
I, ruler of that country, by giving that prince his daughter Dubravka in
marriage, which would no doubt be considered a friendly act. Dubravka
succeeded in converting her husband and his yet heathen people to
Christianity. Mieceslav must have taken to it very strongly, for between
them he and Dubravka produced a pious son and heir who was to become
known as Boleslav the Brave.

Boleslav II of Bohemia, called "the Pious," enjoyed an even longer reign
than his father did, from 967 to 999, which is one of those easy dates
to remember. Monkish chroniclers seem to have ascribed a good deal of
the work done by Boleslav I to his son, probably on account of the
former's lack of piety in his early days and the latter's exuberance in
that line. Certain it is that Boleslav II was ruler over larger
dominions than had ever been held by any Prince or King of Bohemia.
Besides Bohemia itself the power of Boleslav II extended over Moravia,
present-day Slovakia, a great part of Silesia, including Breslau,
districts of Poland nearly up to the town of Lemberg, with a frontier
touching that of the Russian rulers of Kiev. The Bohemian nobles who had
troubled his father were entirely suppressed by Boleslav II, who
appointed burgraves called "z[vu]pans," over the various districts into
which his territories were divided, and the central authority became
absolute.

It is not certain whether Vy[vs]ehrad was still the actual seat of
government or whether the Hrad[vs]any had taken its place. Certain it is
that the Hrad[vs]any had grown in importance chiefly in the religious
life of the nation. The foundations laid by St. Wenceslaus were
extended. It appears that the Church of St. George on the Hrad[vs]any
dates back to this early period; you can see its two rather stunted
white steeples standing out over the complex of buildings near the
eastern point of the Castle Hill before it dips down towards the Vltava.
The earliest church on this point is attributed to Vratislav, uncle of
St. Wenceslaus, but this sounds rather doubtful. Boleslav II, however,
is known to have founded a convent here, probably the oldest in Bohemia,
and he installed his sister Milada as first abbess. St. Ludmilla was
also buried here, so the Hrad[vs]any was increasing in s